"IB makes you more knowledgeable, more confident and more organised. You'll need to study hard but you will be supported by great teachers and other students. It's a lot of work and also a lot of fun. IB is a challenge - but the rewards are huge." Sarah Chi – IB Diploma Graduate, Studying at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA
Did you know?
The IB Diploma is highly sought after by top universities as it develops well-rounded learners by developing skills such as critical thinking.
In Years 12 and 13 students study the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), the world's premier pre-university course of study.
Having the IB Diploma has allowed our GIS graduates to go on to study at some of the world’s leading universities.
Why study IB at GIS?
The ‘IB’, as it is known globally, is proud of its pursuit of lifelong learning, academic excellence, and the celebration of cultural diversity. By adopting the IB’s Learner Profile into our own Core Values, GIS is the ideal school for IB Diploma students.
"Garden International School Rayong is the most experienced IB school on Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard. For 20 years GIS has been at the forefront of delivering the Diploma Programme, boasting an excellent coordinating team and enthusiastic, experienced staff whose high standards and practices reflect the demands of the Diploma." Mrs. Lauren Hucknall, Assistant Head and IB Coordinator.
At GIS we are proud of our 100 per cent pass rates, but IB is more than just academic success. An important part of the IBDP is ‘CAS’. CAS stands for Creativity, Activity and Service and encourages students to complete a range of challenges. These can range from teaching English at a local Thai school to learning new skills or organising fundraising events. CAS is often about helping others, and these ideals are mirrored by the caring, nurturing atmosphere which exists at GIS. These are also qualities which universities regularly rank as highly important, alongside academic excellence.
What is the IBDP?
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a challenging two-year course that comprises six subjects and the interdisciplinary core components of Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) and the Extended Essay (EE).
Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) and the Extended Essay (EE).
The International Baccalaureate Organisation’s (IBO) Diploma Programme is a demanding pre-university course of study that leads to examinations in the final year of school. It is designed for highly-motivated secondary school students aged 16 to 19.
The programme has earned a reputation for rigorous assessment, giving IB Diploma holders access to the world’s leading universities. The IBO has shown, over more than 40 years, that graduate IB students are extremely well prepared for university study.
Recent decisions by the Thai Government have recognised the IB Diploma as appropriate for advanced placement in Thai universities. This gives Thai students the best of both worlds. With the IB Diploma, they have their choice of universities abroad or they can stay at home and enjoy the dividends of their excellence with advanced placement.
Candidates may study towards either the full International Baccalaureate Diploma or the International Baccalaureate Courses.
The IB Diploma Programme Curriculum
The programme has the strengths of a traditional and broad curriculum, but with three important additional features, shown at the centre of the circular curriculum model: Theory of Knowledge (TOK), the Extended Essay (EE) and Creativity Activity, Service (CAS)
Subject Choices
Students choose six subjects from the six academic areas around the circular curriculum model. Students are required to study Humanities, Mathematics and Science subjects, as well as a second language.
There are three other features to IB that make it unique and highly respected:
Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)
The IBO’s goal is to educate the whole person and develop compassionate citizens. The CAS programme encourages students to share their energy and special talents with others: students may, for example, participate in theatre or musical productions, sports and community service activities.
Students should develop greater awareness of themselves, concern for others, and the ability to work with people in their community.
Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
Theory of Knowledge is intended to stimulate critical reflection on the knowledge and experience gained inside and outside the classroom. The course challenges students to question the bases of knowledge, to be aware of subjective and ideological biases and to develop the ability to analyse evidence that is expressed in rational argument. It is a key element in encouraging students to appreciate other cultural perspectives. The course is unique to the IBO, which recommends at least 100 hours of teaching time.
Extended Essay (4,000 words)
Each student has the opportunity to investigate a topic of special interest. The Extended Essay requirement acquaints students with the kind of independent research and writing skills expected by universities. The IB recommends that a student devotes a total of about 40 hours of private study and writing time to the essay, which may be written in one of 60 subjects, including many languages. The essay allows students to deepen their knowledge from their programmes of study, for example, by selecting a topic in one of their higher level (HL) courses.