IEB Info_1

THE IEBIYtoisurnocthitlhde’s tfiumtuerteo:   compromise!What is the IEB? Why the IEB?The IEB stands for the Independent At Elkanah House we believe in whole-child education that en-Examinations Board.  It is NOT a dif- sures that children fulfill their greatest individual potential. Ourferent curriculum, but a different and ultimate goal is to set them up for future success in their livesindependent method of assessing pupils. after school, whether they choose to work, or study further.  The IEB believes that it is in theassessment of the curriculum that The IEB gives schoolsthe true worth and value of the • more autonomy to direct learning in meaningful wayscurriculum as an educating tool can • assessment methods that integrate multiple skills so thatbe exploited, hence the IEB motto:Assessment Matters. learners develop deeper thinking and problem solving skills“The way in which a question is asked will • advanced programmes in Mathematics and Englisheither encourage the opening up of young • teacher empowerment through subject conferences andminds to see new ideas and possibilities, clusters, and peer group interaction to ensure bestor it will focus the mind narrowly onto the practicefacts taught and presumably learnt during • a well run and professional final examination processthe year. The approach in assessment with integritycan either offer learners an opportunity toexpress their own opinions and show that The specific assessments and related services delivered andthey have used sound thinking skills and a administered by the IEB to schools are,reliable knowledge base to come to their • The National Senior Certificate (Gr 12)conclusions, or at the other end of the • Advanced Programme Mathematics (Gr 12)scale, it will encourage the re-gurgitation • Advanced Programme English (Gr12)of learnt opinions.” • Core skills tests in Gr 6 and Gr 9Anne Oberholzer, CEO IEB. • The Australian Council of Educational Research international benchmarking tests in Mathematics, Science and English from Gr 3 to Gr 10. • Other subject specific assessments at other levelsThe IEB is recognised by South Africa’s top educational brains as being a superiorsystem, and as in all decisions related to the welfare of your children, we cannotcompromise, and have chosen the best education system available to us inSouth Africa.

Is the IEB a different Is the IEB harder?qualification? No. In fact, for many learners, memorising andNo, pupils writing their Grade 12 final exams still attain recalling facts is much harder than a systema National Senior Certificate (NSC). However, they which imbeds subject knowledge throughattain this through a different examination, administered exploration and multiple learning styles. The IEBand marked by the IEB. is not harder if you are taught in the IEB way.The IEB examination is moderated by Umalusi, theWould it be better for a less organisation that oversees all Grade 12academic child to rather examinations, to ensure that both sets of examschoose a non-IEB school? are equitable. .The IEB caters well to children of almost all academicabilities, and does not prejudice less academic chil- Will students get betterdren.  To the contrary, the teaching process often matric results at aengages children in a more interesting way so that they non-IEB school?connect more deeply with a subject.  When childrenare interested in a subject, can explore it deeply and No, IEB students have learnt to master the IEBare able to give their perspectives on it, rather than just methods well through our teaching practices.  Byrecalling facts, they are far more likely to do well in it.   the time they write their final exams they are as well prepared as any other student sitting theThis is important to us because Elkanah House is an government examinations.inclusive school; we do not screen our applicants on  academic merit.  We want our students to “I have no doubt that the IEB is the better educa-fulfill their individual potential by learning tional system.  Students have to be engaged withto work with people of all capabilities and walks of more challenging questions and they develop theirlife.  That is the reality of their future and it prepares thinking.  But students don’t do worse on the IEB.them well. The Umalusi moderator ensures that the exams are equitable.  All of my research from working atDo IEB students do better the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy where weat University? switched to the IEB demonstrated that students rose to the challenge of the IEB and did just as well in theirYes. A study carried out in 2007 at the University of exams.  Our group of schools chose the IEB because itCape Town (UCT) which looked at the success rate of allows us more autonomy to enrich the curriculum andIEB students over a 3-year period noted that 25% of really offer a good education.”  Head of Academics atgraduates at UCT came from IEB schools, a far higher a National Chain of Private Schools.pro-rated percentage. In the same study, it was deter-mined that over a 3-year period 98% of IEB learnersgraduated or were accepted for further studies. Giventhat most universities experience over a 50% dropoutin certain faculties, this research clearly demonstratesthe relative quality of IEB educational methods.   

Are IEB students disadvantaged in their Universityapplications?No, definitely not.  IEB students, who work hard, will definitely earn as many points as an equivalent child at anon-IEB school. In fact, they may actually be advantaged in their application process:All universities make students write a National Benchmarking Test (NBT)*, which is weighted heavily in theirentrance criteria.  IEB students achieve far better results in the NBTs because they are so well prepared tothink at a university level.  As universities are placing far higher weightings on NBTs, particularly in high demandfaculties, IEB students are at a distinct advantage to obtain the university entrance of their choice.* The NBTs were implemented by universities in South Africa as a standardised test to measure a universityapplicant’s ability to transfer understanding of Academic Literacy, Quantitative Literacy, and Mathematics to thedemands of tertiary coursework.To give you an example of university entrance criteria:“Schools have indicated to the IEB that parents Our past pupils often attest to how much thechoose IEB schools because of the IEB school IEB approach has helped them at tertiary level,leaving examination which encourages the specifically how it has prepared them for aproduction of students, well-prepared for the rigors cademic writing and the advantages they haveof tertiary study”, Anne Oberholzer, CEO IEB. in having already been exposed to practical science, biology and fieldwork. They also attest to the benefits of learning deeper and more creative ways of approaching content learnt in our IEB methods at Elkanah House.

Does the IEB give Universities around the globe benchmark each international school exitmy child any assessment method in order to determine the value of the marks.  Theadvantage IEB is understood to be South Africa’s most internationally comparablefor international education system. Most international universities insist on independentuniversities? assessment tests, and as such the IEB continues to successfully market itself overseas and collaborates with overseas agencies, e.g. the Australian Council of Educational Research, on benchmarking, as well as commissioning benchmarking studies with overseas agencies, e.g. the UK NARIC.  “The international level of competition which applicants to, for example, an American Ivy League university face, oneshould recognise that sound academic knowledge is but the foundation for success on such a level of competition.In addition, the successful applicant needs to possess the intellectual dexterity which is the mark of the exceptionalstudent, and which allows for easy transition to a largely unfamiliar educational system, and for the development ofknowledge in an international setting.” Adele Rossouw, a former IEB learner, accepted into 5 overseas institutions,and who chose Yale.IEB candidates have readily been accepted into overseas universities in a number of countries including the USA,UK and Australia, and have successfully completed their studies. In addition, in August 2010, the IEB received thefollowing information from Derek Macleod, the International Officer for Middle East and Africa for theUniversity of Edinburgh: “Following a long conversation with colleagues of mine in our Admissions team fromour College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, we’ve finally been given notification that the IEB NSC hasbeen approved for entry to our course in that College, as well as already being accepted for entry into ourother Colleges in Humanities and Social Sciences, and Science and Engineering. This development is the firstchange in some time to our entry requirements for our Medicine (MBChB) course as up until now, only A-lev-els, Scottish Highers, the IB and Irish Leaving Certificates were accepted for this course.”Which Schools do the IEB in South Africa?A full list is available on the IEB website, however locally St Cyprians, Somerset College and Bridge House areIEB Schools. In Gauteng, most of the independent schools such as Roedean, St Andrews, St Johns and St Stithiansare IEB schools. Many of the well known schools in KZN and the Eastern Cape, such as Kingswood College,St Andrews, DSG, Michaelhouse and Hilton College are IEB schools. It is of particular note that the largenational school groups such as Curro, Reddam and schools in the Advtech Group, such as Crawford College,have proactively opted for the IEB too, because of its superior quality education.Some non-IEB schools may say that they are teaching “in the IEB way”, but that is not possible because IEBteachers have exclusive access to national subject conferences and regional cluster meetings.They benefit fromcontinued idea sharing and professional development.We have elected not to write the government assessed National Senior Certificatebecause we need to compare ourselves to the best in the country – and the IEBschools are among some of the best in terms of their academic standardsand the ability of their students.