Years 12 & 13
Main Contacts for Key Stage 5
IB DP Coordinator
Dr. Jan Čihák
Areas of responsibility
KS5/IB DP academic lead, admissions, subject choices, examinations, day to day teaching and learning matters.
Head of Y12
Mr. Christopher Gibbins
Areas of responsibility
Pastoral care of Y12 students, wellbeing support.
Head of Y13
Ms. Steph Sutherland
Areas of responsibility
Pastoral care of Y13 students, wellbeing support.
University & Careers Adviser
Mrs. Emma Emerich
Areas of responsibility
Advice, support and guidance for students on their future academic and career pathways
IB DP at Park Lane
In Years 12 and 13, our curriculum is based around the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP). This is an academically challenging and balanced programme of education with final examinations that prepares students, aged 16 to 19, for success at university and life beyond. It has been designed to address the intellectual, social, emotional and physical well-being of students. The programme has gained recognition and respect from the world’s leading universities.
The Diploma Programme prepares students for effective participation in a rapidly evolving and increasingly global society as they:
develop physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically
acquire breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding, studying courses from six subject groups
develop the skills and a positive attitude towards learning that will prepare them for higher education
study at least two languages and increase understanding of cultures, including their own
make connections across traditional academic disciplines and explore the nature of knowledge through the programme’s unique theory of knowledge course
undertake in-depth research into an area of interest through the lens of one or more academic disciplines in the extended essay
enhance their personal and interpersonal development through creativity, action and service.
IB Diploma curriculum overview
IB DP at Park Lane
At Park Lane students have a wide range of IB subjects on offer. For the IB DP course students choose 6 subjects, 3 of them on Standard level, 3 of them on Higher level. An important part of the Diploma studies is a completion of Creativity - Activity - Service component, as well as the completion of the Theory of Knowledge and Extended essay.
IB DP Curriculum
A detailed description of each IB subject, its content and assessment can be found in the document above.
2023 - IB - The Way Ahead booklet.pdfTimeline of important dates
Timeline of major procedures and processes related to the IB Diploma Programme at Park Lane International School.
Timeline IB.pdf
IB DP Core
The Diploma programme core contains 3 essential elements of the IB DP underlining the programme philosophy. All DP students are expected to fulfill the requirements of each of the core elements listed below:
The extended essay asks students to engage in independent research through an in-depth study of a question relating to one of the DP subjects they are studying.
Theory of knowledge develops a coherent approach to learning that unifies the academic disciplines. In this course on critical thinking, students inquire into the nature of knowing and deepen their understanding of knowledge as a human construction.
Creativity, activity, service (CAS) involves students in a range of activities alongside their academic studies throughout the Diploma Programme. Creativity encourages students to engage in the arts and creative thinking. Activity seeks to develop a healthy lifestyle through physical activity. Service with the community offers a vehicle for new learning with academic value. The three strands of CAS enhance students’ personal and interpersonal development through experiential learning and enable journeys of self-discovery.