Released to the press March 1, 2010 

“Barbados Achieves Gold Standard Award of International Education.�

In an announcement of February 2, 2010, by The International Baccalaureate, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, it was confirmed that The Codrington School, St John, Barbados, has been authorised to offer the coveted International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, an internationally accepted qualification for entry into university. The Codrington School is the only school in Barbados to meet the exhaustive requirements for authorisation and is now one of 2065 IB Diploma schools worldwide.

The IB diploma originated in 1968 and is an academically challenging and balancedprogramme of education, with final examinations, that prepares students, normally aged 16 to 19, for success at university and life beyond. The programme is normally taught over two years and is highly regarded and recognised by the world’s leading universities. The IB diploma, completed at the highest level, is recognised by UK institutions as the equivalent of six A levels at grade ‘A’.

University admissions officers recognise the way in which the IB programme helps to prepare students for university-level education. The academic demands of the programme are rigorous and students must be able to self-organise and demonstrate their ability to think critically – skills not typically taught in the classroom. The majority of Canadian universities grant IB students early admission and many of them offer scholarships specifically for IB graduates. Universities like The University of Western Ontario give an IB applicant direct admission into year two of their desired course.

Principal of the Codrington School, Dennison MacKinnon, states: "This honour and world class achievement are the culmination of four years of diligence and hard work by truly outstanding teachers, administrators and support staff. With the blessing of Government, The Codrington School is now offering a world class education, in ever-improving facilities, here in Barbados."