Kent

This year&#8217;s IB results were released on Sun 6 July, 2025. And no one knows more about this increasingly popular qualification than Kent&#8217;s very own <a href="https://www.sevenoaksschool.org">Sevenoaks Schoo</a><a href="https://www.sevenoaksschool.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">l</a>.&nbsp;



Sevenoaks has taught the IB since 1978 where pupils originally could choose between it and A Levels. It steadily became the qualification of choice and replaced A-levels completely in 1999 and Sevenoaks is now one of the most successful IB schools in the world.



Proof of the pudding is this year&#8217;s excellent results &#8211; with 245 IB Diploma students together achieving an average score of 39.1 points, around 10 points above the world average. Eleven students achieved the highest possible Diploma score of 45 points. More than half of the cohort earned 40 points or more – outstanding results that speak for themselves. 



So who better to explain the key advantages than Sevenoaks School Headmaster, Jesse Elzinga? Here&#8217;s the TOP 5 benefits of an IB school&#8230;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-gold-standard-in-sixth-form-education">1. Gold standard in Sixth Form education</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-pupils-in-lessons.jpg" alt="Sevenoaks School Kent pupils in lessons" class="wp-image-114530" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-pupils-in-lessons.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-pupils-in-lessons-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-pupils-in-lessons-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-pupils-in-lessons-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-pupils-in-lessons-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



While A-Levels are a more traditional qualification in the UK, the International Baccalaureate (IB) continues to grow in popularity around the world. It is studied by 1.4 million students across 158 countries in 5,300 schools. In the UK, there are currently 130 IB World Schools, with 60% in the independent sector, mainly offering the IB Diploma Programme.&nbsp;



Sevenoaks has been a flagship school for the IB for almost half a century. We are the UK’s leading co-educational independent school with a large IB-cohort, with roughly 250 students graduating every year. We have taught the IB Diploma for 47 years, going all-IB in the Sixth Form 25 years ago.&nbsp;



We know that the IB Diploma is the best Sixth Form education available in the world. It offers the breadth of studying six subjects, yet also allows students to specialise in three at ‘Higher Level’, which attract the same UCAS points as A-Levels.&nbsp;The rounded, balanced diploma includes an extended research essay and a critical thinking course. It pulls together aspects of creativity, action and service, to develop well-rounded young adults with a range of skills and aptitudes; it is superb preparation for university and life.&nbsp;



Consequently, the offer and acceptance rates for IB students are notably higher than those for other post-16 qualifications, and in the US, it is a sought-after passport to top universities



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-a-global-mindset">2. A global mindset</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-students-with-Headmaster.jpg" alt="Sevenoaks School Kent students with Headmaster" class="wp-image-114533" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-students-with-Headmaster.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-students-with-Headmaster-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-students-with-Headmaster-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-students-with-Headmaster-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-students-with-Headmaster-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



The IB inspires an inclusive, enriching, and global dimension to learning, and students from around the world come to Sevenoaks to study here. With some 1245 pupils, and over 75 nationalities, the student body at Sevenoaks is lively, cosmopolitan, and open-minded.&nbsp;



Designed to promote a global perspective, understanding and communication, the IB’s values and identity have remained consistent, and now, more than ever, Sevenoaks believes it is the best education for the modern world. The programme encourages students to value conflict resolution, to respect cultural heritage, look after the environment and to develop an attitude of responsibility to the wider community.&nbsp;



Sevenoaks School&#8217;s impressive IB Diploma average is consistently eight to ten points above the world average and our students go on to study at top universities around the world. The majority go to Oxbridge, London and other Russell Group universities, but with our global outlook we see around 25 per cent of our students going to international universities, increasingly to Ivy League and other colleges in North America, and to world-renowned destinations in Europe and Asia.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-core-critical-thinking">3. Core critical thinking</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-pupil-in-lesson.jpg" alt="Sevenoaks School Kent pupil in lesson" class="wp-image-114531" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-pupil-in-lesson.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-pupil-in-lesson-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-pupil-in-lesson-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-pupil-in-lesson-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-pupil-in-lesson-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



The breadth of the Diploma Programme encourages an interdisciplinary style of learning. Students develop expert knowledge in the topics that most interest them, but are also encouraged to look beyond the traditional boundaries between academic disciplines, think critically across the curriculum and to appreciate and analyse multiple perspectives.&nbsp;



The IB Learner profile sets out clearly what an IB graduate should be: Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-minded, Caring, Risk-takers, Balanced, Reflective.



This strength of breadth and depth is one of the reasons why IB students are very effectively prepared for university and for the future workplace.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-be-prepared-to-work-hard">4. Be prepared to work hard</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1200" height="800" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-Service-allotment.jpg" alt="Sevenoaks School Kent Service - allotment" class="wp-image-114532" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-Service-allotment.jpg 1200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-Service-allotment-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-Service-allotment-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-Service-allotment-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-Service-allotment-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></figure>



The IB is rigorous, but it is rewarding and an excellent education.&nbsp;As we sometimes say to the students, people don’t want to go to Stanford or Cambridge because it is easy: they want to go because it is a great education.&nbsp; The IB is the premier Sixth Form Education, and our students are set up for success in life.



Students take six subjects, including their native language and one other, Mathematics, and at least one science and one humanity. They take a Theory of Knowledge course developing critical thinking and reasoning skills, and they follow a Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) programme in sport, the arts and voluntary work.



CAS is one of the core requirements for the IB Diploma Programme. For many this will involve music, drama, sport and service. While students traditionally completed a minimum of 50 hours in each area, the emphasis should not be on counting hours but learning through meaningful experiences. CAS emphasises reflection which is central to building a deep and rich experience.



Service is a central pillar of education at Sevenoaks and as part of the Service Programme 500 students volunteer weekly in the local community or tackle societal issues such as helping refugees. This equates to 37,800 hours of voluntary service annually as well as student-led fundraising, which underpins this.&nbsp;



For many students, this is the most enjoyable area of school life; it is here they spend much of their time and make many of their friends. It is also in these areas that students develop many of the attributes that are vital in later life: leadership, the ability to work as part of a team, confidence, communication skills and resilience.



A key feature of the IB is the Extended Essay, an independent, 4000-word project on a subject chosen by the student, with a tutorial-style model of supervision. It fosters independent learning and deep subject knowledge; it is a superb preparation for undergraduate essays and extended research&nbsp;theses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-universities-love-the-ib">5. Universities love the IB</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-students-with-tutor.jpg" alt="Sevenoaks School Kent students with tutor" class="wp-image-114534" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-students-with-tutor.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-students-with-tutor-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-students-with-tutor-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-students-with-tutor-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/Sevenoaks-School-Kent-students-with-tutor-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Universities therefore love the IB; by maintaining its standards, free from state interference, the IB has succeeded in achieving a consistency of assessment unparalleled elsewhere. Its 45-point scale enables universities to make more nuanced offers to candidates than are possible under other schemes.&nbsp;



IB students start their undergraduate careers with numeracy, literacy and language competency, a broad understanding of a range of disciplines, and strong employability skills such as teamwork and problem-solving. They are experienced at managing a varied workload and can question, reflect and think critically.&nbsp;



The IB is more than a curriculum, it is a manifesto for life with a clear philosophy, originally developed in conjunction with the United Nations. Sevenoaks approaches learning, teaching and living in the spirit of the IB. The IB provides what parents, universities and employers want – access to top universities, outstanding students and well-rounded, resourceful employees – but just as importantly, it encourages inquiry, reflection and joy in learning. Students leave us with a modern and international worldview and with a desire to shape and to improve the world.



<a href="https://www.sevenoaksschool.org">Sevenoaks Schoo</a><a href="https://www.sevenoaksschool.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">l</a>, High St, Sevenoaks TN13 1HU, Tel: 01732 455133

5 Things you need to know about the IB

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