Varndean Top College for the International Baccalaureate in 2011

Varndean College’s International Baccalaureate Diploma students have achieved the best results of any UK college and are in the top two in the whole state sector this year, according to this summer’s published results.
Varndean students, drawn from local comprehensives, outperformed their rivals from many selective private schools in the examinations for this prestigious international qualification. 

‘These results show Varndean College to be one of the best IB schools in Britain’, commented IB Co-ordinator Dr Sean McEvoy. ‘I am immensely proud of all our IB students and feel privileged to work with such an excellent team of teachers at Varndean College. The students worked really hard and supported one another generously to get these results. They also gained an excellent all-round education. They are off to top universities now, but they also leave here as inquisitive, open-minded, enthusiastic learners with a broad and critical knowledge of the world around them.’

Varndean’s average score per student (35.5) was higher than many private schools which charge £20,000 a year to study the IB. The percentage of students achieving the highest grades, 55.55%, bettered the highest listed state school (Rochester Girls’ Grammar in Kent) in The Times’ league table of IB Schools for 2011, and was only bettered in the state sector by another selective school, Torquay Boys’ Grammar School.

23% of the Varndean IB Diploma students scored more than 40 points, putting them in the top 3% in the world.
Lottie Corr and Libby Beckett (pictured) have both won places at medical school having completed the IB at Varndean College. Charlotte will go to King’s College London and Libby to Bristol University.  ‘All subjects did really well, but we were particularly pleased with Science and Maths this year’, commented Dr McEvoy.

There was a 100% pass rate. Particular congratulations go to Lili Owen-Rowlands, with 43 out of a maximum of 45 points, and to Alice Swan with 42 points. Lili is in the top 0.5% of IB students world-wide, and Alice in the top 1%. Lili will aim for Philosophy at Cambridge and Alice has applied to York to read Maths and Philosophy.  Three other students achieved 40 points or more, including Libby (41) And Charlotte (40). Sandra Lim Jimenez (41) is going to Warwick to study Philosophy and Literature. The boys weren’t far behind: Alex Qiu (39) will read Theoretical Physics at St Andrew’s and Alex Jamieson (38) English and Creative Writing at Nottingham.

For a link to the university places won by Varndean IB students in October 2011 click here.

Students following the IB Diploma study six different subjects, including literature, maths, science and a language. They also complete an individual project and take part in creative, active and community activities.

Varndean has been offering the International Baccalaureate since September 2008. Numbers on the course have grown each year. Our information evening for the 2012 intake is at 6.30 on October 20. Sean McEvoy, the IB co-ordinator, can be contacted at spm@varndean.ac.uk.