Results of International Baccalaureate once again place Open Gate students among the best in the world

This year, more than 135,000 students in 141 countries took their International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations. While the global average score for diploma students was 29.81 points, Open Gate graduates achieved an average score of 35.7 points. The maximum possible score is 45 points.

IB opens the way for students to prestigious universities outside the Czech Republic. This is one of the reasons why interest in sitting IB examinations is on the rise amongst Open Gate students. “All 17 students in their final year at Open Gate elected to sit the IB examinations this year. Eleven of the students passed the complete IB diploma examinations and the remaining six students selected subjects from two or three groups. Four students scored 39 points or more, which I regard as an excellent result. This year, our grammar school again ranks among the best schools both domestically and internationally,” says Peter Nitsche, Open Gate principal.

The magnitude of Open Gate students’ success can be measured against, say, the requirements of prestigious UK universities such as The University of Oxford or The University of Cambridge: candidates considering admission to these universities are expected to score at least 38 points in the IB Diploma Programme examinations. Four students who completed their studies at Open Gate this year achieved this score.

In addition to the IB examinations, which the students took in English (with the exception of the examination in their mother tongue), 15 final-year (year eight) students also sat the Czech school leaving examination. Open Gate’s graduates continued to perform excellently in 2014 as all 15 students who sat this examination passed with distinction. Ten Open Gate students even had straight 1’s [A’s].

“For this year’s graduates the completion of their studies was particularly challenging. They sat both the Czech school leaving examinations and IB during May, facing four tests and essays in the common part of the Czech school leaving examination, up to 15 tests or essays in the IB examination and at least five oral examinations for the common and specialised parts of the Czech school leaving examination,” adds Peter Nitsche.

Open Gate is the first purely Czech grammar school certified, since 2009, to teach under the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme standards. Thanks to the need-based and academic scholarships granted by THE KELLNER FAMILY FOUNDATION, enrolment at the Open Gate eight-year grammar school in Babice near Prague is within the reach of motivated children regardless of their social background. The Foundation sponsors more than half Open Gate students; 119 of them were granted scholarships in 2013. THE KELLNER FAMILY FOUNDATION granted CZK 42 million in scholarships for Open Gate students in 2013.

About the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP)
IB is a two-year course of study intended for year seven and eight students; at OPEN GATE, the course is taught in English and Czech. During the two-year course students take a number of specific examinations. To pass the International Baccalaureate examination they choose six subjects from six groups of subjects.

If, during their time at school, students are already strongly specialised in a certain direction, they need not obtain the IB in the whole range of six subjects but can enrol in courses in only one or two groups of subjects in which they want to continue their education. In such cases they receive an IB certificate for that particular subject.

The IB Diploma Programme (IB DP) is recognised by universities all over the world and frequently replaces admission tests. The maximum number of points that students can score in IB DP examinations is 45 (the maximum number of points in one subject is seven, i.e. a maximum of 42 points for six subjects plus three bonus points for the Theory of Knowledge course and a 4,000-word essay). The objective is to encourage students to reflect critically and philosophically on diverse ways of interpretation and on the subjects they study. Usually 24 points are enough to obtain an IB.

OPEN GATE has been authorised to provide instruction under the International Baccalaureate programme since 2009, when it started to offer its students the prestigious Diploma Programme culminating in the International Baccalaureate. It was the first purely Czech high school in the Czech Republic to receive this certification.

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Notes to editors
Open Gate is the first purely Czech high school certified, since 2009, to teach under the standards of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, which is globally recognised by universities, including the most prestigious ones, and which replaces admission tests at some of these universities. The school’s mission is to offer academically gifted young people an opportunity to fully exploit their potential regardless of their family background or financial means. The Kellner Family Foundation provides financial support to students who come to Open Gate from children’s homes, foster or single-parent families, or even complete families but with low income.

The Open Gate primary school teaches under the Opening the Gates educational programme, which promotes the students’ all-round development. The programme complies with the Framework Educational Programme of the Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic and is also in line with the internationally recognised IB Primary Years Programme.

The Kellner Family Foundation, a family foundation of Mrs Renáta Kellnerová and Mr Petr Kellner, was set up in 2009 with a view to promoting mainly long-term educational projects intended for primary school students and teachers, students of secondary schools and higher education institutions, and also postgraduates. It seeks out and supports academically gifted children and young people who grow up in environments that impede or prevent their access to high-quality education.

The foundation also provides grants to Czech scientists and scientific teams. It also lends a helping hand to promote the renaissance of the philanthropic traditions and cultural heritage in the Czech Republic.

Open Gate (high school and primary school): www.opengate.cz
The Kellner Family Foundation: www.kellnerfoundation.cz
International Baccalaureate: www.ibo.org
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For more information please contact
Jitka Tkadlecová, cell: 725 461 574, tkadlecova@ppf.cz