Grading and Assessment of the IBDP

All subjects in the hexagon, with the exception of the core, have a written external examination, consisting typically in two or three papers taken in May in the second year of IB, a three week intensive written examinations session.

Success in the IB is not only determined by a final external examination; a substantial part of the assessment is internally administered (IAs) by the school (although typically with external quality controls), and this affords students the opportunity to take a significant degree of ownership of their education and to be rewarded for their efforts in school. These IAs range in weighting between 20% to 35% of the final grade.

• IB subjects are graded on a scale of 1-7 (1 being the lowest and 7 the highest).

• A grade of 4 is considered a satisfactory grade.

• A minimum cumulative score of 24 points overall is required for the IB Diploma. However 12 points in HL subjects and 9 points in SL subjects are needed.

• In addition there are a number of passing and failing conditions, such as lower grades in one or two subjects being compensated for by higher grades in others at the same level.

• A maximum score of 45 is achieved by gaining an extra 3 points for Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay according to the point matrix below: