A world-class IB education at Impington International College

Cambridge’s top-performing International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, Impington International College, is celebrating topping the Parent Power List 2022 for a third year running. The impressive ranking follows a successful academic year that saw its IB students achieve a 100 per cent pass rate, and more than a quarter of its cohort achieve 40 or more points, equivalent to four A*s at A-Level.

The IB is well-recognised and accepted by universities around the world. In 2022, nearly 10% of Diploma Programme (DP) students at the college received offers from Oxbridge universities. Furthermore, 98 per cent of all students secured a place at their first-choice university, 36 per cent of which were Russell Group universities. In 2020, an IB Career-related Programme (CP) student was the world’s first to be accepted into the University of Cambridge following her time at Impington International College.

With more than 30 years’ experience of teaching the IB, these strong results are not new to the college, which has long championed the power of the IB to help prepare students for success in a rapidly globalising world. With DP students studying six subjects, including a science, a language and maths, and CP students combining two DP subjects with practical studies in their chosen field, students are well prepared for the rigour of higher education and are widely recognised by universities as desirable applicants; IB students are 57 per cent more likely of attending a top 20 UK higher education institution compared to non-IB peers. The benefits of being an IB student don’t stop at being an attractive candidate – IB alumni are also more likely to achieve a first in their degree and earn more as a postgraduate.

This is thanks to the core elements of each of the programmes, which far better prepare students for higher education than any other curriculum. Through unique features, such as the extended essay, students have opportunities to undertake independent research projects and develop the needed skills to thrive at university.

IB programmes also place a strong focus on the holistic growth of an individual, far beyond academic achievement. This well-rounded development is something that the college emphasises during its students’ learning journey. Through creativity, activity and service (CAS) and service learning, compulsory elements of the IB, students take part in a choice of more than 40 enrichment opportunities including debate club, Gold Duke of Edinburgh and primary teaching. All these experiences enable students to broaden their learning and foster a comprehensive range of attributes that go far beyond academic success.

As an international college, cultivating an international mindset underpins the curricula at the college and students benefit from multiple opportunities to travel abroad. Whether they are learning the language in Peru, volunteering for community projects in Botswana or spending time with their peers in Japan, each student gains a greater understanding of different perspectives and a sense of their place in the global community.

Closer to home, community continues to play an important role at the college, with small class sizes (averaging 10 students per class) that rival local independent schools. This enables more contact time with teachers and a close-knit environment sparking creativity and conversation. Located in the heart of Impington, just 15 minutes from the cultural and social centre of Cambridge, students benefit from the best of both worlds.

Victoria Hearn, principal, reflects on why the IB is such a powerful educational tool: “As one of the first state schools to offer the IB in the UK, exceptional outcomes like these demonstrate the strength of the programme and its impact on students’ progression since its introduction.

“For more than 30 years, our students have gone on to study at renowned higher education institutions around the world including the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, London School of Economics, Loughborough University, UCLA, Italia Conti, International University of Japan, and many more. The IB expertly prepares students for the world of higher education, and they can use the skills learnt to eloquently engage in seminars, write longer essay pieces and understand things in the context of the world around them. Studying the IB at the college is your child’s first-class ticket to a world of opportunity.”