The Diploma Programme (DP) at ISZL is an inclusive programme that aims to produce well-rounded students who have achieved their academic potential in challenging, internationally focussed courses. The whole programme develops active, caring and lifelong learners, ready to tackle the complex problems in the world today.

Subjects

Students study six subjects, three at higher level and three at standard level providing them with a broad, holistic education. These include:

• Languages: two
• Individuals and Societies: one
• Science: one
• Mathematics: one
• Arts: one
• Environmental Systems and Societies: This interdisciplinary subject allows students the flexibility to specialise further by selecting another subject from any group to make up the total of six.

Core

The real-life contexts of the Diploma Programme helps students to further develop their academic skill set, preparing them for university courses, as well as their values and life skills. This Programme is based around the "Core" of:

• Theory of Knowledge (TOK): students think about the nature of knowledge and reflect on the process of learning in all their subjects, looking for and understanding the connections between them.
• Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS): allows students to find and follow their passions, helping them to maintain balance in their lives, care for others, develop their character and undertake challenging projects.
• Extended Essay (EE): students undertake a piece of academic writing of up to 4000 words. The process will take them through a process called metacognition, where they will learn to understand how and why they make decisions during an academic piece of research.

These three core elements work together to help our students become capable, self-aware and international minded people with a strong sense of identity.

Further Information

Learn more about the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme by Contacting our Admissions Team or by Visiting the IB Website.

The ISZL High School Programme allows students to choose a variety of course types to suit their passions and interests, while meeting the graduation requirements. Students can choose from Advanced Placement courses, IB Diploma courses, a BTEC in Creative Media Production or ISZL’s own courses.

All the courses on offer under the High School Programme are connected by ISZL’s vision of a holistic, student centred approach to teaching and learning. Students undertake service projects as part of their High School experience and have to opportunity to enrich their education with a vast array of clubs and sports.

Advanced Placement courses are college level challenging courses designed to push students academically and allow them to fulfil their academic interests. They require a high degree of independence in study habits and have one external exam. They typically are completed in one year, although some science courses will require a preparation year, e.g. Biology before AP Biology. The College Board have more information about the AP courses.

IB Diploma courses take two years of study and have both internally and externally assessed. Popular courses for HS Programme students include Languages, Mathematical Studies and Sports Science. More information about the Diploma courses can be found on the IBO website.

The BTEC in Creative Media Production has an applied, continually assessed professional qualification. Students will demonstrate their learning through business reports, presentations, multimedia products and accountable teamwork exercises. They will have the opportunity to engage with local international media production businesses in authentic, rich learning activities. Pearson offers more information about the BTEC Diploma in Business.

ISZL’s own courses offer students a lot of flexibility as they are not restricted by the requirements of external regulatory bodies. Some ISZL courses are focused on preparing students to take an AP in the following year. For example, students are strongly recommended to take Biology before AP Biology or Chemistry before AP Chemistry. Alternatively, optional preparation courses may be available for students if they are not yet academically secure with the prerequisite knowledge, understandings and skills. An example of this would be taking Pre-Calculus as preparation for AP Calculus AB.

Other ISZL courses are focused around experiential, project-based alternatives to ISZL’s external exam-based courses. Each student aims to leave these courses with a university or career-ready portfolio of innovative individual or team-based projects. There are three courses of this nature: Humanities: Global Innovations, Science: Innovation in Action and English: Innovations in Communication.