International Baccalaureate (IB)

IBDP Curriculum

IBDP (International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme) is widely recognised as the most challenging and rewarding curriculum for high school students around the world. The IBDP programme follows the IB's vision which aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better, more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

The IB’s philosophy is to develop not only inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who are motivated to succeed, but also lifelong learners who strive to follow the attributes of the IB Learner Profile:

Benefits of IBDP Curriculum 

The IBDP gives students distinct advantages by building their critical thinking skills, nurturing their curiosity and their ability to solve complex problems.The IB also is great preparation for universities around the world no matter where you’re headed. Over the last 5 years, for example, 25% of our graduates have matriculated to US universities; in 2023 over 50% of the offers received by our Class of 2023 graduates come from US universities. With impressive IB exam results in 2023, our students consistently demonstrate their ability to excel in the rigorous challenges of the IB curriculum. 

Mr Anthony Gillett, IB Coordinator at Dulwich Pudong:

The IB is very much in keeping with our College mission to put IB students first and to ensure that they have the skills and motivation to make a positive difference in the world.

IB Results: 2023, 2022 and 2021 Highlights

In 2023 our students achieved an average score of 38.0 with one student scoring a perfect 45, one of less than 200 students globally to achieve that mark.

In the 2022 examinations over 24 percent of students scored 44 or higher and our overall result placed us at the top of the League Tables amongst all private international schools for the year.

In 2021 we had 3 students who achieved perfect scores. Read more about them right here.

What Makes Our IBDP Programme and Curriculum Different?

Not every IBDP programme and curriculum is built the same. Here are 7 reasons our programme stands out:

1. Whole-school commitment to Wellbeing

If you visit our campus, you won't find our IB scores plastered all over the walls. It's no oversight, it's deliberate.

The last thing IB students want to see before sitting the examinations is a reminder of the scores of the students the year before. That only feeds the worry.

In our Senior School, just like everywhere else at the College in Shanghai Pudong, student well-being, health and safety, happiness and social emotional care come first.

Each IB student has a whole team behind them consisting of their tutor, Head of Year, the IB Coordinator as well as other specialists such as learning support or social-emotional counsellor as needed.

Wellbeing is part of our Senior School Holistic Development curriculum, and every Senior School year group receives age-appropriate lessons.

In the IB years, the focus is on supporting students with transition planning whilst our unique Science of Learning program supports cognitive wellbeing by demystifying the neuroscience behind how people learn, which helps students develop healthy habits and aspire to the IB Learner Profile trait of Balanced. 

2. IB Teachers Who Go Above and Beyond

Our IB teachers are some of the most experienced in the world. They are fully trained in their respective subjects; some have even published textbooks. A number of them are also IB examiners and workshop facilitators.

Most importantly, though, our IB teachers go above and beyond to support students throughout the programme. What does that mean in practice? It means being available to help students beyond the IBDP curriculum when students need help, not just when class is in session. It means going the extra mile to ensure that each IB learner is on track.

3. Unparalleled IB Core Support

The IB Core, an integral part of the IBDP curriculum, consists of the Extended Essay (EE), Creativity Activity Service (CAS) and the Theory of Knowledge (ToK). We have dedicated coordinators for each in addition to an experienced IB Coordinator.

• CAS (Creativity Activity Service)

CAS is supported by our Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) programme which features a diverse range of offerings which encourage them to find what they are truly passionate about.  In Senior School alone we offer 120+ CCAs including over 20 which are service related.

There are also dedicated CAS lessons in which students are given time to reflect on their progress in relation to the 7 Learning Outcomes. Students showcase their progress at the annual CAS Exhibition. 

• EE (Extended Essay)

The Extended Essay is often cited as the most direct preparation there is for the academic demands of university, allowing our IB students to explore fascinating and innovative topics for the EE that wouldn’t be out of place at a graduate student conference. 

Here are a few recent examples:

• ToK (Theory of Knowledge)

Students are taught in small ToK classes and they also have the opportunity to collaborate as a year group. In 2021 we inaugurated the first ToK Exhibition where our ToK students presented objects to staff and parents and were challenged to discuss how they demonstrate how ToK is manifest in the world.

4. World Class Facilities

Sure, we could talk about the Physics lab, the Chemistry lab, the Biology lab, the art studios and maker spaces, or the film studio which are available to our IB students, but we'd rather point your attention to the view from the IB Common Room.

With pride of place underneath our iconic clock tower and commanding the best view of the DCS Big Field below, the IB Common room is a dedicated space just for our Year 12 and 13s.

Part lounge, part coffee shop, part mahjong room, the IB Common Room is custom-designed for our IB students to let off steam and build that all-important sense of solidarity.

Adjacent to the Common Room is a dedicated Quiet Study Room where they hit the books in peace. There are also boardrooms for collaboration containing large displays so students can discuss their projects via a big screen as well as have video calls with external collaborators.

Opening off the IB Common Room are the offices of our University and Career Counsellors as well as our IB Coordinator, making sure these key resources are always nearby.

5. Wide range of IB subjects

Students thrive when they are able to pursue the subjects they are truly interested in, not just the subjects that are convenient for the school to offer.

Annually graduating one of the largest IB cohorts in the city allows us at Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong to offer numerous subjects at both Higher Level and Standard Levels including subjects such as Film, Computer Science and Visual Art. Of the Individuals & Society subjects we offer History, Geography, Psychology, Economics, and Business Management.

Students who pursue the IB at Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong have the flexibility to create their own personalised learning pathway.

6. Peer Support for the Win

One of the biggest resources for any IB students is their fellow learners. Peer to peer support plays a huge part in our IB programme.

Numerous events take place throughout the year which build strong bonds. The IB Cup, for example, is a series of creative, knowledge-based, and sporting activities designed to enhance the cohesion between Year 12 and Year 13 students.

Not only do students in the same class help each other, their crowdsourced knowledge and aggregated experience is shared with future classes via the IB transition booklet. This publication brings together on-the-ground, in-the-trenches experience and builds a deep repository of institutional wisdom.

7. Onboarding Newcomers

When you have the best IB programme in town, you get lots of applicants looking to switch in. We have a great track record of successfully supporting and integrating mid-course joiners, even those who come from a non-British school background.

We have a unique support structure in place for IB students – which we call Wraparound Care – in which Senior School senior staff work with new joiners on an individual basis to co-create a personalised map leading to successful completion of the programme.

In the words of Head of Senior School Alison Derbyshire: “From the quality and care of our teachers to the facilities our students enjoy, studying the ID at Dulwich Pudong really is an experience like none other.”

“A life-changing experience”

Enough of us talking, what do our alumni have to say? In this video four alumni from the Class of 2019 reminisce about their IB experience at Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong. This unscripted and wide-ranging conversation speaks volumes both about the value of the IB programme itself, but also of the support that our IB learners enjoy.

IBDP and IB Results: Excellence Year After Year

We graduated our first IB class in 2009. For us, the hard work does not stop with announcing our IB results; in fact it is just the beginning.

Each year we conduct a deep, detailed analysis of the results which helps us to improve how we support students across the board. That is the process we have used since we graduated our first IB class in 2009 and is what continues to drive our success today.

What makes us most proud is not topping the tables once, but of the track record we've established over the last 15 years. Consistent results from year to year speak to the IB programme and curriculum we’ve built and the culture of excellence we’ve nurtured.

Amazing Graduates: IB Success and Worldwise Careers

IB results, after all, are just one step on the path to university and a rewarding career beyond.

Our graduates’ university destinations speak for themselves.

Our dynamic Worldwise alumni are found all over the world - from China to Europe to India to the US - blazing careers in a wide range of professions - from law to music to medicine to government - at all levels - from start-ups to the Fortune 500.

Meet a few of them right here.

Seeing them hit the big time equipped with the skills and motivation to make a difference in the world - to Live Worldwise - that's what it's all about for us.

That's what really makes us proud.

Get in touch with us and find out more about what makes studying the IBDP at Dulwich Pudong a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.