A SCHOOL in the county is abandoning A-levels in favour of an international diploma.

It is thought that Barton Court Grammar, in Canterbury, is set to become the first school in the county to adopt the International Baccalaureate (IB), which it claims gives students a better all-round education.

The IB qualification was set up 41 years ago, and has since been adopted in 119 countries. It tests students across a range of subjects, before giving them one overall mark.

Barton Court head teacher Dr Stephen Manning said: "The IB is the very best education for 16 to 18-year-olds."

Dr Manning denied the decision had anything to do with a perceived decline in A-level standards, which has seen average grades rise consistently in recent years.

He said: "The school governors finally decided to make the switch last month, but it is something I have been thinking about for many years.

"The time is right in many ways, but we would have done it anyhow because the IB is such a splendid education.

"In 40 years there has been no grade inflation in the IB. Four to five per cent of students get the top mark each year, as opposed to around 20 per cent who get As at A-level.

Dr Manning denied that the switch to the IB, in which it is compulsory to study a foreign language, is linked to Barton Court’s recently acquired specialist language school status.

He admitted that many people do not know much about the IB system, but said: "The change will be made in 2007, so that gives us two years to fully inform parents."

A Kent County Council education spokeswoman said: "It is up to individual schools to decide whether they offer the IB or A-levels or a combination of both."

How the IB works:

THE International Baccalaureate’s diploma programme was set up in 1968, and is now used to test students in 119 countries worldwide.

Students generally begin the course at 16 and finish at 18. All choose from six subject groups, and study three at standard level and three at higher level.

All examinations take place at the end of the final year, and students are awarded a final diploma score out of 45. To gain a diploma, they must achieve a minimum of 24 points.

The equivalent of three As at A-level is 36 (six marks per subject).