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.

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 well over 100 countries, to over 620,000 students. 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 is successfully offered in a growing number of schools in New Zealand.

The IB's mission statement, and the learner profile  that is derived from it, stress the importance of education for intercultural understanding and the need to develop internationally minded students. International mindedness is an attitude of openness to, and curiosity about, the world and different cultures. It is concerned with developing a deep understanding of the complexity, diversity and motives that underpin human actions and interactions.

Therefore the International Baccalaureate fits very well into the Nga Tawa aim of developing global citizens for the twenty-first century.

The website for the IBO, contains a range of information about the International Baccalaureate.

At Nga Tawa, inquiries can be directed to Mr Booker who is the IB Coordinator.