The International Baccalaureate Programme

The IB Diploma Programme is designed as an academically challenging and balanced programme of education with externally set, standardized final examinations supplied and assessed by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). The programme prepares students for success at university and life beyond.  The programme is normally taught over two years and has gained recognition and respect from the world’s leading universities.

 The Diploma Programme also includes core requirements such as:

• completion of a project related to Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS),
• an independent, self-directed university style research paper (Extended Essay), and
• completion of the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course in which students reflect on the nature of knowledge.

 The International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme’s aim is to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who are motivated to succeed. We strive to develop students who will build a better world through intercultural understanding and respect.

 The IB’s programme:

• encourages students of all ages to think critically and challenge assumptions
• is developed independently of government and national systems, incorporating quality practice from research and our global community of schools
• encourages students of all ages to consider both local and global contexts
• develops multilingual students.

 The International Baccalaureate Programme at Victoria Park

 The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma is a highly challenging two-year curriculum leading to a diploma that is widely recognized by the world’s leading universities. Victoria Park was the first publicly-funded school in Ontario to host the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. We have been authorized to offer the IB Diploma Programme since July 1987 when the first graduating class had 8 diploma recipients.  In 2016, over 100 students graduated from the programme. To prepare students for the rigours of the IB Programme, our students take all of their compulsory courses in Grade 9 and 10 at the IB Preparatory level.

 To accommodate the additional material in the IB curriculum, Victoria Park subject departments have created Grade 9 and 10 IB Preparatory courses which move through the Ontario Curriculum at an accelerated pace and incorporate extra units and activities specific to IB.

For example,

• adding units to the Grade 9 and 10 courses
• completing Grade 11 Ontario courses in the Grade 10 year, etc.

 Higher Level IB courses at the Grade 12 level incorporate material and skills at first year university level with the Grade 12 curriculum. It is expected that students will have mastered the material at a minimum of Level 3 achievement in one grade before advancing to the next level.

 Subjects offered to Victoria Park IB students in Grades 11 and 12 include:

• Mathematics
• English Literature
• Biology
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Economics
• Computer Science
• French

 Students complete 6 subjects which are scored out of 7, and can add 1-3 additional points by completing three mandatory components:

• a 4000 word independent, self-directed research essay
• demonstrated community service and self-improvement, and
• a course in Theory of Knowledge.

 The IB Diploma is scored overall out of 45.  All of our subject results show average school grades well above worldwide averages, reflecting not only the hard work and superior academic skills of our students, but also the excellence of the teaching staff at Victoria Park.

 In Canada, our graduates are attending

• McGill University
• University of Waterloo
• University of Toronto
• Queen’s University
• Western University
• York University
• Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University)
• University of British Columbia
• McMaster University
• among others.

Victoria Park IB students have also been accepted into undergraduate programs abroad. Some international universities include:

• University of Cambridge
• Harvard University
• Yale University
• Cornell University
• Middlebury College
• Dartmouth College
• New York University
• University of Chicago
• California Institute of Technology (CalTech)
• University of California, Berkeley,
• University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
• among others..

 All of our IB grads are accepted to university. Most receive entrance scholarships, and many receive other scholarships and prestigious awards.

 The IB Programme provides superior preparation for university and opportunities to demonstrate excellence in a variety of ways for diligent students who are up for a challenge!

To learn more about the International Baccalaureate Programme at Victoria Park, please join us at our Parent Information Night on November 6, 2024 at 6 p.m.