East High School IBDP assessment handbook

IBDP Assessment Handbook (August 2023)

Welcome to the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). This handbook contains information relevant to all academic and administrative aspects of the IBDP. Information is taken from the current Handbook of Diploma Programme Assessment Procedures 2023 and other IB documentation. This handbook is designed to provide students and parents with sufficient information so that they are able to:

● plan and make adequate provisions for their IB Diploma workload

● understand the school and IB regulations regarding assessment

● know the responsibilities of the students and school during the IB Diploma Programme

Students studying an IB Diploma course must make a genuine attempt to complete course requirements. These requirements include students applying themselves with diligence and sustained effort to the set tasks and experiences provided in the course by the school, regardless of whether or not these tasks contribute directly to the final assessment mark. It is a matter of the teacher’s professional judgement to determine whether a student has made a genuine attempt to complete these requirements.

Individual departments supplement these guidelines with details relating to subject specific components, task criteria and advice about the nature and completion of tasks.

Below are some important points to remember. However, it is vital that both parents and students read and understand the entirety of this handbook. In addition, we ask both parents and students to read and understand Academic Integrity in the IB educational Context and General regulations: Diploma Programme both of which are accessible from the Grade 11 page on the orientation website.

Some important things to know and remember

● The IB rules and regulations contained in the Diploma Programme Assessment Procedures 2023 regarding assessment cannot be altered. Students, parents and teachers work within the rules to ensure consistency and fairness to all students.

● Students absent on the day of an external exam must provide a medical certificate on their first day back. Situations within a student’s control are not accepted as excuses.

● Students must complete at least 50% of the assessment for each subject (including an externally assessed component) to be eligible for the IB Diploma.

● IB Diploma students are responsible for ensuring they meet all academic integrity requirements.

IB Diploma students, in the spirit of independence and self-reliance, are responsible for ensuring they are up-to-date with the requirements and information. If students are away for any reason, they need to ensure they check to see what has been missed.

If the spirit of assessment is adopted, then it should ease the students’ preparation for achieving an IB Diploma. UWCSEA East wishes to see each student achieve their potential. We look forward to working together with parents and students to realise this aim.

The IB mission statement

The International Baccalaureate Organisation aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

To this end, the IB works with schools, governments and international organisations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

The IB Diploma Programme model

IB Diploma Programme requirements

IB Diploma Programme candidates must meet the following requirements:

● candidates for the IB Diploma must satisfy assessment requirements in six subjects, each studied over a period of two years

● the six subjects must be selected from six groups as described in the Handbook of Diploma Programme Assessment Procedures 2023 for the appropriate examination session, at least three and not more than four subjects being offered at Higher Level and the others at Standard Level

● in addition to the six subjects, candidates for the IB Diploma must:

○ take a course in, and submit the required assessments in, Theory of Knowledge (TOK)

○ complete an approved programme of extra-curricular activities known as Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS)

○ complete and submit for assessment a 4,000 word Extended Essay (EE) in a subject available; work on the essay must be done under the direct supervision of an appropriate teacher at the school

● candidates are required to act in a responsible and ethical manner throughout their participation in the IB Diploma Programme and examinations. In particular, candidates must avoid any form of malpractice

Conditions for the award of the IB Diploma

The IB appoints examiners and moderators to assess candidates’ work. This external assessment is complemented by the school’s internal assessment.

Grade performance in each of the six IB Diploma subjects is graded on a scale of 1 point (minimum) to 7 points (maximum). A maximum of 3 points is awarded for combined performance in Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay. The maximum total IB Diploma Programme point score is 45.

The IB Diploma additional points matrix

The IB grades for Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay are as follows:

The IB Diploma award

Successful IB Diploma candidates will receive an IB Diploma and the Diploma results listing the total Diploma score, the subject grades, the points awarded for the combination of Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay, and the completion of a CAS programme.

A Bilingual Diploma will be awarded to a successful candidate who:

a. completes two languages selected from group 1 with the award of a grade 3 or higher in both

b. completes one of the subjects from group 3 or group 4 in a language that is not the same as the candidate’s nominated group 1 language. The candidate must attain a grade 3 or higher in both the group 1 language and the subject from group 3 or 4.

Award of the IB Diploma

The minimum threshold for completing the programme is 24 points, below which the diploma is not awarded. The additional requirements are the following:

● CAS requirements have been met

● there is no ‘N’ awarded for TOK, the EE, or for a contributing subject

● there is no Grade E awarded for TOK and/or the EE

● there is no Grade 1 awarded in a subject/level

● there are no more than two Grade 2s awarded (SL or HL)

● there are no more than three Grade 3s or below awarded (SL or HL)

● the candidate has gained 12 points or more on HL subjects (for candidates who register for four HL subjects, the three highest grades count)

● the candidate has gained 9 points or more on SL subjects (candidates who register for two SL subjects must gain at least 5 points at SL)

● the candidate has not received a penalty for academic misconduct from the Final Award Committee

Examination sessions

A maximum of three (3) examination sessions is allowed in which to satisfy the requirements for the award of the IB Diploma. For example – May 2023, November 2023, May 2024.

Assessment during Grades 11 and 12

The key purposes of assessments are to provide information on student achievement and progress in each course in relation to the syllabus standards and to report on the standard of performance attained at the end of the course. There are two types of assessment completed by IB students during the school IB Diploma Programme—internal assessment and school-based assessment.

School-based assessment

School-based assessment is used by teachers at UWCSEA East to indicate how well a student is progressing in a particular subject. These may replicate IB style assessments (for example tests and mock examinations) or may be of an alternate nature.

Students need to know that:

● school-based assessment is not optional. All IB Diploma candidates must undertake and complete all requirements for school-based assessments

● students are expected to attend all classes in which they are enrolled unless for appropriate medical reasons or unless they have prior permission. Students who miss classes regularly severely affect their chances of gaining the IB Diploma and this may result in their place at the school being withdrawn

● appropriate medical documentation will be required for students missing school-based assessments and deadlines

● technical difficulties or other foreseeable issues such as holidays or school commitments are not acceptable excuses for missing school-based assessment deadlines

● failing to meet school-based assessment requirements may severely affect students’ chances of gaining the Diploma

Internal assessment

Internal Assessments (IAs) are set according to subject and IB guidelines and count towards the final subject grade. Each subject has a different weighting attached to its IA as a proportion of the final mark. Students and parents can find this information in the IBDP subject briefs

● internal assessment requirements are completed by students by the school due dates

● marking is standardised and moderated within the department in school

● a sample of students’ work is sent to an IB moderator and aligned with world marking standards; as set by the Principal Examiner in that session

The overall assessment structure for each IB subject ensures that student performance is measured in relation to all the objectives for that subject. Internal assessment also gives teachers, who know their students’ work very well, a significant input into the overall assessment process.

Important points about internal assessments

● internal assessment dates are spread over the two years of the IB Diploma course. This reflects the nature and structure of the IB Diploma Programme, as well as students’ needs. Internal assessments are set to spread the workload for students so that not everything is due at the same time

● the IB sets firm expectations regarding the submission of IA drafts. Students need to understand these before commencing work so that they understand the parameters in which they are working. These limits involve:

○ how many drafts can be submitted

○ who is able to look at the drafts

○ the role of the teacher

● oral assessments are completed by all students within a limited timeframe. The IB considers students completing oral assessments outside the set timeframe as academic malpractice. For this reason, oral assessment components cannot be completed outside the assessment period other than for medical reasons

Additional assistance to students

Students must understand the role of teachers in the preparation of internal assessments. Syllabus documents contain details of the extent to which teachers can assist students completing internal assessments. This also applies to teachers who are not a student’s subject teacher. Please note that failure to observe this rule may be considered academic malpractice, resulting in a penalty applied by the IB.

Failure to submit internal assessment requirements

● Students failing to submit internal assessment requirements with no valid reason will be marked as a “non-submission” to the IB. “Non-submission” for any coursework component will mean a student cannot be graded in the subject, and will not be awarded the IB Diploma.students with valid reasons outside of their control must see the IBDP Coordinator as soon as possible

● all students must submit work for their internal assessment by the due date and time

● an application for additional support or accommodations based on adverse circumstances can be made, if deemed appropriate by the IBDP Coordinator

Incomplete assessment

Incomplete assessment applies when a candidate is not able to complete all exam papers. In cases of incomplete assessment in a subject, the final award committee may, at its discretion, award a grade for the subject if both the following circumstances are established:

a. an acceptable reason is provided by the school for the incomplete assessment being beyond the candidate’s control, such as illness or injury, the death or funeral of a close relative, unavoidable attendance at a hospital or law court

b. the candidate has submitted sufficient work, including at least 50% of the total marks available in that subject and including an externally assessed component.

If the above conditions are fulfilled, marks for missing component(s) may be calculated using a procedure based on the candidate’s marks for completed components and on the distribution of marks of other candidates in the same subject.

What if I am sick during an assessment or exam period?

Below is a list of policies and procedures that occur as a result of IB and UWCSEA East regulations. If a student is sick on the day of an assessment, they must:

● ring the IBDP Coordinator or Examinations Officer

● provide a medical certificate that covers the day of the assessment and any extra time taken

● give the medical certificate to the High School Office and IBDP Coordinator on the first day back

● be prepared to sit the assessment on the first day of return (students who do not provide an appropriate medical certificate will receive an F grade for that component)

Does the IB take into account sickness or misadventure affecting an assessment component?

Yes. If this occurs, the IBDP Coordinator fills in the adverse circumstances form (D2) and attaches any other appropriate documentation and submits it to the IB within 10 days. After assessment, any changes to final marks and grades are allocated during the final grade award process.

What if I am sick during the May examination session?

If you are sick or suffer a potential misadventure during the course of the May examination session, you need to:

● attend the examination if you are able

● provide all supporting medical or other appropriate documentation within 24 hours of the examination (this enables the IBDP Coordinator to fill in the appropriate forms and submit them on the student’s behalf because if a student does not meet the requirement for completing 50% of the assessment, the IB must be informed)

Written internal assessments

If an illness or misadventure occurs during the preparation of an internal assessment component, appropriate medical or other documentation must be presented if a student is applying for an extension.

However, please note – extensions are not granted to students who are sick on the due dates for written assessments. If a student is sick during the drafting and preparation process, then students need to discuss this with their teacher and the IBDP Coordinator.

Oral internal assessments

Oral assessments must be completed within a limited timeframe. Students who are ill on the day of an oral assessment must be prepared to complete the assessment as close to the date as reasonable and possible. Extensions to internal assessment due dates are not granted for reasons within a student’s control.

Failure to complete Diploma Programme requirements

As per the Diploma regulations, students must complete all the Diploma Programme requirements in addition to successfully completing the requirements for each subject. These are:

● an Extended Essay meeting the requirements as stated in the Extended Essay guide

● Creativity, Activity and Service as specified by the CAS guide

● an essay addressing one of the Theory of Knowledge prescribed titles and a student-curated TOK exhibition

What if I can’t complete the programme requirements?

If a student believes they are unable to complete the Diploma requirements for any reason, they must inform the IB Diploma Coordinator as soon as possible. Failure to complete any of these components comes in two forms:

1. Failure to submit the written work or complete the oral presentation on the due date

2. Failure to submit the appropriate forms covering for CAS

The IB recognises two reasons for non-completion of the requirements:

● reasons within students’ control (e.g., failure to plan and complete work on time). Students falling into this category will not be awarded a Diploma

● reasons outside students’ control. This includes illness and other types of misadventure. If this is the case, students must see the IBDP Coordinator as soon as possible and provide the appropriate documentation. The IBDP Coordinator and Examinations Officer are responsible for completing all appropriate paperwork for submission to the IB Curriculum and Assessment Centre.

The assessment programme

Diploma students undertake a programme of study designed to meet the IB’s requirements. In addition, students are required to submit Diploma components on specific dates. The IB regards school submission dates as having the same importance as IB dates.

Submission instructions are provided by the different departments or IBDP coordinator as relevant. Students must ensure they understand or know where to find the following information:

● the due dates for internal assessment components.

● the due dates for Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge and CAS components and all other internal assessment work

● the school and IB policies for illness and misadventure

● subject policies for internal assessments especially the oral components

● all requirements for academic integrity (see pages 8 and 9)

● all requirements for IB paperwork and administration

The IBDP Coordinator is responsible for ensuring all IB regulations are adhered to. Students and parents must fully understand and be prepared to work within these regulations for the programme to achieve its aims.

Examination resits and remarking

If a student does not meet the conditions for the award of the Diploma, they are entitled to two more examination sessions in which to gain it. Students may resit only the examination components. UWCSEA does not offer graduates the opportunity to complete new coursework (IAs), as this process requires the support of a class teacher. Information regarding registration for resits will be given to students prior to their graduation in Grade 12.

Appendix 1 – Academic Integrity

The IB has clear and firm expectations regarding the conduct of IB Diploma Programme students. The IB document Academic Integrity in the IB educational context provides the rules and regulations for conduct in this area. There are two forms of academic malpractice as identified by the IB: academic infringement and academic malpractice.

Definition of an academic infringement

● the IB recognises that work submitted by candidates for assessment may contravene the standard academic practice of clearly acknowledging all ideas and words of other persons. In cases where this is not deemed by the final award committee as a deliberate attempt by a candidate to gain an unfair advantage, this will be designated as an academic infringement and not malpractice

● if the final award committee decides that an academic infringement has been established, no marks will be awarded for the component or part(s) of the component. The candidate will still be eligible for a grade in the subject or Diploma requirement concerned

Definition of malpractice

● the IB defines malpractice as behaviour that results in, or may result in, the candidate or any other candidate gaining an unfair advantage in one or more assessment components

● malpractice includes the following:

○ plagiarism: this is defined as the representation of the ideas or work of another person as the candidate’s own

○ collusion: this is defined as supporting malpractice by another candidate, as in allowing one’s work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another

○ duplication of work: this is defined as the presentation of the same work for different assessment components and/or Diploma requirements

○ any other behaviour that gains an unfair advantage for a candidate or that affects the results of another candidate (for example, taking unauthorised material into an examination room, misconduct during an examination, falsifying a CAS record, disclosure of information to and receipt of information from candidates about the content of an examination paper within 24 hours after a written examination)

Applicable procedure

● the IB does not permit the school to submit work for assessment where academic malpractice is suspected. In this case, a mark of F may be entered, or the student may be required to submit a new piece of work

● if an examiner suspects malpractice, the IB will open an investigation, and the school may be asked to provided the IB with relevant documentation concerning the case.

● cases of suspected malpractice will be presented to the final award committee. After reviewing all evidence collected during the investigation, the committee will decide whether to dismiss the allegation, uphold it, or ask for further investigations to be made

● if the final award committee deems evidence of malpractice insufficient, the allegation will be dismissed and a grade will be awarded in the normal way

● if the final award committee decides that a case of malpractice has been established, no grade will be awarded in the subject(s) concerned. No Diploma will be awarded to the candidate, but a certificate may be awarded for other subject(s) in which no malpractice has occurred. The candidate will be permitted to register for future examinations at least one year after the session in which malpractice was established

● if a case of malpractice is very serious either because of its nature or because the candidate has already been found guilty of malpractice in a previous session the final award committee is entitled to decide that the candidate will not be permitted to register for examinations in any future session

● an IB Diploma, or a certificate, may be withdrawn from a candidate at any time if malpractice is subsequently established

Appendix 2 – UWCSEA academic honesty policy

Rationale

Academic honesty and personal integrity lie at the heart of UWCSEA’s values. They are fundamental components of a student’s education and character development, laying the foundations for independent learning, confidence in one’s own abilities, respect and self-esteem. UWCSEA expects students to be honest in all their academic work and believes that students, teachers and parents have a special responsibility to ensure that academic honesty is valued and upheld.

The following policy has been put in place to ensure that high standards of academic honesty and personal integrity are maintained and that personal achievement is prized by all.

Definition

The High School defines malpractice to be the representation of ideas or work of another person as the candidate’s own. Academic dishonesty is unacceptable in any manifestation in UWCSEA.

Academic dishonesty takes many forms, including but not confined to:

● copying and failing to cite quotations, paragraphs, and/or whole pages from any source and presenting them as if the student wrote them (this applies to both written papers and oral presentations). This also includes copying visual images without citing sources correctly

● students using someone else’s paper or portions of a paper and presenting it as their own work

● changing words when using a source and copying most of it, including sentence structure

● using an Internet translator and claiming the translation as the student’s own

● over reliance on, or undue assistance by, for example, another student, parent or tutor (i.e., the work is no longer a true representation of the student).

Student support

All students and parents are informed of the College’s views on the importance of academic honesty and therefore recognise that academic dishonesty runs counter to the College’s values and ethos.

In the first weeks of school, the academic honesty policy will be explained to all students. Students will be asked to sign a slip acknowledging they have been made aware of this information. (The signed slip will be kept in students’ p-files). Early in Grades 10 and 12, the importance of academic honesty will again be reiterated.

Students are progressively given research opportunities across the curriculum, preparing them for the high level of research skills required in the IB Diploma.

All High School students are taught to reference correctly, using referencing style relevant to their subject. Full details are on the College website.

Care is taken to inform students at the beginning of each academic year, of the different ways in which malpractice can occur. Individual teachers reiterate this message throughout the year.

There are appropriate staged sanctions to deal with cases of academic dishonesty, in line with our values and with our pastoral system.

Process and sanctions

Malpractice within coursework, class work or homework is regarded as academic dishonesty and therefore treated seriously. In addition to school sanctions, students need to be aware that malpractice within coursework may also result in examination boards disallowing students in one or all subjects. At the IB level this would lead to a failed Diploma.

In the event that an assignment, whether class work, homework or coursework, is found to contain information lifted from an external source such as the Internet, published texts, parents or tutors, and not referenced by the student, the following measures come into place:

In Grades 9–12

1. A genuine error – If a teacher suspects malpractice in a piece of work, they will speak to the student at an opportune and private moment to ascertain if malpractice/plagiarism has taken place. If a genuine error has occurred, the teacher will clarify with the student, how to source correctly. The teacher will send a brief note to the mentor, cc the student’s Head of Grade, and the HOD; no further action is required.

2. The first instance of malpractice – If malpractice appears evident, the teacher must notify the Head of Department as soon as possible. The Head of Department will check with the student’s Head of Grade, to ascertain whether this is the first case of academic dishonesty. If it is, the Head of Department will speak to the student concerned and warn them of the serious consequences of any further misconduct. The Head of Department will inform the parents of the incident, in writing, cc the mentor and Head of Grade. The Head of Grade will file the letter in the student’s file in CIMS.

3. Repeat malpractice – Any student who has previously been warned about such malpractice and repeats the offence, irrespective of subject, will be reported to the Head of Grade. The teacher/Head of Department will provide a report and evidence of the malpractice. The Head of Grade will investigate the concern and interview the student as per College guidelines (See 10:13 Guidelines for Interviewing Students on Disciplinary Issues). Should malpractice be confirmed, the student will be referred to the Vice Principal of Grades 11–12.

Repeat offences of academic dishonesty are likely to lead to suspension and in the unlikely event of extensive malpractice across a range of pieces or subjects, is likely to result in exclusion from the College.

4. Malpractice in work which is not coursework – If there is evidence of malpractice in a piece of work (not coursework) it will be at the discretion of the teacher/ HOD whether the student is required to redo the work (it will not be graded).

5. Malpractice in coursework – If there is evidence of malpractice in coursework, the student will have to resubmit the work. This resubmitted work will be undertaken under the close supervision of the teacher/ HOD/ or HOG.

6. Examination Board sanctions – coursework submitted to the IGCSE/GCSE/IB Examination Boards will be subject to the relevant Boards’ scrutiny. If the Board discovers evidence of malpractice, students will face the Board’s sanctions. This can lead to failed subjects or in the case of the IB, a failed Diploma.

7. Other possible consequences – In addition to the above, any Senior School student at the College who has faced serious disciplinary action, such as a suspension due to malpractice, should be aware that the College will be obliged to report this information to universities that may require it. At present, a large number of universities in the US require schools to report this kind of information, along with an explanation of the circumstances that led to the disciplinary action.

Referencing

Students follow the MLA system of referencing.

Appendix 3 – Diploma Programme acronyms and glossary

Acronym, position or Diploma Programme concept Definition

Additional points

Additional points are calculated by using the matrix for the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge grades Details of the matrix are found in the Theory of Knowledge subject guide and Extended Essay guide

There are three (3) additional points available to students

CAS Coordinator Creativity, Activity and Service Coordinator

The person(s) at UWCSEA East who is responsible to the Diploma Coordinator for the administration of the CAS programme The CAS Coordinator(s) also answers student questions about CAS and helps to facilitate CAS activities

IBDP Coordinator

The person at UWCSEA East who is responsible for the planning, organisation and administering the Diploma Programme within the school. The Diploma Coordinator is responsible for following the rules and regulations as set out by the IB

This is the score out of 45

Each subject is out of 7

Diploma score

6 Subjects x 7 = 42

42 + additional points (maximum of 3 from the TOK/EE matrix) = 45

DP Diploma Programme

External Assessment (EA)

This is the external component of the subject grade Comprising of examinations, World Literature essays, Theory of Knowledge essays and Extended Essays, these are externally marked

Grade

The final grade awarded to a candidate in each subject is on a scale of 7 down to 1, with 7 being the highest grade For Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay, the grades are on a scale of A to E, with A being the highest grade

The final score out of 7 or A to E is determined by the aggregation of external and internal assessment marks and found by checking the mark against the grade boundaries

IB International Baccalaureate The administering organisation for the Diploma Programme

Internal Assessment (IA)

The assessable component of the Diploma Programme that counts towards the subject grade and final result. This is set and marked internally and externally moderated.

The predicted grade is the teacher’s prediction of the grade the candidate is expected to achieve in the subject, based on all the evidence of the candidate’s work and the teacher’s knowledge of IB standards Predicted grades are also required for Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay

Predicted Grade (PG)

Each grade award meeting will use predicted grades when considering a subject’s grade boundaries and the performance of individual candidates

They are also used by the final award committee when considering candidates with special circumstances. However, where marks are not available because of adverse circumstances, predicted grades are not used in their place.

Access arrangements and adverse circumstance

Access and inclusion arrangements are available to students who have ongoing medical or learning needs The IB makes determinations regarding provisions based on the application and documentary evidence Students who need to apply for accommodations on the basis of adverse circumstances within 3 months of the final exams should contact the IBDP Coordinator