IB Asia Pacific Newsletter

Quarter One, 2008

Australasia

Programme Growth

Authorised:   DP:59     MYP:23 *     PYP:47      Total:129

                                 (*+ 22 partner schools)

Candidate:    DP:14     MYP:19       PYP:44       Total:  77

LOI:             DP:11      MYP:20      PYP:22       Total:  53

November 2007 Session IB Diploma Results

IB Diploma candidates in the Australasian region of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea made up 25.6% of the November 2007 cohort, with a total of 1,663 students from the worldwide November total of 6,488 registrations.

22 perfect scores of 45/45 were awarded worldwide in the November session, and 12 of those were awarded to candidates in Australasia. Whilst the highest average score for an individual school in Australasia was 40.22, making comparisons can sometimes be a little misleading as some schools have much larger cohorts than others and open the programme to a wider ability group. Overall about 90% of Australasian Diploma students were successful and the average for all schools was several points above the world average. The holistic approach taken by many Australasian schools is commendable and the quality of the work being done in CAS, developing the Learner Profile and in international-mindedness and intercultural understanding is also to be encouraged and applauded.

We would like to extend special congratulations to all students, and to the teaching and support staff at their schools.

Some Australasian Results Statistics

• The worldwide overall pass rate for November 07 was 80.92%. The pass rate of registered Australasian Diploma &  retake candidates was 89.98%

• Australasian candidates as a whole compared very well against the worldwide average. The Australasian average score was 33.58 and the worldwide average was 30.72.

• 131 Australasian candidates were awarded a Bilingual Diploma

(Data extracted 9 January, subject to change)

Inter-School Events

At the end of 2007 Ravenswood School for Girls’ Yr 11 IB

students hosted a Theory of Knowledge student day, to which

they invited their fellow students from Trinity Grammar and

Queenwood School for Girls’.  The overall aim of the day was to

make a connection between schools that would allow students to

share and reflect on common IB experiences. 

TOK was one obvious area of common ground and this was

used as a springboard for discussion and activities amongst the

mixed groups of ten or so students at each table.  There were

excerpts from the film ‘Baraka’, to inspire conversation about

the roles of culture, beliefs and language in acquiring and

shaping knowledge, and the series ‘Summer Heights High’ to

assist discussion of gender as a factor in the nature of

knowledge (and add an element of fun!). 

As CAS is also a common experience, another session saw TOK

thinking skills being applied to the discussion of designing,

executing and reflecting on possible CAS projects.

Of course, there was much peripheral discussion about IB

academic subjects and similarities and differences regarding

how each school approached IB. 

The TOK student day resulted in many new friendships and a

definite sense that ‘we’re all in this together’.  Many students

expressed the wish to get together more frequently, perhaps

collaborating in CAS projects, or other   inter-school events.

Thank you to Robin Julian Diploma Coordinator at Ravenswood

for sharing this with us.

Diploma students at the ToK Day held at Ravenswood School for Girls

(We are aware that many IB World Schools in Australasia are

actively participating in a wide range of community and

environmental projects as well as inter-school events. We

encourage you to let us know about them as we’d love to hear

about it and share it with other schools in the IB community.

Please feel free to write to us at ibapaus@ibo.org)

Diploma Student Conference in Sydney

On 15 of February ten schools from NSW, ACT, VIC and New

Zealand gathered together for the 2nd IB Diploma Student

Conference.

The conference was hosted by Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy

College who welcomed over 400 current and potential IB

Diploma Students. Students and coordinators came together to

explore the theme Connecting Hearts, Connecting Minds through

sharing knowledge, experiences and new ways of learning.

The event began with an acknowledgement of the indigenous

owners of the land and a welcome by Monte Sant’ Angelo’s

Principal, Ms Catherine Alcock. Following that, keynote speaker

Mr Kartikeya V. Sarabhai, Director of the Centre for

Environment Education in India, addressed the students,

encouraging them to look at ways that they can be drivers of

change in their schools towards sustainable environmental

development. He introduced the concept of making a positive

environmental ‘hand print’ (taking action) as well as being

aware of their environmental footprint (personal impact made

on the environment). 

The auditorium was arranged so that students sat at round

tables with students from each school represented on the tables.

This created a great opportunity for students to connect, build

friendships and share experiences with students from other

schools who are also studying the IB Diploma.

The students attending the conference, who have just begun

either the first or second years of the IB Diploma, or are

considering taking it on next year, benefited greatly from the

ex-students’ perspective session which featured Joan Li, a

graduate of MLC School and Harry Constantin a graduate of

Trinity Grammar.  Both Joan and Harry were highly encouraging

and motivational speakers, who truly personified the IB Mission

and Philosophy. As did current IB Diploma students, Anna

Brankin and Helena Schwertheim, of St Margaret’s College in

Christchurch New Zealand, who gave insight into the role of the

IB Learner Programme in their life and study, and shared how it

had helped broaden their cultural understanding.

CAS was also a focus of the student conference.

Representatives from Conservation Volunteers and International

Student Volunteers offered inspiration to students with

information about the exciting programs they have available to

students. Madeleine McCloy and Andie Webster, students of

Monte Sant’ Angelo also shared their recent CAS field trip to an

Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory. Judging from

their passionate presentation, there is no doubt that this trip will

have lasting impact on the students.

The conference closed with a panel session with representatives

from NSW and ACTs leading universities.  Each representative

had the opportunity to give a short address to the students,

describing what their university could offer IB graduates in

terms of admissions, scholarships and student life. This was

followed by a question and answer time in which the students

had the opportunity to ask important questions and raise issues

directly with the universities. Regional Representative Greg

Valentine also had an opportunity to meet with University staff

during the day.

Overall the conference was a great success. Our thanks to

Monte Sant’ Angelo for organising the NSW/ACT IB Schools

Student Conference for 2008.

Graduation Ceremonies

Following the release of the November 2007 Diploma results,

major IB Centres in Australia hosted Awards ceremonies

throughout February.

Canberra Schools presented IB Diplomas to their 2007

graduates on Wednesday 6th February.

On Friday 15 February at Ravenswood School for Girls,

Professor Steven Schwartz Vice-Chancellor of Macquarie

University presented IB Diplomas and AAIBS Merit Certificates

to students from the fourteen IB schools in NSW & ACT.

Students from the eight South Australian IB schools attended

their Awards ceremony on Monday 18 February where Sir

James Hardy was Guest of Honour.

Phoebe Wynn-Pope was the Guest of Honour for the 2008

Victorian IB Awards Ceremony on Thursday 28 February 2008

at 7.00pm.  Phoebe (née Fraser) spent six years working in

emergency situations throughout the world and presented a

unique world view.

University representatives will be present at all Awards

Ceremonies.

Annual IB Art Exhibition

The annual VIC/TAS IB Visual Arts Exhibition was hosted by

Geelong Grammar School from Monday 25 February until

Tuesday 4 March 2008 inclusive. The exhibition highlighted over

150 works by students from 15 Victorian and Tasmanian IB

Diploma World Schools. The exhibition, which was held in the

Sinclaire Centre of Geelong Grammar School, was opened by

Jason Smith the Director of the Monash Gallery of Art Victoria,

where he curated over twenty-five exhibitions. IBAP Australasia

Regional Representative Greg Valentine was very impressed by

the quality and diversity of the work displayed and

congratulates all IB Diploma Art students as well as their Art

teachers.

Our thanks to Dr Mathew White, IB Coordinator at Geelong

Grammar for organising the Event and the Victorian and

Tasmanian schools for supporting it.

Greg Valentine, Regional Representative Australasia

Stefanie Sandford, Personal Assistant

E-mail: ibapausreception@ibo.org