A celebration of 30 years of the IB at Impington International College
This academic year is set to be one of great significance for both students and staff at Impington International College (IIC). The international sixth form, located on the outskirts of Cambridge, is celebrating 30 years since it started offering the International Baccalaureate (IB). Much has changed in the three decades that IIC has been providing the world-class education programme to its students. However, what has remained a constant is that through its unique educational experience and curriculum, IIC continues to equip its students with academic independence and the rich, intellectual skills that they require in an increasingly globalised world, providing them with the knowledge they need to go on and achieve excellence in whatever paths they choose.
A key draw of the IB and one that has made it so successful at IIC is its international focus. Welcoming students from more than 20 countries, IIC prides itself on its culturally diverse cohort. Although the IB curriculum offering is constantly adapting to the changing world, by cultivating international mindedness and developing key skills such as research, inquiry, independent study and critical analysis it has always offered those that study it a global perspective. This is something teachers at IIC have always been keen to focus on and draw out in students at the college. One of the most notable examples of this approach is IIC’s decision to have small class sizes. Through this, IIC promises its students high contact time with teachers and a close-knit environment that sparks conversation. This approach was highly valued by alumnus Giovanni Galvano: “The teachers at IIC aren’t just there to teach you, they are truly interested in what you are doing and how you think and feel about what you are learning, [encouraging] a reflective and inquisitive way of learning.”
The teachers at IIC encourage an inquisitive way of learning
Alongside their academic nature, IB programmes also place a strong focus on the holistic experience of an individual’s education and development. The IB encourages independent learning and the development of essential life skills, including time management and presentation techniques, and this is something IIC has placed particular focus on over the last 30 years. Through creativity, activity and service (CAS), and service learning, students take part in a range of extracurricular experiences including: primary teaching, debating workshops, sport fixtures, baking and many more. These experiences allow students to broaden their learning and personal development, fostering a comprehensive range of human attributes that go beyond academic success.
As the team at IIC celebrates the past 30 years and the wonderful journey that everyone at the college has been on, it is the perfect time to look ahead to the next 30. As this year has shown, anything can happen. Whatever changes in education take place over the upcoming years, what will continue to stand the test of time is IIC and the IB’s united mission: to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world.
Impington International College, New Road, Impington, Cambridge CB24 9LX. 01223 200400, impingtoninternational.org.uk