Alison Bennett presents ‘Save the IB’ petition at Downing Street

On Monday 24th November, local Lib Dem MP for Mid Sussex, Alison Bennett, joined MP colleagues, International Baccalaureate school leaders and campaigners to present the ‘Save Our IB’ petition to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street.

This petition came about in response to a recent government decision to withdraw the Large Programme Uplift (LPU) funding for 16–19 study programmes, including the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, from the next academic year. This decision, which was taken without any consultation with the sector, is expected to have an impact on choice and outcomes for students undertaking courses at sixth forms and colleges.

This has been particularly disappointing for Varndean College in Brighton, the only state-funded provider of the IB in Sussex. Without this vital funding, the college is now facing the possibility that delivering the IB programme will become financially unviable. Leadership at the college believe that this would have a significant impact on their students.

According to Varndean, many young people from Mid Sussex who have undertaken the IB course have gone on to top universities. One of their Mid Sussex students received such brilliant results last year that they were in the top 1% of IB performers in the world.

Donna-Marie Janson, principal of Varndean College, said: “As the only state-funded provider of the International Baccalaureate Diploma in Sussex, Varndean Sixth Form College is determined to ensure that this world-class qualification remains accessible to every young person in our community.

The IB delivers exceptional academic breadth, intellectual challenge and a global outlook, while also nurturing compassion, independence and a deep commitment to service.

Our students progress to some of the most competitive university courses in the country — particularly in STEM — and they do so with the curiosity and resilience that the IB uniquely develops.

It is vital that programmes of this calibre remain available within the state sector, and not just to those in the private sector. We will continue to advocate strongly to protect this outstanding pathway for current and future generations.”

Alison Bennett has been working closely with the college and Lib Dem colleagues to pressure the government to reverse this decision and safeguard this valued course of study for students in Sussex.

Following the presentation at Downing Street, MP for Mid Sussex, Alison Bennett, said: “The government's decision to cut funding is wrong. The IB is a world-class qualification that everyone should have the opportunity to study - not just those at private schools.

We are lucky in Mid Sussex to have the IB course offered at nearby Varndean, and I know that many local constituents benefit from this opportunity. I don't want to see that come to an end.

This government says it is dedicated to making education accessible and equal for all. This feels like a reckless step in the wrong direction. Therefore, I was proud to join MPs and IB campaigners to present this petition to the Prime Minister at Downing Street.”

In response to a debate in Parliament about cuts to the IB programme, the Minister was reluctant to acknowledge the contribution that this course of study makes to improving options and outcomes for students from all backgrounds, including the most deprived. He went on to affirm the government’s commitment to providing opportunities for all.