Information in English

General information about the IB Programme.

Merits Beyond Normal

The IB is a theoretical upper secondary school programme which gives you a prestigious exam. You can find the IB in more than 5000 schools in more than 157 countries all over the world. With an IB Diploma you will be an attractive prospect in a globalized society where the demand for internationally educated young people is increasing all the time. In Sweden it is a three-year programme, starting out with a preparatory year.

The courses are taught in English with the exception of the languages. At Katedralskolan in Skara we offer a broad programme with many possibilities.

To be an IB Student

Our experience is that our IB students really want to study hard, help each other and contribute to an inclusive atmosphere where everybody feels at home. Study groups are set up by the students to support and reinforce their learning; our students also organise many full class social activities. All students at our school get their own laptop which facilitates communication and invites imaginative and spectacular presentations in all of their subjects.

We, the staff, who work at the programme, really make an effort to create a good atmosphere. Within CAS and the IB Students’ Council many good ideas are born. Our IB students bring lots of positive energy to the school community by taking part in student councils, choirs and other school communities and organizations.

The Structure of the Programme

The first year is based upon the Swedish national Curriculum, but in English. We have taken the best parts out of the Social Science and the Natural Science programmes to prepare you in the best way possible for your IB studies.

During the remaining two years of the IB Diploma Programme, six different subjects will be studied, one from each of the six subject groups (see below) and three compulsory core courses. This provides great flexibility in creating a study plan. In May of the third year, there will be exams in all the subjects studied.

Subjects at our IB Diploma Programme

Group 1: A Literature Courses: Swedish, English or self taught courses in another mother tongue (on application, partly self-studies)
Group 2: Language acquisition: English, German, French, Spanish, Swedish
Group 3: Individuals and Society: History, Psychology
Group 4: Experimental sciences: Biology, Chemistry, Physics (two of the courses start depending on the number of applicants)
Group 5: Mathematics: Two different routes (standard level)
Group 6: An additional subject taken from group 1, 2, 3 or 4.

The core of the IB programme consists of three parts: Theory of Knowledge, CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) and the Extended Essay. Theory of Knowledge (TOK) helps promote among many things, the ability to reflect and the development of critical thinking skills. CAS encourages social engagement, creativity and physical activities. A research essay (The Extended Essay, EE) will be written, on a topic chosen by the student, in a subject area of their choice. The IB Diploma open doors to the world. It gives great possibilities to access qualified and prestigious Universities and Institutes of Higher Education not just in Sweden but the whole world.

Exams and Diploma

Everyone who studies at the IB Diploma programme goes through standardized exam procedures which makes the achievement comparable no matter where in the world the studies have been done.

The exams take place in May, towards the end of the two DP years. Then, all IB students in the whole world write their exams in their six different subjects at exactly the same time.

Before the exams lots of internal and external assessment tasks such as language orals, scientific investigations and written assignments have already been done and they are also assessed externally at this time.

The grading scale is 1-7 for the six major subjects. For application to Swedish Universities there is a conversion scale; IB points will be converted into Swedish points and thus an IB student will end up in the same quota group as the students with national Swedish grades. Diplomas are awarded at a grand “Diploma Ceremony” in Skara’s historic Cathedral. Many of our students have appreciated this formal presentation more than the actual graduation ceremony in June.

International Baccalaureate, a worldwide education

“The aim of the IB programme is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.”

What our students said

"Studying the IB has been a challenge, a good experience. I really like the programme!" (Ida)

"The teachers have really worked 110 % to do their best. Katedralskolan is a very good place to study the IB!" (Gustav)

"For an IB Diploma Student the world really opens up. The greatest advantages are that the programme is taught in English and that you can concentrate on your six subjects." (Emma)

"The feeling when we had done our exams was fantastic. We made it and we made it together. The teachers have really shown enormous commitment! Our class has been terrific!" (Anna, who got maximum (45) points and now have a degree in Medicine at Oxford UK)

"What I like the most about teaching the IB Programme is the dynamics of having good science students, good language students and good social science students in the same group. The interaction and the discussions are great, and in this system everybody gains from having good classmates." (Teacher at the programme)

You are very welcome to contact us and come to visit us and spend a day at our programme!

More about DP and IBO

The IB Diploma programme is strictly regulated by the International Baccalaureate Organisation. You can find more information about both the Diploma programme and the IBO on their webpage.

International Baccalaureate Organisation (ibs.org) Länk till annan webbplats.