IB Diploma Programme & Sixth Form

Throughout the last two years of school, our Madrid Sixth Form pupils follow the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme in English. This programme is recognised as one of the best pre-university courses in the world and allows access to prestigious international and Spanish universities.

Sixth Form

Our Sixth Form (the equivalent of Baccalaureate in the Spanish educational system) provides a real opportunity for our students to develop and grow into self-confident adults with professional ambitions that contribute to society in a meaningful way.

At St. George Madrid, we know that learning and recognising our key values are essential to our students’ education, and even more so in Sixth Form. We put a strong emphasis on integrating the school´s values with the IB learner profile, which identifies key attributes of successful learners.

IB Diploma (International Baccalaureate)

St. George Madrid is an IB World School, meaning that we are authorised to teach the IB Diploma (or International Baccalaureate). At St. George Madrid we follow the programme in English.

The Diploma Programme (DP) is a prestigious and rigorous pre-university course of study designed for students in the 16 to 18 age range. It is a broad-based two-year course that aims to encourage students to be knowledgeable and inquiring, but also caring and compassionate. There is a strong emphasis on encouraging students to develop intercultural understanding, open-mindedness, and the attitudes necessary for them to respect and evaluate a range of points of view.

The IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) is divided into six specific subject groups, and students choose a subject from each of these groups:

  • Studies in Language & Literature
  • Language Acquisition
  • Individuals & Societies
  • The sciences
  • Mathematics
  • The arts (or a second subject from one of the other groups above)

It is this comprehensive range of subjects that makes the Diploma Program a course of study designed to prepare students effectively for university entrance. In each of the academic areas students have flexibility in making their choices, which means they can choose subjects that particularly interest them and that they may wish to study further at university.

Normally, three subjects are taken at higher level (HL), and the others are taken at standard level (SL). Standard Level subjects have 2,5 hours of classes per week, whereas Higher Level subjects have 4 hours per week. Subjects at HL are studied in greater depth and breadth than at SL.
In addition, three core elements—the extended essay (EE), theory of knowledge (ToK) and creativity, activity, service (CAS)—are compulsory and central to the philosophy of the program.

Bachillerato Internacional IB st george Madrid

An IB education is one of a kind – it is recognised all over the world and meets rigorous academic and teaching standards. The programme encourages students to stand out from the crowd, not only in their studies but also in their personal growth as it promotes enthusiasm, empathy and a constant curiosity for learning. It also shapes inquisitive, open-minded and reflective adults who are well-informed, independent thinkers and good communicators.

Preparation for University

At St. George Madrid, our Sixth Form is committed to preparing our students for their applications to the best national and international universities. In addition to the guidance that we offer throughout this decision-making process, students have access to all of the school’s resources and to a team of teachers willing to help them at all times. This also includes a University and Careers Guidance Counselor (responsible for applications to international universities), a Technical Director (responsible for applications to Spanish universities) and an IB Coordinator.

The support we offer is designed to guide students through the complete process when thinking about their possible futures and priorities in life, researching university options around the world, writing personal statements, applying to universities and preparing for university life.

The University and Careers Guidance Counsellor with the help of subject specialists, will usually also write the student’s reference for their university applications and help students draft their personal statements. Many of our students go on to study in the UK and Spain, but we provide guidance and support for students applying to any country in the world. Recently we are seeing increasing numbers of our students going on to study university courses in English in other EU countries such as the Netherlands, Denmark, and Belgium.

Our IB Legacy

With more than five years of experience in the IB Diploma Programme, we are very proud of the results achieved by our students, as a result of their hard work and the dedication of their teachers.

This proves that we’re excellently equipped to support your child through this crucial stage in their education. Here are the last results from our IB cohort to show you why you should choose the IB and St. George:

At St. George Madrid we understand the need for effective student support from the moment students start thinking about their subject choices right through to starting university. We have a dedicated IB team to look after all our students’ needs in the final two years of their school education. All the students at St. George follow the IB Diploma during their last two years at school, and we are very proud of them. Our IB students do not need to be selected, instead, we work with them closely to guarantee that they can achieve their maximum target, whilst also acknowledging that they are all different and have different abilities and interests.

Universities and Careers Guidance

From the moment our students begin choosing their IB subjects they start working with our Careers Advisor; it is extremely important for our students to have the support they need. Our team provides all students with pathway guidance to ensure they meet the requirements of their desired university courses, working with students to gain access to prestigious universities around the world and also in Spain.

Convalidation to Access Spanish Universities

Our Technical Director (Director Técnico) looks at the technical side of convalidating our students’ IB results, ensuring that students’ results are authenticated by the Ministry of Education in Spain and UNED, and advising on PCE pathways. This important role ensures our students can access the best universities in Spain.

Exams and Degrees

St. George’s students prepare for the IGCSE exams when they complete their Secondary and the IB Diploma during the Sixth Form stage. These tests are recognised all over the world and allow you to study at any foreign or spanish university. Our school is an examination centre authorised by Cambridge, among others, to carry out these tests.

In addition, the school is periodically inspected to ensure that it meets the requirements to be a British College and is authorised by regional authorities and certified by the British Council. Students can automatically accredit and validate their studies in Spain when they successfully complete the Key Stage 4 and Sixth Form stages.

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