In 2023 the IB Global conference comes to Australia!
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Global Conference is the ultimate opportunity for educators to learn from experts, share their own experiences and network with colleagues from all over the world.
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Global Conference is the ultimate opportunity for educators to learn from experts, share their own experiences and network with colleagues from all over the world.
Learn, share and grow
Held over three days in Adelaide, Australia, on 18–21 March 2023, the conference will feature an extensive line-up of inspirational speakers, staff and peer-to-peer breakout sessions, networking opportunities and much more. Attend over 95 insightful sessions to gain fresh perspectives on your teaching practice and get updates about IB programmes.
COVID–19 guidelines (as of 19 September 2022): The IB will follow all applicable guidelines and restrictions as per the local government. You can find more COVID–19 information here.
On Monday 22 August 2022, Greg and I hosted an MYPC/library visit at Oakleigh Grammar with guests from Caulfield Grammar, Rivercrest Christian College, Mount Eliza Secondary College, and Sacred Heart College. The goal was to discuss current practices that support MYP and library relationships and offer useful takeaways for attendees.
Participants had a varied range of IB experience which made for a dynamic conversation on a range of topics. One guest shared how the MYP has revived their library as many librarians teach a diverse range of MYP subjects which has supported the development of academic integrity and critical thinking. In addition, many middle school classes are having library lessons once per fortnight for the purpose of research and literacy.
Greg gave an overview of how he used to teach Approaches to Learning skills (ATLs) as a life skills class linked to community service, when he worked at schools in Indonesia and Ghana. Students were able to gain skills based on real life experiences such as working with families and students in need due to poverty. I then shared a recent Y6 inquiry project where students were introduced to all five ATLs and completed an ATL reflection as part of their library lesson. Everyone agreed that ATLs tend to be on unit plans but not in the classroom, and several schools had strategic goals to audit their ATL practice. One school suggested developing two ATL skills per term as a whole school focus assisted with the support of the librarian. Another guest shared how they will commence themed MYP core classes in 2023 where ATLs and service etc will form part of the curriculum – there will be no reporting as such, but rather a portfolio of work samples will be collated.
The topic of Mother Tongue raised some interesting ideas including using the school community to teach languages and donate books in a range of languages. I shared my experience working with Monash University who presented the importance of birth language literacy to our parent community. I also shared how I had created a video of students introducing their birth languages and sharing Christmas greetings. Greg contributed his experience cultivating a community of readers while working in China, this entailed giving students and teachers the ability to share their reading experiences with people across the globe and within their extended school community.
The next topic was academic integrity, and someone recommend the School Library Association of South Australia (SLASA) for its referencing platforms, and advised it also supports students with intext referencing. Some schools are using Origin, Purpose, Value and Limitations (OPVL) for evaluating sources – apparently this is a particularly good source for individuals and societies.
Finally, Sacred Heart is holding an IDU expo at the end of the year and would like to invite all members of the network. More information will follow or contact Bridget Dunstan at [email protected].
If you would like to host a library networking event, or join the MYPC Victoria/Tasmania network please let me know at [email protected]
November 2022 IB Schools Australasia Certificates and Awards Ceremony Booklet Templates now available for member schools
September 8, 2022
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IB Schools Australasia provides to members, free of charge, certificates that can be presented at various ceremonies at a state and individual school level. Our November 2021 suite of certificates are now available to order.
This popular, members only service, is a complimentary service provided as part of the annual membership fee.
Awards Ceremony Booklets:
IB Schools Australasia provides a template for the Awards Ceremony booklet for IB Diploma Programme Awards Ceremonies for schools and Networks. These can be provided as word documents to PDF and merge or as image files for use in InDesign.
If your school or network of schools would like an Awards Ceremony booklet template for PYP, MYP or CP Awards ceremonies please email us at [email protected] to organise.
These certificates have been popular with our member schools for a number of years as a way of acknowledging the hard work and achievements of students as they move through each of the IB programmes.
Certificates are available for all IB Programmes including Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme, Diploma Programme and Career-related Programme.
The following range of Certificates is available to member schools:
Career-related Programme
Certificateof Merit for CP graduates who have achieved 6+ (only 2 taken)
Certificateof Merit for the Reflective Project for CP graduates who have achieved a B or above
Certificateof Outstanding Career Related Studies for CP graduates who have achieved the highest level in their chosen professional course
Certificate of Outstanding Service. This Certificate is to be presented within schools as they see fit for a small number of students whose service embodies the IB mission statement ideal. It is anticipated that there would be only one of two of these awarded in any one school.
Career Programme Achievement. This Certificate is for CP graduates who have completed the requirements of the Career-related programme. This certificate could be used by schools or Networks that have ceremonies where all students who pass the Career-related programme are recognised.
Diploma Programme
Certificate ofDistinction for DP graduates who have achieved an IB score of 40 points or more.
Certificateof Merit for DP graduates who have achieved at least one Grade 7 in one subject or an ‘A’ in EE/TOK.
Certificate of outstanding Creativity, Activity and Service. This Certificate is to be presented within schools as they see fit for a small number of students whose CAS embodies the IB mission statement ideal. It is anticipated that there would be only one of two of these awarded in any one school.
Diploma Achievement. This Certificate is for DP graduates who have completed the requirements of the Diploma. This certificate could be used by schools or Networks that have ceremonies where all students who pass the Diploma are recognised.
Middle Years Programme
Certificate of Distinction are for students who have achieved an overall average score greater than 6 across all subjects.
Certificate of Merit for students who have achieved a score of 7 in one or more subjects.
Certificate of outstanding Service as Action. This certificate is to be presented within schools as they see fit to a small number of students whose Service as Action embodies the IB mission statement ideal. It is anticipated that there would be only one of two of these awarded in any one school
Certificate of Participation. This Certificate is for students who have participated in the Middle Years Programme and been involved in the Personal Project or the Community Project in their final year (Please select the relevant option). This certificate could be used in schools which are moderated as well as those that are not.
Primary Years Programme
Certificate of Participation for students who have participated in the Primary Years Programme and have been involved in the Exhibition in the final year.
IB Schools Australasia also provides templates that can be used in the creation of Diploma Programme Awards Ceremony booklets. These booklets can be edited by the schools and networks to maintain both their own logo as well as that of IB Schools Australasia for use at Diploma Programme awards ceremonies.
Templates for certificates and the awards booklet are provided to member schools on request as a word document ready for the names to be inserted by mail merge and printed by your school.
To download the order form please click here. Order form should be sent to, Phoebe Tocco, Executive Assistant, IB Schools Australasia at [email protected]
Exploring the Education Horizon at Cornish College
September 8, 2022
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At Cornish College, our commitment is to ensure that young people are engaged in the best schooling experiences now for a thriving and sustainable tomorrow. “We must recognise the privilege of educating young people, especially when we have the opportunity to do so on 100 acres of natural parkland, which provides a wonderful environment for the inquiry focus of the PYP” says Principal Nicola Forrest. “The opportunity here, to educate for a sustainable future and extend our vision of education beyond the curriculum, drives us toward education of a different kind.”
At Cornish, students learn to understand their roles and responsibilities as creators and contributors to education, not just consumers. Journeying through the Early Years to Year 12, they develop deep understandings of themselves as learners and about the interconnectedness of the world around them.
From the Early Learning Centre to Year 6 our students spend regular, extended periods of time becoming familiar with and connecting to the land. Experiences range from the Early Learning Centre ‘walk day’ where, each week students explore different parts of our ‘100 acre classroom’ to Year 5 students connecting with external organisations such as BirdLife Australia, participating in bird audits and designing and building bird boxes based on the data they have collected in order to increase biodiversity in our College environment.
A disposition for systems thinking developed through inquiry and concept-based learning leads students to becoming adept at identifying and solving problems with an entrepreneurial mindset that transfers far beyond the school and curriculum.
When young people come to Cornish College, their families come with them and join us as a community of explorers committed to making a difference. “There is a great deal of courage in a community that comes together to challenge the narrative of schooling,” Nicola says. “When we open our minds to unlearning and reimagining schooling, we open the possibilities to a better future for all.”
Creating time and space in the school day for play, deep inquiry, exploration and personalised learning opportunities, Cornish College is ensuring students have the tools to thrive in learning and in life.
It is that time of year again where we hold our IB Schools Australasia AGM.
This year IB Schools Australasia will run a hybrid meeting– both onsite at Lauriston Girls, Armadale Victoria and via zoom on August 26th 2022 at 12pm.
We have again enlisted the services of Vero Voting to provide a secure voting platform for our member schools. This will streamline the voting process for our member schools.
If you plan to attend in person please register below via Trybooking.
Past, present, future: the IB is a leading edge in a changing world
July 14, 2022
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Olli-Pekka Heinonen, Director General of the International Baccalaureate
With the horrors of the Second World War still fresh in their minds, the founders of the International Baccalaureate (IB) were motivated to imagine a better way of thinking about education – and how, in turn, education could help build a better and more peaceful world. Unfortunately, the recent events in Europe demonstrate the importance of those words, stated in the IB mission, still today.
At the same time, we are experiencing an era of change or even a change of era. The challenges that we face today, although in many ways different from those confronted by the founders of the IB 54 years ago, have renewed our passion and sparked courage to create a better world through education. For students to thrive and make a difference, we are called to engage in open, forthright conversations about what we teach and how we teach it; how we can help our students become the agents of change we so desperately need. It is never easy, but I believe the IB is uniquely placed to empower the next generation of students with the confidence – and the agency – to make a significant impact on the world they are to inherit.
So, what is the role of the IB in 2022? How do we help today’s world as it faces its own unique challenges and uncertainties? The IB’s founders would not have wanted us to stand still in the face of this opportunity, but instead to evolve, and turn the COVID-19 crisis into a chance to renew and refresh their vision.
Certainly, the challenges confronting us today are different in nature from those that came before. They are more complex, more global, and more multifaceted. They demand that we think differently. Take for example the climate emergency. It is conventional to think that it is problem for scientists to conquer – and that we should support and fund them in this endeavour. Although we do need scientists, to overcome the enormous challenge of global warming we also need social scientists, behaviourists, communicators, and business experts to all work together.
Diploma result conversion to ATAR equivalent for 2023 Australian university entry released
May 13, 2022
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The new fine grain conversion from IB result to ATAR equivalent for 2023 Australian university entry is now available
The conversion from IB Diploma passing score to Australian Teriary Admissions Rank (ATAR) equivalent has been released for 2022 Australian students entering university in 2022. The new conversion may be found here.
This conversion is based on a direct onversion from whole IB Diploma results to an ATAR equivalent. ACTAC ihas introduced a finer grained conversion equivalent in 2023. This conversion is for 2023 only at this stage and will be reviewed for 2024 and beyond.
It is anticipated that November 2022 exam session Diploma Programme students will receive their results on December 17, 2022, but this date is subject to possible change, if COVID mitigation processes are required as in 2020 and 2021.
EDUTech-International Schools Summit April 27 & 28 2022
April 14, 2022
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Following the success of EDUtech International Schools Summit 2021 and the overwhelming response from #EDUtechIntSch community, we are excited to continue our efforts to enhance your digital experience at EDUtech International Schools Summit 2022. At EDUtech, our mission is simple: to provide the best platform to allow the community to continue to learn, share best practices and engage in meaningful conversations.
EDUtech International Schools Summit 2022 will be held on 27-28 April through a series of panels and fireside chats and interactive Q&A. Join the online summit from wherever you are – watch them live or on-demand and network with attendees.
The learning journey continues. Join us as we continue to share the best strategies, technologies and pedagogies for International schools.
The IB Global Conference, Singapore 2022, will be the IB’s first in-personconference since the COVID-19 pandemic began. In addition, the conference will include a virtual experience especially for those unable to visit Singapore.
The conference theme is “Embracing Innovation, Inspiring Action”.
The sessions will run as follows:
26 March 2022: In-person attendees only (face-to-face session only)
27 March 2022: In-person attendees and virtual attendees (face-to-face and virtual sessions)
28-29 March 2022: All attendees (virtual extension of the conference)
Innovative solutions often emerge from complex challenges. When explored, they can open new horizons, promote collaboration and nurture resiliency. Students, parents, teachers and school leaders all contribute valuable perspectives that promote stimulating ideas and energize implementation.
Achieving progress requires positive and definitive action. Opportunities to foster a culture of learning, understanding and innovation is achieved by supporting creativity, robust dialogue and thoughtful consideration of ideas.
The conference promises to become a vibrant forum with our community of educators, education professionals and leaders across the Asia-Pacific region. Attendees will engage in robust discussions and share fresh ideas and best practices for education. Join us in exploring how we can embrace innovation to inspire a generation into action!
For more information and to register please go to:
Building life-long skills through the Kitchen Garden Program
January 27, 2022
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Not all important lessons take place in the classroom. At Coromandel Valley Primary School in South Australia, students are learning that time in the kitchen and garden is a powerful way to build social connections and life skills. The IB school is a member of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation, which aims to teach children and young people how to take care of themselves, each other, and the planet through fresh, seasonal food.
Year 1 students at Coromandel Valley Primary School participate in a farm to table unit, where they experience the full life cycle of the food that ends up on their plates. Students are engaged in every step: collaborating with each other to plant the first seeds and nurturing their growth, right through to harvesting, preparing, and sharing a meal together. Garden specialist, Jenny Tucker, has been able to tailor what plants are grown, so students can take ownership of the entire process within the 6-to-8 week cycle of the unit. “Growing, cooking and sharing food definitely contributes to a sense of connectedness amongst students,” explains Jenny. “Students have shown they are keen to be involved in the garden, whether it’s propagating, planting, watering or weeding. There is a role for everyone, giving students the opportunity to refocus and connect.”
When harvesting produce from the garden, students can see the value in their shared contributions. The same applies in the kitchen. “Working in groups, student collaboration is required to decide on a recipe, source ingredients and allocate tasks,” says Jenny. “I love hearing the ‘happy chatter’ amongst students when it comes to sharing food. Students are often happy to chat with both peers and adults while working side by side in the kitchen and garden. They will talk about their own experiences, share their thoughts and ask questions.”
Inquiry is at the heart of the Kitchen Garden Program. Planting a seed and watching it grow or observing what it takes to make dough rise creates curious learners. According to Coromandel Valley Primary School’s PYP co-ordinator, Kate O’Driscoll, “the kitchen and garden are seen as strong physical resources supporting inquiry-based learning where student agency, decision-making, and student-led actions are naturally embedded. These are spaces that support students to consolidate their learning.”
Building on these soft skills, students in year 2 of the program learn about water through a series of experiments to determine what plants need to thrive. They evaluate how different amounts of water influence the growth of the plants and determine the best conditions for optimal growth. It’s a hands-on way to learn about the environmental impact of the food on their plates – equipping students with the tools to make sustainable choices.
Students further develop their practical skills by running a food market in year 5, exploring real-world responsibility and scenarios requiring cooperation and leadership. “They are encouraged to evaluate needs versus wants to determine suitable products and services, and to practice skills such as budgeting,” Kate explains. “It is a long-term aim for this unit that the kitchen will be used to produce products that can then be sold.”
While projects like the food market step outside the boundaries of traditional subjects and teach students how to think independently, they also emphasise the importance of social connectedness. Food is a natural conduit to celebrate diversity and build cultural understanding. Which is why the act of coming together to share a meal is a at the heart of every Kitchen Garden Program, including at Coromandel Valley Primary School.
“Food is used to celebrate diversity and different cultures,” says Jenny. “Pizza is always a favourite, while sushi and cold rolls have proven popular. Teachers have also incorporated the indigenous ingredient wattle seed into biscuits and damper. This provides the opportunity to talk about the origin of food and ingredients, discuss traditions, and foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of the different cultures that make up our school community.”
The philosophical crossovers with IB schools such as Coromandel Valley Primary School and the Kitchen Garden Program are broad. Both seek to develop curious, compassionate citizens of the world – life-long learners with practical skills and a sense of responsibility towards each other and the planet.
To find out more about the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program visit: www.kitchengardenfoundation.org.au
