Academic Results
As an accredited Cambridge and Edexcel Exam Centre, IBSB is able to administer Cambridge International and Edexcel exams. IGCSE (International, Secondary Certificate in Secondary Education) Exams and Advanced Level exams are scheduled to take place twice a year:
Autumn Session: October/November
Results out: Mid-January
Summer Session: May/June
Results out: Mid-August
STUDENTS AT IBSB ARE ENTERED FOR EXAMS AS FOLLOWS:
Year 10 (Age 14/15)
IGCSE (Early Entry)
In limited situations students may be entered for IGCSE exams in Year 9
Year 11 (Age 15/16)
IGCSE
Students are required to take a minimum of 8 IGCSE subjects and a maximum of 12 subjects.
Year 12 (Age 16/17)
Advanced Subsidiary (AS)
Students are required to take a minimum of 3 A level subjects and a maximum of 5 subjects.
Year 13 (Age 17/18)
Advanced Level (A2)
Students are required to take a minimum of 3 A level subjects and a maximum of 5 subjects.
Three A level subjects are the general requirement for entry to the majority of universities around the world. Universities set entry level requirements for each subject in accordance with the popularity of the course. For further information regarding exam results according to University entrances please visit our University Applications page.
Please be aware that limited choices are available to students applying to study in the UK with passing grades below CCC. Lower ranked universities may accept students with 2 A Levels. Students with fewer than 2 A levels will generally be required to enroll in a foundation year programme before matriculating into an undergraduate programme. For students wishing to take the Common Entrance Exam for entry into UK Boarding schools, IBSB can be nominated as a centre to administer this exam. Please contact the school for more information.
Students generally take their IGCSEs (International General Certificate in Secondary Education) in the summer session (May/June), with oral exams and practical exams generally taking place earlier in March/April. In some situations, students may take an exam in the autumn session (October/November). This may be the case for students who have been fast-tracked, or it may be the case that a student has delayed taking an exam to allow for more preparation time. Students can also use the October/November exam session to retake an exam if the result achieved in the summer session was below expectations.
At IBSB Students complete 8-10 IGCSE subjects. Students receive individual certificates with a grade for each subject. In addition to these individual certificates, students passing 7 IGCSE subjects with a G or higher will receive an International General Certificate in Secondary Education. Students passing 5 subjects with a C grade or higher and 2 subjects with an F grade or higher will receive a Certificate of MERIT. Students passing 5 subjects with an A grade or higher and 2 subjects with a C grade or higher will receive a Certificate of DISTINCTION.
As a non-selective international school, we admit students with varying levels of ability and English, and as such the table below reflects the combined results achieved by students newly arrived to IBSB with low levels of English, combined with those results attained by more able students possessing a proficient level of English.
Students continue on from their Year 12 AS exams to complete the final year of a two year Advanced Level Programme of study in Year 13. In most subjects, students will sit 2 A2 exams in their final year, so a student with 3 subjects will typically sit 6 final exams, each around 2 hours long.
Some subjects may have a practical component, but for most exams the final exam is a theory paper-based exam. Please see below the results achieved by students in Year 13 over the past three years, with a breakdown of the specific grades archived by students in 2023-2024.
For information on the university acceptances of the Graduates, please visit the University Applications page.
A2 Level Passing Grades are scaled A*- E (U is considered a failing grade).