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Scottish independent school to offer the IB

Posted on 17th February 2009

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One of Scotland's leading independent schools has announced that it will be giving pupils the chance to take the International Baccalaureate (IB).

George Watson's College will offer this as an alternative to Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) S5 and S6 exams, following an 18-month consultation process.

The introduction of the IB, which is due to be available at the school from August 2011, gained strong support from staff, pupils and parents.

Welcoming the decision, principal of the private school Gareth Edwards commented: "We have a tradition for being forward-thinking and I believe there is no better placed Scottish school than Watson's to run IB alongside traditional SQA qualifications."

He added that this will provide many benefits to pupils, praising its emphasis on the development of critical thinking and its community service aspect.

Last month Marymount International School in London celebrated its 30th anniversary of offering the IB, having become a pioneer of the qualification in the UK in 1979.