The International Baccalaureate is being dropped completely by the Sixth Form Centre, after this year’s cohort have finished their studies.
From September 2026, students will only be able to study for A-Levels at the island’s Sixth Form Centre, after previous cohorts had the option to study the IB or a mixture of the two, for 13 years.
The Committee for Education, Sport & Culture said it was a “difficult decision” to end the IB programme in Guernsey, but doing so enables the Sixth Form Centre to focus its curriculum exclusively on A-Levels it said.
The decision was said to have been made just last week.
This means current Year 11 students who are deciding that they may do after their GCSEs will not have the option to study for the IB if they go to the Sixth Form Centre.
ESC said it decided to act now to drop the programme entirely after the disappointment experienced last year when the IB was paused following low sign-ups, as it was “determined that students and families should not face that same uncertainty again”.
ESC President, Deputy Paul Montague – who used to teach IB students as part of his work at the Sixth Form Centre – said he believes that dropping the programme now is the right decision overall.
“As someone who has been involved in delivering the IB Diploma Programme for thirteen years, I would like to reassure the public that this was not a decision that the Committee made lightly,” he said.
“I personally found this a very difficult decision to make. I had to put aside my own experience of the course and the fantastic staff who deliver it and focus on what is truly best for all our students.
“The Committee spent a long time understanding the various options on the table, but the reality is that the IB Diploma Programme attracts only a very small number of students at present. For a programme that is nonetheless resource intensive, this makes it increasingly difficult for us to justify. The investment required for IB is spread across too few students, which ultimately limits the impact staff can have on all students at the Sixth Form Centre. Our decision aligns with similar decisions made in Jersey and reflects the broader difficulty across the UK in sustaining the IB Diploma Programme alongside A-Levels.”
ESC said around 10% of Sixth Form students have studied the IB each year since it was introduced in 2012, “making it increasingly difficult to sustain alongside A-Levels”.
A spokesperson for the committee said delivering both pathways demands significant staffing and timetabling resources, which cannot be justified within the current financial constraints.
ESC therefore decided it was not viable to continue running both programmes, said Deputy Montague. While the committee explored the option of offering the IB alone, this was judged to be too great a change while A-levels remain the most recognised post-16 qualification, he said.
“By concentrating training, staffing and development budgets on A-Levels, we can ensure that every student benefits from high-quality teaching, specialist support and enrichment opportunities. This sharper focus will give the Sixth Form Centre a clearer identity and will help to ensure that resources are being invested where they will make the greatest difference.
“One of the strengths of the IB has always been its emphasis on enrichment and breadth. We remain committed to retaining this so that every student, whatever courses they take, benefits from a rich, challenging and well-rounded education. To be clear, this decision is not about reducing choice but about ensuring that the offering we provide meets the highest standards for all students.”
ESC said it recognises that this decision will be disappointing for many students, parents and staff who value the IB, but the current Committee said it has found itself in a position where continuing to offer both qualifications is not viable.
ESC said it is dedicated to ensuring the curriculum offered by the Sixth Form Centre remains very broad, and that includes the enrichment opportunities on offer for all students, a sentiment echoed by the Principal of The Sixth Form Centre, Keiran James.
“It is obviously disappointing to see the IB programme coming to an end, however, all the staff at the Sixth Form Centre will of course continue to provide the highest- possible quality, rich and diverse educational experience for the Bailiwick’s state- educated sixth form students through an A-Level pathway.”
The IB Programme is not currently available anywhere else in Guernsey.
