IBDP vs. A-Level

Educational Goals

IBDP：

  • Encourage students to think from multiple perspectives and cultivate students’ critical thinking and creative thinking skills
  • Not partial to subjects, while developing in all aspects, students are allowed to find their own interests in various subject areas.
  • Cultivate students’ ability to adapt and continue learning in a globalized world.

Alevel

  • There are no compulsory subjects, so students can refer to their own interests and the requirements of the university subjects they plan to study in the future to maximize their strengths and avoid weaknesses.
  • Provide students with a solid academic foundation that allows them to specialize in specific academic areas during the semester.
  • Emphasis is placed on teaching students professionalism in their chosen subjects.

Teaching Methods

IBDP

  • The curriculum design emphasizes “learning how to learn” and the educational method encourages students to explore and connect the connections between different subjects.

“Learning how to learn” is an educational strategy that mainly cultivates students’ independent learning abilities and lifelong learning skills. This approach emphasizes the following aspects:

  1. Critical Thinking: Students are encouraged to analyze and question information rather than just accept it.
  2. Problem-solving ability: Guide students how to face problems, explore multiple solutions, and learn from practice.
  3. Research Skills: Students learn how to collect, evaluate, and apply information to form their own insights and answers.
  4. Self-reflection: Encourage students to reflect on their own learning processes and results, and understand their own learning styles and needs.
  5. Cooperative Learning: Through group work and projects, students learn how to communicate, collaborate, and share knowledge with others.
  • You must attend an IB DP school officially certified by IB and complete two years of study before you can take the IB exam.

Alevel

  • Teaching and Guidance: Students usually study three to four subjects in the A-Level system, but there is no limit on how many subjects a student may wish to take. Teachers will give systematic explanations and provide detailed guidance to help students prepare for exams.
  • Study Materials: Students will receive a wealth of study resources, including a variety of practice questions, to help them achieve excellence in their subjects.
  • Students can study Alevel courses on their own without going to school and apply for the Alevel examination.

Course Structure

IBDP (Please consult the IBDP guide for details)

  • Six subject groups: Students are “required” to choose subjects from six subject groups without focusing on any one subject, including Languages ​​and Literature, Language Acquisition, Individuals and Society, Science, Mathematics, and the Arts. Students may choose not to take art subjects and choose another subject instead.
  • Three core elements: including Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) and Research Paper (Extended Essay, EE). These elements are designed to promote students’ critical thinking, research skills and personal development, and are required to obtain the DP certificate.

Alevel

  • Subject selection: Students choose 3 to 4 subjects at A-level. These subjects usually cover a wide range of subjects, such as mathematics, science (physics, chemistry, biology), humanities (history, geography, psychology), language (English literature, foreign language) ) and social sciences, etc. For example, students who are interested in applying for STEM fields can only take mathematics, physics and chemistry without taking humanities or languages.

Both DP and A-level courses are designed to allow students to explore their chosen subjects in depth. Both are pre-university courses, mainly preparing for the academic challenges before entering university. While both programs differ in teaching methods and coarse focus, both programs strive to provide students with a solid academic foundation that will enable them to succeed in college and future academic pursuits.

Assessment Method

IBDP

  • Nternal assessment: Each subject has internal assessment, and each subject has a report to complete (which varies by subject). For example, students taking chemistry must complete a self-designed experiment and write an experiment report. These are usually graded by school teachers and then verified by IB headquarters.
  • External assessment: mainly an official global examination conducted at the end of the second year of the DP, scored by IB international auditors to ensure global consistency and fairness.

Alevel

  • Examination-oriented: Assessment is mainly done through official examinations conducted at the final stage of the course. The exam is designed to test students’ mastery and application ability of subject knowledge.
  • Continuous assessment: Although A-levels are primarily exam-oriented, in some subjects (such as arts and sciences) coursework and laboratory reports are also part of the grade, which help to assess students’ practical and analytical skills.

How to choose?

IBDP

  • If students plan to apply to universities in various countries, IBDP is a better choice. Because IB courses are recognized by universities in more than 150 countries around the world, accepted by many schools and universities, and can even be used for credits in some universities (especially the United States), they are very suitable for students who plan to study internationally.
  • Students who resist exams or prefer different types of homework can choose IBDP. Since its assessment methods are more diverse, exam pressure is less, but it tests students’ time management ability.
  • Students who have not determined their future ambitions are suitable to choose IBDP. The wide range of study areas allows students to have sufficient resources to explore.

Alevel

  • The target has been determined to be the top prestigious universities in the UK (such as Oxford University and Cambridge University), and Alevel is suitable. It is the most traditional high school diploma in the UK, and the questions in the interview often come from Alevel exam questions.
  • For students who are strong in specific subjects, Alevel is a better choice. You only need to choose three to four subjects and focus on improving the professionalism of the chosen subjects. There is no pressure to take into account liberal arts subjects.
  • Students aiming to study medicine in the UK are recommended to choose Alevel, which can lay a solid foundation in the subject in advance, gain an in-depth understanding of professional knowledge, and prove their depth of study in a specific subject through their scores.

In summary, IBDP and Alevel each have their own advantages, and there is no specific advantage or disadvantage. It depends on the student’s personal strengths, suitable learning mode, and future career plans. If you have not yet made a clear ambition, it is recommended to choose IBDP. If you aim at a prestigious British school, Alevel is a diploma that can better prove a student’s ability.

Teachers and Resources

IBDP

  • Teachers need to receive official IB training (participate in IB workshops, etc.) to master IB’s educational concepts and methods.
  • Teaching resources are provided by the IB organization, and each school and teacher can choose their own teaching content from the direction given by the IB official

Alevel

  • Teaching teachers typically have a high level of professional knowledge and educational background, with a certain level of proficiency in the subject areas they teach.
  • Teaching resources use fixed educational publications and meet the requirements of A-level examinations.

Both have a large number of simulation questions and online resources, making it easy for students to access resources outside the classroom.