The Core is made up of three components: Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and Creativity, Activity and Service.
The Core is made up of three components: Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and Creativity, Activity and Service. These components are designed to broaden students’ educational experience and challenge them to apply their knowledge in meaningful and thought-provoking ways.
This critical thinking course is designed to develop a coherent approach to learning by exploring the nature of knowledge across disciplines. TOK is composed almost entirely of questions, and asks students to reflect on the nature of knowledge, and on how we know what we claim to know. Assessment is through an oral presentation and a 1,600-word essay.
The Extended Essay is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word research paper. Students can choose to do their research in any IB Diploma subject. The Extended Essay aims to develop skills in independent research, academic writing and referencing. Boys will often return from university in their first year to tell us how much they benefited from the head start they gained through their experience of the Extended Essay at school.
Through taking part in a range of Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) experiences, including such things as sports teams, clubs and service projects, students deepen their experience of commitment to their community, whether that be the school community or the wider community.
CAS encourages boys to use their energy and talents in real life experiences, to stretch and challenge themselves in a variety of ways, and in the process to develop skills such as self-awareness, collaboration, adaptability and resilience.
All elements of the CAS programme are central to the ethos of KES, and provide recognition of the thriving co-curricular side of school life that boys are encouraged to participate in throughout their time here.
