International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme

* IB Middle Years Programme for ages 11-15

Forming critical thinkers who are ready for the challenges of a global society

What is the IB Middle Years Programme?

a modern, globally-recognised middle school programme developed by the renowned International Baccalaureate Organisation
a challenging curriculum that empowers students to connect learning to real-world contexts and play an active role in society
a rigorous, holistic programme focused on developing academic knowledge and essential life skills

IBMYP

* IB Middle Years Programme for ages 11-15

Building critical thinking skills through connected learning

What is the IBMYP?

a modern, internationally-recognised lower secondary programme developed by the International Baccalaureate Organisation
a challenging, student-centred curriculum that encourages students to be curious and ask questions so as to understand the world around them and play an active role in society
a holistic programme focused on developing academic knowledge and essential life skills by creating links between subjects themselves and with the real-world

IBMYP

* ib middle years programme in English & French

Enhancing mental agility with bilingual learning

IBMYP students at Haut-Lac, in the canton of Vaud, can choose from fully bilingual, English-only or predominantly French paths designed to strengthen adaptability and broaden communication skills.

Bilingual Route

MYP1-3 students study all the standard academic subjects in English and French, alternating the language of instruction every semester.

MYP4 students choose which to study in English and which in French and commit to their choice until the end of MYP5.

Progressive Bilingual Route

Students start studying all subjects in English along with French as a Foreign Language lessons, and slowly add other subjects in French as their confidence and ability in the language grow.

English-only Route

Students study all subjects in English from MYP1 through to MYP5.

French-only Route

Students study all traditional academic subjects in French from MYP1 to MYP5.

They also study English, design technology, the arts and sport in English to develop their communication skills and a global skill set valued by employers worldwide.

Blog

* IBMYP by students & teachers

Talking about the IB Middle Years Programme

Hesitating between the IBMYP at Haut-Lac and a Swiss state middle school in the canton of Vaud?

We recommend checking out the Haut-Lac blog for academic programme comparisons, student learning activities, interviews with our Head of Secondary and more.

Meet Haut-Lac’s Villar Fellows 2025

Five secondary students at Haut-Lac International Bilingual School were very (...)

* ib middle years programme: faq

What do other middle school parents ask?

1. How does the IBMYP compare to IGCSE?

Both the IB Middle Years Programme (IBMYP) and IGCSE are excellent, internationally-recognised qualifications for ages 11-16, but they take different approaches to learning.

The IBMYP develops strong academic knowledge across eight subject groups whilst also focusing on critical thinking, international-mindedness and independent learning skills. Students complete a Personal Project in their final year, which encourages self-directed research and creativity.

IGCSE is more exam-focused, with students typically taking individual subject exams at age 16. It offers rigorous subject-specific knowledge and is widely recognised by universities and employers in the UK.

At Haut-Lac, we chose the IBMYP because it combines solid academic foundations with the analytical thinking and independent research skills students need for the IB Diploma Programme and beyond.

2. How does the IBMYP prepare students for the IBDP or IBCP diploma programmes?

The IBMYP is designed as a natural pathway to both the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) and IB Career-related Programme (IBCP).

Here’s how it prepares students:

Approaches to Learning skills – Students develop research, critical thinking and time management skills that are essential for diploma-level work

Interdisciplinary thinking – The IBMYP encourages connections between subjects, mirroring the Theory of Knowledge component in the IBDP

The Personal Project – This independent research project in MYP5 mirrors the Extended Essay required in the IBDP and the Reflective Project required in the IBCP

Assessment criteria – Students become familiar with IB assessment methods, which makes the transition to diploma programmes smoother

3. How does the bilingual scheme work for the IBMYP at Haut-Lac?

MYP students (grade 6-10) can follow a fully bilingual pathway or a progressively bilingual pathway depending on their level of English and French.

Fully bilingual scheme: MYP1-3 students study traditional academic subjects in French and English, alternating the language of instruction every semester. MYP4 students choose which subjects to study in which language and stick to their choice until the end of MYP5.

Progressively bilingual scheme: Students study all subjects in English except for French. They then add subjects in French as their skills in the language grow.

4. What subjects are available in the IBMYP at Haut-Lac?

MYP students (grade 6-10) at Haut-Lac select their subjects from the eight subject groups below:

Studies in Language & Literature	Language Acquisition	Individuals & Societies	Sciences	Mathematics	Arts	Design	Physical Education
English	English	History	Integrated Science	Mathematics	Visual Art	Design	Sport
French	French	Geography			Film
	German				Performing Arts
	Spanish				Music
					Drama

5. How easy is it for secondary students to transfer to the Swiss state school system?

The Swiss Option at Haut-Lac enables middle school students to transfer to the Swiss state school system at the end of MYP4 (Grade 9).

This programme gives them the chance to develop their English language skills, acquire key life skills and solid all-round academic knowledge through the IBMYP programme whilst preparing to sit Swiss high school entrance exams with added French literature, German and mathematics courses.

6. Does the IBMYP assess pupils in the same way as the Swiss Cycle d'Orientation?

The IBMYP and Swiss Cycle d’Orientation use different assessment approaches that both measure student progress.

Swiss Cycle d’Orientation uses a grading scale of 1-6, with regular tests and exams throughout the year. Students are assessed primarily on subject knowledge.

IBMYP at Haut-Lac uses criterion-based assessment across four levels (1-8) for each subject. Instead of comparing students to each other, we measure their achievement against specific learning objectives. Students are assessed through a variety of methods including projects, presentations, essays and tests.

The IBMYP also includes:

eAssessments and e-Portfolios in MYP5 (externally marked exams)

The Personal Project (a significant independent research component)

Assessment of Approaches to Learning skills

Both systems are rigorous, but the IBMYP places greater emphasis on developing skills like critical thinking, creativity and independent learning alongside subject knowledge.

7. How is the IBMYP assessed?

The IB Middle Years Programme is assessed at the end of MYP5 (Grade 10) via on-screen examinations, coursework e-portfolios and a personal project, as described below:

Assessment Type	Subjects	Marking Process
On-screen examination 8 subjects	Mathematics \| Language & Literature \| Sciences \| Individuals & Societies \| Interdisciplinary \| Language Acquisition	Individually, externally marked
Coursework e-portfolio	Physical Education \| Design \| Arts	Internally marked, externally moderated (dynamic sampling)
MYP personal project	—	Internally marked, externally moderated (dynamic sampling)

8. What is the average IBMYP pass rate at Haut-Lac?

At Haut-Lac, we are proud of our IB Middle Years Programme (IBMYP) results.

Our latest IBMYP graduates achieved a 97% pass rate, with an average score of 44/56 (vs a world average of 37.7). Out of the 29 students, 14 also obtained bilingual English-French IBMYP certificates.

9. Are all the subjects studied in middle school at Haut-Lac included in the IBMYP programme?

The IBMYP subjects assessed via electronic exam or e-portfolio at Haut-Lac are English, French, History, Geography, Business Management, Integrated Science, Mathematics and Extended Mathematics, Visual Art, Music, Film, Design and Physical Education. These subjects are externally marked or moderated at the end of MYP5 and included in the IBMYP certificate.

Students who study German or Spanish work towards the internationally-recognised Goethe Institute or DELE Escolar exams respectively.

Performing Arts is assessed internally by Haut-Lac teachers based on student participation and growth in the subject.

MYP1-4 students on our Swiss Option have extra French literature, German and maths lessons alongside their IBMYP subjects to help them prepare for the entrance exams of a state high school in the canton of Vaud.

10. How does Haut-Lac support students in choosing their subjects?

The MYP Coordinator and subject teachers consider a student’s strengths, learning needs and future goals to help them select the subjects that best suit them. They work closely with the student and their parents throughout the subject selection process.