Plymouth College is celebrating after achieving its highest ever results for the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB). With 100% pass rate, the average point score of 34.125 equates to 482 UCAS points, which is the equivalent of more than 4 As at A Level and places the school in the top 20 nationally for IB.
Top scorer is Kevin Vandabona, who has achieved an impressive 43 out of a maximum 45 points. This score places Kevin in the top 1.9% of the global IB cohort. His mark equates to 676 UCAS points, which is the equivalent to just under 5 A*s at A Level. Kevin, who was part of the team that received a highly commended award in the national final of the business competition BASE last week, will be studying Aeronautical Engineering at Imperial College University of London. He achieved an A* in A Level maths when he was 16.
Another high achiever is performance athlete, Elisa Biava, who has scored 38 points worth 567 UCAS points and is equivalent to slightly more than 4 A*s at A Level. The Italian swimmer has recently added coaching to her portfolio and has a place at Bocconi University in Milan to study International Economics and Finance.
Earlier this year Plymouth College was awarded World Academy of Sport status and from September will be one of only two schools in the UK to be part of a pilot to offer high performance athletes the flexibility to study the IB over up to four years instead of two. The programme will also give athletes more options as to when they sit their exams to fit in with heavy training and competition schedules.
Plymouth College has been an IB World School since 2008 and is currently the only school in East Cornwall and West Devon to offer the qualification, which runs alongside an extensive range of traditional A Levels. Diploma students have their own lessons, but all other elements of Sixth Form life such as the tutor group system, assemblies, games and extra-curricular activities are fully integrated.
IB offers an enriching, breadth of education that allows students to gain a qualification that possesses the ultimate level of portability. IB is recognised by universities around the world, giving students access to the top institutions on a global scale.
“I am delighted to see such an outstanding set of results, which are testament to both the commitment of the students and the dedication of the teachers,” said Plymouth College Headmaster, Jonathan Standen. “We not only have a strong position for IB within the UK but we also continue to exceed the global points average.
“During a time of major change to the A Level system, IB has proven to be a safe haven of consistency and we have more students than ever before starting the course in September.”
