Walford and Seymour to stop offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma
Two of Adelaide’s top private schools, including its most expensive, have decided to stop offering the International Baccalaureate diploma.
Education
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The state’s most expensive school, which has suffered a slump in enrolments, will axe its offering of a prestigious international qualification to concentrate on the SACE.
Walford Anglican School For Girls has told parents it is ditching the International Baccalaureate Diploma for senior students.
And it is not the only high-profile girls school to do so, with Seymour College also confirming it will no longer offer the diploma from 2023.
Among other requirements the diploma, which enables students to apply for university entrance around the world, requires students to complete a community service project, a course on the “theory of knowledge” and an extended essay. That is in addition to traditional academic subjects.
Walford is charging $28,580 this year for years 10-12 students, plus a $2200 surcharge for year 11 students who choose the diploma over SACE, rising to $2600 for year 12s.
The Hyde Park school’s board of governors made the decision late last month.
In a letter to parents, principal Rebecca Clarke said there was declining interest in the diploma.
“The clear preference among families and girls is for ‘future-forward’ subjects that open personal pathways with flexible learning,” Ms Clarke said.
“From next year Walford will offer advanced SACE choices from year 10, enabling each girl to personalise her studies with micro-electives.”
The school sought feedback from teachers and students, identifying “highly desirable” subjects such as psychology, criminology, fashion design and exercise and sports science at the top of the list.
Seymour principal Vanessa Browning said resources that had been put into the diploma would be redirected to enhance the school’s SACE offering and other areas of the curriculum.
“The interest in the (diploma) at Seymour had significantly declined while at the same time, the SACE has enhanced, diversified and expanded its offering, providing students with more autonomy and depth of learning than ever before,” Ms Browning said.
“SACE is now nationally and internationally recognised as one of Australia’s most modern and dynamic secondary school qualifications, offering an unparalleled range of subjects with a real focus on future pathways and career preparedness.”
At Walford, current diploma students will be able to finish the program. The school will also keep running the International Baccalaureate’s primary years program
“It excels as an inquiry-based curriculum framework to build conceptual understanding and nurture lifelong learning behaviours,” Ms Clarke said.
Other private schools listed on the IB Australasia website as offering the diploma are Pembroke School, Prince Alfred College, St Peter’s College, St Peter’s Girls, Woodcroft College and Mercedes College.
The Advertiser has contacted these schools to see if they are considering ditching the diploma too. Pembroke, St Peter’s College, PAC, Mercedes and St Peter’s Girls said they no plans to cut the diploma.
Glenunga International High School was for many years the only school in the public system offering the diploma, but Norwood International, Aberfoyle Park and Unley high schools, plus Roma Mitchell Secondary, are also now accredited.
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