Lomond School has become the latest school in Scotland to be given the International Baccalaureate (IB) stamp of approval, having been confirmed as an IB World School.
The school, based in Helensburgh, has been given clearance to offer both the IB Diploma Programme and Career-related Programme.
Set alongside its delivery of an HNC in business and current SQA provision, Lomond becomes the first institution in the country to offer such a curriculum choice.
“The IB is globally renowned for delivering exceptional education programmes that are synonymous with putting the child firmly at the centre of education,” said school principal, Johanna Urquhart.
“The process of becoming an IB World School is not an easy one. We set out to become an authorised IB school in January 2020, and I am extremely proud that we have managed to achieve this amidst a global pandemic.”
Courses will be offered to S5 and S6 pupils from August 2021, alongside the current model of SQA Highers and Advanced Highers.
We set out to become an authorised IB school in January 2020, and I am extremely proud that we have managed to achieve this amidst a global pandemic – Johanna Urquhart, Lomond School
“We have learned a lot and adapted over the past year, however what is clear is that we must prepare our young people for the future and give our senior pupils choice and ownership over their own learning, ensuring that they can be independent and rewarded for their own creative, critical and original thinking,” added Urquhart.
“Within the IB programme, the skills young people develop for life beyond school are valued with parity of esteem alongside the grades on their certificates. Success cannot be achieved by mere memorisation or repetition; there has to be originality of thought, a critical awareness and the ability to connect across different subject disciplines.
“We now feel that we have a curriculum for everyone and, as a forward-looking school, we are ecstatic that we are now authorised to deliver these courses that will prepare our pupils with the skills, qualities and world-renowned qualifications needed for the future.”
The other schools in Scotland to offer IB programmes are St Leonards in Fife, the International School of Aberdeen and Fettes College.
You may also like: IB students ‘appear to hold an advantage’ in critical thinking
