St Margaret’s College offers students in Year 12-13 the choice of studying the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP), or the New Zealand national qualification, NCEA Level 2-3. Here, we take a closer look at the IBDP.
It takes between two and five years to become an IB school.
Accreditation isn’t granted overnight. Schools must demonstrate sustained commitment to the IB’s philosophy, teaching standards, and student outcomes before they are recognised. St Margaret’s received its accreditation in 2002, one of the first schools in New Zealand to do so. We remain the only girls’ school in the South Island of New Zealand to offer the programme.
IB schools are held to an ongoing standard.
Every five years, IB schools are formally evaluated by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), ensuring the programme remains rigorous and contemporary. IB teachers receive specific training directly from the IBO as preparation for teaching the IB, and this investment in our teachers’ professional development benefits every student at St Margaret’s, not just those studying the IB.
The IB belongs to no government and no country.
The IBO is headquartered in Switzerland, but its mission and curriculum are shaped by educators worldwide, not by the politics of any single nation. That independence is a significant part of what gives the qualification consistency and credibility, whether a student earns it in Christchurch or Copenhagen.
At the heart of the IB is a simple but potent idea.
The mission of the IB is to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world, through education that builds intercultural understanding and respect. It’s an ethos we share at St Margaret’s, to create empathetic, confident and connected global citizens, who strive to make a positive difference.
Learn more about our Senior School curriculum here.
