MLC School IB brochure.

The International Baccalaureate
Diploma Programme at MLC School
Photo, Alexandra Adoncello IB Diploma
Visual Arts candidate from the
class of 2012
IB learners strive to be:
• inquirers • knowledgeable • thinkers
• communicators • principled • open-minded
• caring • risk-takers • balanced • reflective

The International Baccalaureate ® (IB) Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a comprehensive and rigorous twoyear
course of study, undertaken in Years 11 and 12. It is chosen by a range of students as an alternative
to studying the NSW Higher School Certificate.
The programme is based on the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)’s Mission Statement*:
The International Baccalaureate Organisation aims to develop inquiring,
knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and
more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
To this end the IBO works with schools, governments and international
organisations to develop challenging programmes of international education
and rigorous assessment.
The IBO encourages students across the world to become active,
compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people,
with their differences, can also be right.
Worldwide, the IB Diploma Programme is recognised by leading universities for providing the academic
challenge required for future university success.
These are the reasons the IB Diploma Programme has such popularity and has seen rapid international
growth, in both State and Independent schools, since its foundation in Geneva over 40 years ago.
There are more than 969,000 IB students at over 3,290 schools in more than 141 countries – and the
numbers are growing!
Language A1
IB Diploma Programme Curriculum
Second
language
Experimental
sciences
Individuals
and societies
Mathematics
and computer
science
Students select one subject from each of five
different discipline areas and a sixth may be an
arts discipline or another subject from groups 2,
3 or 4. This ensures a breadth of experience in
languages, humanities, experimental sciences
and mathematics, a key feature of the Diploma
that makes it different from the HSC.
• Three of the six subjects are studied at higher
level (HL) each representing 240 teaching hours
over 2 years
The arts
• The remaining three subjects are studied at
standard level (SL) each representing 150
teaching hours over 2 years.

There are three core requirements that are central to the IB Diploma experience.
The Extended Essay (EE)
Students complete a 4000-word
research essay in a discipline area
of choice, on a topic formulated and
negotiated between the student and
a supervisor. Recent topics at MLC
have included:
“To what extent was the United
States responsible for the
emergence of the Taliban in
the 1980s?”
History, Liz Ribeiro (2011)
“Should ‘Leung Wai Kee Buddhist
Craft and Joss Stick Trading Co.
Pty Ltd’ invest in E-commerce?”
Business and Management,
Lauren Lee (2011)
“How does J.M. Barrie’s Peter
Pan destabilise the notion of
a prescribed paradigm for the
ideal child?”
English, Elizabeth Lam (2011)
“An investigation into the
constraints and strategies of
implementing bushfire safety
designs into existing houses.”
Design Technology,
Kate McKay (2011)
“The Aesthetics of The
Dispossessed: A Critical Analysis of
Shirin Neshat, Xu Bing and Banksy”
Visual Arts,
Sophie Jerapetritis (2011)
Creativity, Action and
Service (CAS)
CAS is a distinctive feature of the
IB Diploma and aligns strongly with
MLC School’s values. It encourages
students to take risks, explore,
and challenge themselves. MLC
girls engage in many “outside the
classroom” activities and these can
lead to outstanding CAS projects
such as:
• Creativity, including a wide
range of arts activities as well
as creativity in designing and
implementing service projects.
• Action, which can include
participation in individual and team
sports, taking part in expeditions
and in local or international
projects.
• Service, that encompasses a
host of community and social
service activities.
The satisfactory completion of this
non-examined core component is
mandatory for the award of the
IB Diploma.
Theory of Knowledge
(TOK)
TOK is a course unique to the IB
Diploma, challenging students to ask
“How do we know what we know?”
TOK aims to develop a student’s
critical capacity to analyse, make
connections, consider possibilities
and understand that all individual
and cultural perspectives may
have strengths and weaknesses.
In understanding the nature of
knowledge, this course has relevance
to all the subjects chosen in the IB
Diploma. Like all other IB Diploma
subjects TOK is assessed, and this
includes essays and presentations.
TOK is not only a ‘subject’ but rather, a
way of thinking. It encourages us to think
laterally and to express our personal
voice. Through the last two years, I have
come to appreciate the value, as well as
the limitations, of knowledge but more
importantly, TOK has allowed me to reach
the true potential of an IB learner.
Lucy Cavallaro, Class of 2011
Through CAS I can see the struggles
of those around me and realise the
need for change and compassion in
a society like ours. It is just so easy to
ignore poverty and move on with our
lives... While awareness campaigns have
definitely done their job, being granted
an opportunity to work for those who
experience constant daily struggles, in
such a close proximity to my home, really
surprises me but also grounds me.
Annie Wang, Class of 2012

Key Benefits of the
IB Diploma Programme
Many students in Year 10 are uncertain about their
vocational or career options. Research shows that despite
a demonstrated capacity, girls still under-enrol in maths and
sciences in senior years, and this limits their tertiary choices.
The IB Diploma requirement, that students take subjects
from each area of the curriculum, including these subjects,
is particularly beneficial for girls.
The IB Diploma programme is recognised around the
world and ensures an increased adaptability and mobility
for IB students.
The curriculum of the IB Diploma Programme has an
international perspective of learning and teaching, while
insisting that students fully explore their home culture and
language.
IB World Schools must undergo an exhaustive authorisation
process in order to offer one or more of the programmes,
which includes a study of the school’s resources and
commitment to the IB mission and philosophy.
IB Diploma teachers participate in a wide variety of
professional development opportunities to constantly update
their knowledge and share their expertise with colleagues
around the world.
Many students graduating from the IB Diploma Programme
find that it enhances their opportunities at tertiary
institutions. The IBO works closely with universities around
the world to gain recognition for IB programmes.
The core components of the IB Diploma Programme
encourage students to participate in creative and serviceoriented
activities, while at the same time emphasising the
importance of reflection on a personal and academic level.
The IB Diploma
experience for MLC girls
The thing I enjoyed most about the IB was the noncompetitive
nature of the course and the willingness of
our cohort to help each other out which meant a huge
amount of note sharing and studying together.
Hannah Bruce
IB Score 45 ATAR 99.95
The IB allowed me to study a very diverse range of
subjects I enjoyed, without having to worry about
scaling or rankings. It allowed me to achieve the best
I could without feeling like I was competing with the
other people in my class,
Liane Papantoniou
IB Score 44 ATAR 99.80
The most pleasing aspect of the IB was my Extended
Essay. To be given the freedom to independently
research and write about a topic of my choice was
wonderful and I learnt a lot from the process.
Amelia Noble
IB Score 44 ATAR 99.80
The IB truly allowed me to be independent in thought
and action – the IB promotes individualism – it lets you
do the subjects and extra-curricular activities you want,
and it also let you focus on areas within a subject that
you find interesting.
Sanjana Dang
IB Score 43 ATAR 99.60
The small class sizes of the IB created an exceptional
environment for me to excel in my particular subjects.
Being able to develop a close relationship with the
talented teachers and dedicated students meant that
studying the course became an enjoyable way to
explore my passion in my subjects.
Eugenia Xiao
IB Score 43 ATAR 99.60

The following table indicates the subjects
MLC School has offered in recent years.
Indicative IB Diploma Subjects offered at MLC School
Subjects
Level
Group 1 English A1
HL & SL
Group 2 French B
HL & SL
German B
HL & SL
Indonesian ab initio
SL
Italian ab initio
SL
Japanese B
HL & SL
Latin
SL
Group 3 Business and Management
HL & SL
Economics
HL & SL
Geography
HL & SL
History Route 1: Europe and the Islamic World HL & SL
History Route 2: 20th Century World History HL & SL
Group 4 Biology
HL & SL
Chemistry
HL & SL
Design Technology
HL & SL
Physics
HL & SL
Group 5 Mathematical Studies
SL
Mathematics
HL & SL
Group 6 Dance
HL & SL
Music
HL & SL
Theatre
HL & SL
Visual Arts
HL & SL
The IB Diploma
Learner Profile*
The aim of all IB Programmes
is to develop internationally
minded people who, recognising
their common humanity and
shared guardianship of the
planet, help to create a better
and more peaceful world.
*©International Baccalaureate
Organization, 2010
IB learners strive to be:
• inquirers
• knowledgeable
• thinkers
• communicators
• principled
• open-minded
• caring
• risk-takers
• balanced
• reflective
The IB Diploma Score conversion table †
for entrance to Australian Universities
IB Passing Score
Combined Rank
How the IB Diploma Programme is assessed
In order to be awarded the diploma, a student must meet defined standards and
conditions, including a minimum total of 24 points and the satisfactory completion
of the three diploma requirements: TOK, the extended essay, and CAS.
• 6 subjects with a maximum grade of 7 in each subject = 42
• up to 3 bonus points for Extended Essay and TOK = 3
• maximum or ‘perfect’ IB Diploma Score = 45
Responsibility for all academic judgments about the quality of candidates’ work
rests with examiners worldwide, led by chief examiners with international authority
in their fields.
IB Diploma scores are accepted at universities as either a direct score or
converted to a UAC Rank or ATAR* equivalent, e.g. a score of 45 converts to the
maximum ATAR or UAC Rank of 99.95. Students apply to tertiary institutions in
the same way as students completing the HSC.
*The Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) now awards the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) for HSC
students. A Universities Admission Centre Rank (UAC Rank) is an equivalent award for IB Diploma Students.
45 99.95
44 99.80
43 99.55
42 99.20
41 98.70
40 98.05
39 97.40
38 96.60
37 95.60
36 94.15
35 92.75
34 91.10
33 89.35
32 87.30
31 85.35
30 82.40
29 79.75
28 77.70
27 75.35
26 73.00
25 70.40
24 67.25
†
The information in this table is applicable for 2012
admissions only. Content is reviewed yearly.

MLC IB Diploma Results 2002 – 2010
The average MLC School IB Diploma score
is 36 converting to a UAC Rank (or ATAR
equivalent) of 94.15
Thirteen students have scored maximum
points,a ‘perfect’ IB Diploma score, of 45
32% of IB Diploma candidates have scored
a UAC Rank or ATAR equivalent of 99.0+
82% of IB Diploma candidates have scored
a UAC Rank or ATAR equivalent of 90.0+
© OCT 2011 MLC School
For further information please contact:
Ms Anne Layman – IB Diploma Coordinator
alayman@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au
Ms Myfanwy Stanfield – Director of Admissions
mstanfield@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au
Tel +61 2 9747 1266
www.mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au
MLC School ABN 75 549 644 535 CRICOS No. 02328D
A UNITING CHURCH DAY SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, PRE-KINDER TO YEAR 12