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International Baccalaureate (IB)

What it means to do the IB in Salem

Kurt Hahn, one of the founders of our school, was also involved in formulating the first ideas for the International Baccalaureate. This explains the strong connection between Salem and the IB, for example in the meaning of CAS (Creativity, Action, Service), which is inspired by Salem's core idea of service. Both Salem and the IB are about discovering who you are and what you can do.

Salem has offered the IB Diploma Programme since 1993, when it was a visionary alternative to traditional systems. Since then, the International Baccalaureate has become an educational success story: Nearly 200,000 students take the IB Diploma each year. It has become the programme of choice for a growing international community. But there has also been a growing identification - not by the IB itself, but by many schools, students and families - with the quantification of success in the famous scores, which does not correspond to the founding idea.

What can you give to the world?

However, there is now a return to the original aims and values of the IB. A world shaken by a pandemic needs the contribution of its most privileged inhabitants more than ever. At the IB Global Conference in The Hague in October 2022, the new Director General, Olli-Pekka Heinonen, said that the original values of the IB had been rediscovered: Empowerment yes, but in a way that enables IB graduates to take responsibility. What can you give to the world? is the question the IB asks of its students, and those who graduate from the IB in Salem must be prepared to develop their own answer to that question. Personal responsibility is the key to finding out what you can do.

What is the International Baccalaureate?

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a highly respected and globally recognized educational program that offers a challenging and comprehensive curriculum. The program is designed to develop students' intellectual, personal, emotional, and social skills to prepare them for success in higher education and in life beyond the classroom. The IB curriculum is focused on critical thinking, creativity, and innovation, encouraging students to become lifelong learners who are engaged with their communities and aware of global issues. The IB offers four programs: the Primary Years Program, the Middle Years Program, the Diploma Program – which is implemented in Salem – and the Career-related Program, each tailored to meet the specific needs of students at different stages of their education.

The IB Diploma Programme is a rigorous two-year educational programme for our Year 1 and 2 students. It is designed to prepare students for success at university and beyond, by providing a well-rounded education that develops critical thinking, communication, and other important life skills. The IB Diploma Programme is recognized by universities worldwide and is highly valued by employers for its emphasis on global citizenship and developing well-rounded individuals.

What are the components of the IB Diploma Programme?

In the IB program, about 70% of the final grade is calculated from the written exams taken at the end of the last school year. In-class performance accounts for approximately 30%. The two-year Diploma Programme (DP) follows an official calendar of deadlines for the completion of various classroom and school assignments.

The core curriculum of the DP consists of instruction in six subject groups, which you can have a look at in detail below, and three required components:

  • Extended Essay (an independently completed in-depth professional paper).
  • Theory of Knowledge (a required course to promote analytical skills and critical thinking).
  • Creativity, Activity, Service (in keeping with the Salem idea of engagement, self-awareness, and service).

For more details, please see our IB Handbook

IB Diploma results in Salem

School Year 2022/2023

No. of full Diploma candidates registered in the session: 62
No. of candidates passing the Diploma: 58

Point Average: 32 (World Average 30)
Top Score:  43 (1x)
Number of candidates at 35 points and higher: 15


Pass Rate: 94% (Worldwide pass rate​​​​​​​ 79%)
Subject Grade Average: ​​​​​​​ 5,06 (World Average 4,84)

School Year 2021/2022

No. of full Diploma candidates registered in the session: 47
No. of candidates passing the Diploma:  46

Point Average: 33,5 (World Average 32)
Top Score: 41 (3x)
Number of candidates at 35 points and higher: 18


Pass Rate: 98% (Worldwide pass rate 86%)
Subject Grade Average:​​​​​​​ 5,25 (World Average 5,13)

Our IB Programme in the Spotlight

Our IB programme was featured in Relocate Magazine. In an enlightening webinar, our IB Coordinator, Dr Constanze Schummer, gave an insight into our unique IB programme, which fits seamlessly into the tradition of our school and is inspired by the educational principles of our founder, Kurt Hahn. In the webinar, Dr Schummer explains how our IB programme transforms young people into open-minded individuals ready to take on global challenges.

You can find out more about the webinar on the website of Relocate Global.

"We commend Schule Schloss Salem for publishing a detailed language policy that focuses on a combination of language awareness, Theory of Knowledge, cultural awareness, international-mindedness and sensitivity to the IB mission."
IB World Schools Department - One of 17 commendations in our IB Evaluation Report 2020

IB Learner Profile & Offered Subject Groups

Schüler halten eine Rede
Schüler erklärt das Model United Nation
Naturwissenschaftlicher International Baccalaureate Kurs
Naturwissenschaftlicher Kurs im IB
Schüler spielt auf der Bühne Theater
IB Learner Profile
Group 1: Language A
  • English Literature
  • English Language and Literature
  • German Literature
  • German Language and Literature
  • Spanish Literature*
  • Self-taught mother tongue
  • * given sufficient demand
Group 2: Language B & Language ab initio
  • English B
  • German B / ab Initio
  • French B*
  • Spanish B
  • * given sufficient demand
Group 3: Individuals and Societies
  • Business Management
  • Economics
  • Global Politics
  • History
Group 4: Sciences
  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Biology
  • Computer Science
  • Environmental Systems and Societies
Group 5: Mathematics
  • Maths Analysis HL/SL
  • Maths Applications HL/SL
Group 6: The Arts
  • Visual Arts
  • Theatre Arts

What are Salem alumni up to today?

We are very proud of our alumni who show in so many ways that they are ‘Salemer IBs’. Whether they are building landing strips for aid flights in Madagaskar, running UN projects from New York, winning scholarships for Communication Design courses, spending a gap year doing dental prophylactic work in the favelas of Callao or studying  Environmental Engineering at ETH or International Relations at St Andrews. Some of these paths have to do with points, but in the end it is the person that decides the path.

What are Salem alumni up to today?

Clarissa Mang
... graduated in Philosophy, Politics & Economics from the University of Oxford and holds a Masters in Economics & Philosophy from the London School of Economics. In 2023 she received her PhD
in economics from the Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich.

Salem Magazine No. 94

Alumni: Dr. Ran Huo Mitarbeiterin Strategische Kommunikation im Präsidialamt

Dr. Ran Huo
Employee Strategic Communication in the Office of the President
Salem Magazin No. 86

Alumni: Marc Brunßen Head of Strategy & Operations, ADAS & Automated Driving bei Audi AG

Marc Brunßen
Head of Strategy & Operations, ADAS & Automated Driving at Audi AG
Salem Magazin No. 81

Careers Counselling

We try to stimulate the inherent curiosity of our students at Salem so that they enjoy the experience of learning for its own sake. But most students expect that the work they do with us will lead them on to a fulfilling university course where they can continue to develop intellectually and prepare for the world of work. The task of the Careers Counselling service is to assist and advise the student and their family in that endeavour. The first and most important decision is for the student to decide what it is they want to study at university – and why. This is very much a personal choice. Each student has their own ambitions and aspirations, and the choice of courses available is huge – from the traditional professions such as law or medicine to the ‘sunrise’ industries of IT or global marketing. Students are encouraged to discuss their future carefully with family, close friends and teachers before making their choices. Having set their personal objective, the students can then turn to the Careers Counselling service and rely on the professional support which we offer to help them set realistic goals and then realise their plans. 

Read more about our Careers Counselling in the IB Handbook

Many IB students look to continue their education at English-speaking universities. In this case, we encourage students to start preparing ..

Yale
ETH Zürich
Oxford
Cambridge
Durham
St.Andrews
University College London
King's College London
IE Madrid
NYU
London City University
TIL Amsterdam
... und viele, viele mehr!