The Pre-IB Programme
The pre-IB is a one-year course for Danish and foreign students prior to the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, the actual “IB”. It is aimed at students who are interested in an English speaking, international education but cannot directly enter the Diploma Programme as they have not completed 11 years of schooling.
* Please note that the pre-IB is NOT part of or affiliated to the International Baccalaureate Programme – the term “pre-IB” used in various countries might be misleading (at Nørre G. the class is called 1i for ‘international’). This class is not a prerogative to enter the two-year IB Diploma Programme; it is possible to apply for this programme directly if the student has completed the first year of the Danish Studentereksamen (1.g in stx) or 11 years of schooling in another education system.
Students in the pre-IB/1i class at NØRRE G follow a programme that equals 1g in the Danish gymnasium (stx). This makes it possible for a student to change to the Danish system after the autumn term; i.e. after Christmas, or after the completed year if they do not wish to continue towards the IB Diploma Programme. Acceptance in the stx, however, is only granted if the applicant meets the requirements for this line, see subjects listed in the box below (except for Chemistry).
In the pre-IB course, teaching and study material is in English; thus non-native students are given the opportunity to improve their oral and written proficiency needed for studies of a broad range of subjects in a foreign language. The curriculum consists of compulsory academic subject areas with a balanced combination of humanities, sciences and arts.
The aim of the pre-IB programme is to provide students with the academic basis for further studies of the subjects in the IB Diploma Programme, but also to supply the prerogatives for a potential change to the Danish stx. In addition, students will obtain appropriate study habits and get an insight into basic aspects of Linguistics and Sciences in a special teaching programme during the first part of the school year.
Subjects taught in the pre-IB year
- Danish A or English A ("A" denotes mother tongue or best language)
- Danish B or English B ("B" denotes foreign language, not level !)
- German B or French B (foreign language: approx. 3 yrs of prior experience expected)
- Social Science (C-level stx)
- History
- Physics (C-level stx),
- Biology (C-level stx)
- Chemistry (C-level stx)
- Mathematics
- Visual Arts (C-level stx)
- Physical Education (C-level stx)
Additional basic course (autumn term) in:
- General Linguistics
- General Science
- General Studies
Programme Requirements and Choices
1. LANGUAGES
Students must choose their mother tongue/best language as their “A”-language. If this is neither Danish nor English, the student needs to choose both Danish B and English B - and is then obliged to choose his/her mother tongue as self-taught language A1 Standard Level (SL) in the IB Diploma Programme.
Non-Danish students who do not acquire a sufficient capacity of the Danish language cannot change to the Danish education system (stx) !
French B and German B (fortsættersprog) are studied together with 1g-students in the Danish programme; participation requires at least three years’ previous teaching of the language and also a fair knowledge of Danish. Danish students need to enroll for either French B or German B if they want to keep their options open for a change to stx.
Please note that B-languages are no beginner languages - the course presupposes previous teaching of approx. 2-3 years.
2. SCIENCES
Students need to make a choice of 2 out of 3 science course offered : Biology, Physics , Chemistry in an order of priority. The choices define their 'studieretning' in case they want to switch to the Danish system (stx) but also determine the subsequent choice in the IB Diploma Programme, i.e. the science subject(s) chosen in pre-IB should also be chosen in the IB DP later to guarantee a solid basis.