Since 1997 Nga Tawa has been an International Baccalaureate World School. This means that the school has been authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme as an alternative qualifications
pathway for Year 12 and 13 students.

What is the IBO?

The International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) is a non profit organisation that began in the late 1960s in response to the demand for a quality curriculum, assessment and qualification for students who were internationally mobile. From small beginnings in Geneva, Switzerland it now offers programmes in 138 countries, to over 750,000 students worldwide. The Diploma combines the best attributes of many curricula to offer students essential learning with a New Zealand and an international perspective. The IB Diploma programme now successfully offered by a number of schools in New Zealand and just like the NCEA qualification is the IB diploma is accepted tertiary education providers around the world.

What is the IB Diploma?

This is a challenging, broad and balanced two-year international curriculum involving internal assessment and final examinations at the end of the second year. Successful completion of the programme results in a qualification that is welcomed by universities in New Zealand and around the world. The IB encourages international-mindedness and a positive attitude to learning.

The ‘Learner Profile' is the centre of the programme model and is surrounded by the core requirements of Theory of Knowledge (TOK), the Extended Essay and Creativity, Action, Service (CAS). This reflects the concern with developing competent, caring and active citizens as well as subject specialists. All three parts of the core - the Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) - are compulsory and are central to the philosophy, and appeal, of the Diploma Programme.

Students then study six subjects. These include two languages, English and either French or Spanish,  one course from individuals and societies, Geography or History,  one experimental science Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Mathematics, and either Music or another subject from the other areas. Three subjects are studied at ‘higher level', and the remaining three subjects are studied at ‘standard level'. Higher level courses require study in more depth and breadth than standard level.

IB Learners are:

Inquirers Knowledgable Thinkers Communicators Principled

Open-Minded Caring Risk-takers Balanced Reflective