2. Principal Examiner for Edexcel AS Geography

4. Established in 1968 Modelled on international schools of Switzerland Providing a universal university entrance credential for children of a geographically mobile international community Holistic learning programme (not just qualifications) Active learning, independent learning, international outlook Non-profit making foundation (unlike UK awarding bodies) IBO – the background

5. More than 2,300 schools in 128 nations deliver IBO programmes to more than 600,000 students This now includes Middle Years (MYP) and Primary Years (PYP) programmes Growing at 15-17% per year (USA, Canada, UK are the three highest-ranked nations) Geography papers have an international outlook Going global & acting global

6. Follow SIX subjects, three at higher level (HL) and three at standard level (SL) 4,000 word extended essay Follow a theory of knowledge (TOK) course (essay / oral) Engage in a programme of creativity, action and service (CAS) (150 hours) 24/45 points for Diploma IBO diploma programme

7. IB geography is linear, not modular 45 IB points = 768 UCAS points ( 35 : 535 and 24 : 280 ) IB geography Grade 7 = GCE A* and Grade 4 = GCE E-grade IB HL geography is equivalent to 70% of an A-level course; IB SL geography = 50% of A-level IB HL geography and A-level geography both have four components and require synoptic / synthetic work Big difference is coursework: IBO view is that there has been an ‘over-reaction’ to internal assessment concerns www.ucas.com/candq/tariff/#ib A-levels and IBO DP comparison

8. 100 UK schools in 2008; now over 300. State schools (Broadgreen, Liverpool), International schools (Atlantic College), independent (Sevenoaks, Manchester GS) IBO DP schools in UK belong to IBSCA www.ibsca.org.uk Russell Group universities ask for grade 7(6) in the chosen subject and high-30s overall No evidence that IBO DP candidates are either advantaged or disadvantaged in terms of university entry UK schools and UCAS

9. Can I just enter my students for IB geography instead of A-level geography? Is the IBO DP harder or easier than A-levels? Won’t the DP limit my geography uptake? Isn’t it expensive? Is it true the exam marking is better? If it ain’t broke, why fix it? FAQ

10. Previous IBO DP geography course was broadly traditional (last entry 2010) – even included a regional geography option and wide range of physical options New course is a radical updating – similar to approach taken by Edexcel and to a lesser extent WJEC in 2008 Position in Group 3 clearer than before – traditional geomorphology is present but significantly less than 50%; compulsory ‘global interactions’ paper for HL Geography 2011

11. Core topics (for SL and HL) address key global issues and 21st Century Challenges – from Millennium Development Goals to Climate Change Focus throughout on disparities in wealth, uneven patterns of consumption, sustainability;concern with equality and social responsibility: geographies of ethnicity and gender Seeks to develop international understanding (of issues and solutions) and global perspectives on planning and management Geography ethos

12. Part 1 Core (SL/HL) Studies of population, migration, development, resource consumption, sustainability Part 2 Optional themes (SL/HL) Choose from: freshwater, ocean and their margins, extreme environments, hazards & disasters, leisure & tourism, food & health, urban environments Part 3 Global interactions (HL) IA fieldwork (SL/HL) Geography content

13. Part 1 Core (SL/HL) 1 hour 30 minutes, short answers with data stimulus, one extended response, e-marked Part 2 Optional themes (SL/HL) 2 hours, structured extended writing with some data stimulus Part 3 Global interactions (HL) 1 hour, one two-part essay question, no data stimulus IA fieldwork (SL/HL) 20 hours recommended, maximum 2,500 words Geography assessment

14. Chief Examiner Simon Oakes (UK) Deputy Chief Examiner Julie Harris (Hong Kong) Deputy Chief Examiner Garrett Nagle (UK) Principal Examiner Tony Burton (Canada) Principal Examiner Ken Haughan (Austria) Geography team 2011

15. Inquirers Knowledgeable Thinkers Communicators Principled Open-minded Caring Risk-takers Balanced Reflective Geography learner profiles