Academic performance

KIST offers two IB programs (PYP and DP) with curriculum content tailored for success in the culminating Diploma Programme.  All students in Grades 11 and 12 at KIST study in the Diploma Programme.

For each graduating class since our inception, the KIST DP average score has been well above the DP world average score.

The statistics for DP performance at KIST from the past 5 years are shown in the table below.


Students in the IB Diploma Programme study 6 subjects and can attain a maximum of 7 points in each subject. Three additional points may be attained from completing the core Diploma required assessment components of Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge course. Candidates can thereby attain a maximum score of 45 points in the Diploma Programme.

*Globally, statistical averages indicate that less than 50% of students take the full DP with approximately 80% of those students attaining the IB Diploma.

KIST is very proud to have attained another year of spectacular results by our DP graduates last year. 

 

Of particular note for the Class of 2024: 

  • 37 of the 38 students (97%) were enrolled in the full Diploma, in comparison with the global average of 63%.
  • 37 of the 37 students (100%) enrolled in the full Diploma at KIST attained the IB Diploma, in comparison with the global average of 80%.
  • The average score for KIST students attaining the IB Diploma was 41.5 points, 11.2 points above the IB Diploma global average of 30.3 points.
  • 2 students (5%) attained a perfect score of 45 points.
  • 31 students (82%) attained 40 points or above, for which 11% globally achieve.
  • 21 KIST students attaining the IB DP (55%) attained scores of 42 points or above, qualifying them to be considered for the KIST “Learning for Life” University Support Scholarship.
  • 54% of students attaining the IB Diploma enrolled at KIST prior to Grade 6. These statistics reflect well on the quality of learning in our elementary and secondary school programs.

 

 

The chart below shows a breakdown of KIST averages and a comparison against the IB DP world average scores for each course. 

  • 100% of courses offered at KIST had results above the IB global averages.
  • 96% of courses offered at KIST (with green and blue shading) had results more than 0.5 points above the IB global averages.
  • 81% of courses offered at KIST (with blue shading) had results more than 1 point above the IB global averages.

 

KIST is a Pearson Edexcel IGCSE school and all KIST students sit the IGCSE exams in Grade 10.   

IGCSE tests are graded on a scale of 1 to 9, with 9 being the maximum possible score.

More information about the Edexcel IGCSE can be found by clicking here.

IGCSE Exam Results June 2023. This table shows the IGCSE subject average at KIST AND compares the percentages of students who achieved Levels 9-7. The 9-7 attainment is a benchmark used worldwide for comparison. The last column is simply the difference between KIST and world attainment figures.   

IGCSE Subject

KIST Subject Average

Percentage of KIST Candidates

achieving Grades 9-7 (%)

Percentage of Worldwide Candidates achieving Grades 9-7 (%)

Difference of KIST v. Worldwide Candidates (%)

Biology

8.6

96

65

+31

Business

6.7

61

15

+46

Chemistry

8.3

100

67

+33

Double Award Science

7.5

77

34

+43

Economics

7.8

90

36

+54

English Language A

8.0

89

56

+33

English Literature

7.7

89

55

+34

Further Pure Maths

8.5

93

39

+54

Geography

7.9

93

61

+32

Mathematics A

8.6

100

54

+46

Mathematics B

9

100

58

+42

Physics

8.7

100

68

+32

 

To measure student progress against international benchmarks, all KIST students in Grades 3-9 sit the International Schools’ Assessment (ISA), a standardized assessment of proficiency in mathematics literacy, reading, expository writing and narrative writing. More information about the ISA can be found by clicking here.

The statistics for ISA performance at KIST for the 2021-22 school year are shown below.

 

 

To measure student progress against international benchmarks, and to prepare students for the university application process, all KIST students in Grades 10 sit the College Board PSAT exam in October each year. As PSAT exams are scored on a common scale with the SAT exams, it is assumed that if students were to sit the SAT immediately after sitting the PSAT that their scores would be similar.

The PSAT is a standardized assessment implemented by the College Board that measures proficiency in mathematics and evidence-based reading and writing. More information about the PSAT can be found by clicking here. Below is a comparison of 2024-25 KIST Grade 10 student performance against the grade-level benchmark scores published by the College Board. The College Board prepares benchmarks for college readiness for both Grade 10 and Grade 11. While KIST performance data below are for Grade 10 students, the benchmarks for Grade 11 are included in brackets for comparison purposes. Again this year, KIST students performed well above average, with none of our students falling below the overall College Board Benchmarks.

We were particularly pleased that 82% of our students performed above the 90th percentile on the PSAT exam.

 

This data confirms that the introduction of various initiatives over the past years is having positive influence on teaching and learning in KIST classrooms. A graph of PSAT scores over the past ten years is below.