ACS International School Hillingdon students receive outstanding International Baccalaureate results

Students at ACS International School Hillingdon have received their International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) results, with an average point score of 34, equivalent to more than 3 A*s at A Level according to UCAS, and a pass rate of 94%, well above the global average of 79%.

Students will now go on to top universities including Oxford, Imperial, University College London, Warwick, York and Bath, to study subjects such as Law, Psychology, International Relations, Computing, Economics and Business, Film & TV Production and Biological Sciences.

Some of the highest scoring students were Eemil, Yomna and Jaden, each of whom achieved close to perfect scores, which is extremely rare in the IB Diploma. Eemil has accepted a place to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Wadham College, University of Oxford, after also receiving offers from US Ivy League universities, Yale, Columbia and Dartmouth. Jaden has an offer to study Computer Science at Imperial College London, and Yomna is set to study Biochemical Engineering at a university in Egypt.

Yomna says: “As clichéd as it sounds, as well as academic discipline, the IB really fosters the skills that make you an excellent student and person too. From essay-writing, to reflecting, to solving rigorous maths problems and understanding and applying scientific knowledge, you develop a variety of important critical thinking skills.”

The DP is an academically challenging programme of international education that prepares students aged 16 to 19 for success at university and in life beyond.

This was an unusual and particularly challenging year for DP students with the IB cancelling this year’s spring examinations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, like other awarding bodies in the UK and around the world. However, this year’s DP qualifications are not based solely on teacher-predicted grades (like A levels and GCSE awards), but rather on externally-marked coursework that represents students’ demonstrated academic achievement. The IB’s altered award process resulted in some candidates receiving lower grades than expected. ACS is supporting affected students in their university applications, monitoring global trends and reviewing results at all levels to ensure that graduates can progress as smoothly as possible to the next stage in their education.

Martin Hall, Head of School, ACS Hillingdon, comments:

“I would like to express well-deserved congratulations to all of the ACS Hillingdon students receiving their results. The class of 2020 has worked extremely hard and, throughout the past few turbulent months, they have shown nothing but ingenuity, resilience and dedication to their studies and their community.

“At ACS Hillingdon we combine the world-renowned academic programme of the DP, with an extensive commitment to visual arts, drama and music; all of which are an integral part of our curriculum and ensure our students are ready for whatever comes next in their lives. Armed with creativity, initiative, knowledge, and the ability to think critically, communicate and collaborate, we are certain that the 2020 cohort will thrive as they now move on to higher education and the world of work.”

ACS Hillingdon is now looking forward to receiving students’ Advanced Placement (AP) results later this month. In August 2020, the school will welcome their first students to study the IB’s Career-related Programme (CP). The CP is an educational programme specifically developed for students aged 16-19 who wish to engage in career-related learning, while gaining transferable and lifelong skills in applied knowledge, critical thinking, communication, and cross-cultural engagement. The programme’s three-part framework comprises career-related work, the study of two DP courses, and the CP Core that connects the chosen DP courses directly with career-related studies.

From Oxford to British Columbia, ACS International School Cobham students secure global university places

Students at ACS International School Cobham have secured places at top universities across the globe, including Oxford, following success in their International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) results.

The cohort of 108 students studying the DP at ACS Cobham this year achieved a 93% pass rate, with an average point score of 34 – placing them ahead of the global average of 29.9 points. The average point score equates to an equivalent of 3 A*’s at A Levels, according to UCAS, and many students will now begin their undergraduate courses studying subjects including: Biomedical Sciences, Computer Science, Law and Philosophy, Politics and Economics at universities including Oxford, Bath, St Andrews, London School of Economics, Navarra (Spain) and British Columbia (Canada).

ACS Cobham is committed to preparing its students to be internationally minded, global citizens, and the students will take this mind-set with them as they progress to higher education and begin careers around the world.

This was an unusual and particularly challenging year for DP students with the IB cancelling this year’s spring examinations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, like other awarding bodies in the UK and around the world. However, this year’s DP qualifications are not based solely on teacher-predicted grades (like A levels and GCSE awards), but rather on externally-marked coursework that represents students’ demonstrated academic achievement. The IB’s altered award process resulted in some candidates receiving lower grades than expected. ACS is supporting affected students in their university applications, monitoring global trends and reviewing results at all levels to ensure that graduates can progress as smoothly as possible to the next stage in their education.

Recent ACS Cobham graduate Sarah is looking to study at Brown University in the US with the ultimate goal of becoming a journalist.

“What I’ve found most enjoyable about ACS is the holistic experience I’ve been able to reap the benefits of. I’ve had the opportunity to explore not only a variety of academic subjects through the IB, but also a wealth of extracurricular opportunities. Not only have these experiences aided in balancing out the academic rigour of the IB, but also provided the opportunity to become involved in activities and philanthropy work that I hope to continue in the future.

“Because of how interconnected IB classes are and how they collectively boost our holistic understanding of a topic, it’s difficult to choose just one favourite IB course. However, the IB has taught me about the importance of comprehensive knowledge on a topic, rather than just considering one context or perspective.”

The DP is an academically challenging programme of international education that prepares students aged 16 to 19 for success at university and in life beyond.

Barnaby Sandow, Head of School, ACS Cobham, comments: “We are enormously proud of this year’s cohort of IB students for all of their hard work, their academic excellence, and their sheer resilience in the face of the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus. Congratulations are in order, and we wish our students all the best of luck as they enter the world of higher education and work. Where some of our students did not receive the grades they were expecting, we are working closely with them to take appropriate action. We are proud to see so many students pursuing further study across the globe, and are excited to see how they continue to make valuable contributions to the world.

“It certainly has been a challenging year for our students due to the virus, school closure and exam cancellations, but they have continued to do well in their academic studies, as well as in their service activities and personal development. Over the past few weeks and months we have seen a number of students stand up and take positive action to support their community and their peers, despite the unusual circumstances, and these are invaluable experiences they will take with them throughout their lives.”