The Diocesan International Baccalaureate: An internationally recognised qualification

“I love the environment and learning atmosphere at Diocesan. Diocesan has not only provided me opportunities to challenge myself and gain a huge improvement in academic areas, but also taught me lessons about life.” – Daisy Cheng, China

Diocesan School for Girls (Dio) is an independent, Anglican school which caters for girls from Pre-school to Year 13. Located in New Zealand, Diocesan sits in the heart of Auckland’s affluent suburb Epsom and is a short drive from Auckland’s CBD.

Dio’s unique, custom-built campus is designed to accommodate contemporary educational infrastructure, including state-of-the-art sports facilities, beautifully landscaped courtyards and gardens, and enriching recreational areas. With top-class facilities, such as the world-class indoor Aquatic Centre, the multipurpose Sports Turf, and the construction of a brand new Arts Centre underway, Dio provides an unforgettable education environment in one of the world’s most inspiring regions.

Dating back to 1903, Dio has a long-standing reputation as one of the top boarding schools in the Southern Hemisphere. Its enviable setting, paired with its world-leading facilities and high quality, specialist teachers mean that, academically, the institution consistently ranks among the top schools in New Zealand.

“What I enjoy most about Diocesan is the atmosphere between the students and teachers,” says Emily Xu, a Dio international student originally from Shanghai, China.

“All my classmates and friends are hardworking, which makes me want to achieve my best. I play volleyball and table tennis, play the piano and learn music theory. When I leave Diocesan, I plan to complete a Business and IT degree at a University in New Zealand or Australia,” she adds.

With Dio’s dedication to the future success of each student, this ambitious young woman is well on the way to laying the foundations for a successful career.

One of the key reasons that Dio girls go on to succeed in their chosen fields is the school’s rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) programme. Students at Diocesan have the unique opportunity to tailor the IB Diploma towards their own individual needs, with a broad range of subjects on offer to suit personal interests and strengths. Alongside the academics embodied in the IB programme, Dio girls learn about Ethics and Philosophy, enabling them to become deep critical thinkers, ready to take on the world.

The IB programme is taught over two years in Years 12 and 13 with final exams held at the end of Year 13. Students study six subjects chosen from six different subject areas. These must include Literature, a second language (with choices including French, German, Latin, Mandarin, Spanish, Japanese and Te Reo Maori), Mathematics, Humanities and Science.

The school’s high achievers are also given the chance to study university-level papers in Year 13, either at the University of Auckland as part of the Young Scholar’s Programme, or by distance learning through the University of Waikato.

 

 

These amazing opportunities mean that even before the door is fully closed on their secondary school days, Dio girls have achieved academic credentials well beyond their years and truly proved their worth on the global education stage.

One thing that sets Dio apart from international competitors is its provision of a balanced and creatively rich student experience. Many elite schools place emphasis on subjects firmly rooted in the realm of science, leaving those of a more artistic bent feeling undervalued. Dio is a school that recognises the value and importance of all areas of the curriculum and encourages and supports students to focus on their interests, no matter where they lay.

“My dream is to one day become a teacher and I think that Diocesan will help me achieve this dream,” says Luosha Ha, a Dio international student from Anhui Province in China. “It is a much different school from my one in China. I am shy to ask questions but the teachers are very patient and kind.

“By participating in the activities that Diocesan provides I have met new people, made friends, feel part of a group and have improved my ability as a leader. I am in the senior choir which is really professional and we recently won a big competition, which was an amazing experience.”

The IB Diploma programme is both rigorous and balanced, allowing students to hone interests in the arts, sciences, sports and beyond. All of these factors come together to produce successful students who will leave Diocesan equipped to make their mark in a challenging and changing world. Diocesan’s focus on independent thinking, academic precision, community service, intercultural understanding and respect for others aligns with the IB philosophy and means students leave fully prepared to succeed at the world’s best universities, and beyond.

Images courtesy of Diocesan School for Girls.

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