International School of Lyon

High School

Within the general framework of the IB programme and its holistic educational approach, 9th and 10th grade courses prepare the students for the IGCSE examinations of the British "Cambridge International Examinations Syndicate" at the end of the 10th grade (www.cie.org.uk). Building on the foundations laid in the previous years, they aim to develop the knowledge, the study and research skills, and the critical thinking essential for a successful participation in the Diploma programme in 11th/12th grade.

Students study the following subjects:

English as the native or "first" language, including literature
French, and/or English as a Second Language for non-native speakers
Mathematics
Coordinated Science
Geography
History
Visual Arts

As the school grows, more languages will be offered both at native speaker level (depending on the number of speakers of a given language) and as foreign languages.

11th and 12th grade students are enrolled in the IB Diploma programme. Their studies include a balanced choice of six academic subjects, an interdisciplinary course in critical thinking called "Theory of Knowledge", and mandatory participation in extra-curricular activities in the areas of Creativity, Action and Community Service (CAS). The teaching of research skills culminates in the production of a 4,000 word research paper - the "Extended Essay" .

The IB diploma gives access to universities in over 110 countries, with a particularly strong reputation in the UK and North America, including for example advanced placement in leading US universities.

IB subjects are organized in six "hexagon" groups,and the following subjects are currently available:

Group 1: Language A1 (literature course): English, with a possibility of other languages as "self-taught"