ŠCLJ Newsletter European School

THE EUROPEAN BACCALAUREATE

The secondary school course culminates in the European Baccalaureate examinations at the end of the 12 th class (S7). The certificate awarded is fully recognized in all European Union countries, as well as in others. Holders of this certificate enjoy the same rights and benefits as other school-leaving certificate holders in their countries, including the right to seek admission to any university or higher education institution within the European Union. Candidates sit five written examinations and three oral examinations. Written examinations in L1, L2, and Mathematics are compulsory. Oral examinations must include L1, L2, or a subject taught through L2 (such as History or Geography). This ensures that candidates demonstrate both written and oral proficiency in at least two languages. Both written and oral examinations undergo double correction, with marks awarded by the candidates’ teachers and external examiners. The final mark is the average of the two examiners’ marks. If there is a discrepancy of more than two points between the two marks, a third external corrector is appointed. The third corrector establishes a final mark, ensuring it falls between the highest and lowest marks awarded by the previous examiners. External examiners are appointed annually by the Board of Governors of the European Schools and must meet the qualifications required for examining boards of the same level in their home countries. The European Baccalaureate session is overseen by the Chairman of the European Baccalaureate and national inspectors acting as Vice-Chairmen. They ensure the high quality of examination papers, fair and reliable candidate assessment, and adherence to European Schools regulations throughout the examination process. Assessment in the European Baccalaureate cycle is criteria-referenced. It measures pupils’ attainment against the learning objectives and required competencies defined in the syllabus. Clear assessment and marking guidelines for both oral and written examinations are provided by the inspectorate to ensure consistency and fairness. Assessment in the European Baccalaureate is both formative and summative. The term “European Baccalaureate” is exclusively associated with the European Schools, which have held the sole right to its use in all official languages of the European Union since their establishment.

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EUROPEAN SCHOOL LJUBLJANA