If your child is studying the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP), you may have already noticed something: the IB website (ibo.org) feels less straightforward than other exam boards like AQA or Cambridge International.
Unlike IGCSEs or A-levels, IB past papers are not publicly released, and subject materials are organised differently. But once you know where to look, the IB website becomes a powerful source of clarity for parents.
This guide walks you through, in simple steps, how to find:
- your child’s Programme Brief
- subject overviews
- curriculum details
- assessment structure
- official documents that help parents understand exactly what is required
Once you’ve explored one IB subject, the rest follow the same structure.
Step 1: Go to the IB Homepage
Open your browser and go to: 👉 https://www.ibo.org/
You’ll see the main menu across the top, including:
- Programmes
- About the IB
- Research
- Community
- News
For your purposes as a parent, everything starts with Programmes.
Step 2: Navigate to the Diploma Programme (DP)
Click Programmes and select: 👉 Diploma Programme (DP)
This brings you to the main DP information page, which includes:
- core IB principles
- programme structure
- subject group overview
- assessment information
Scroll down until you see DP Curriculum. This is where all subject areas live.
Step 3: Explore the DP Curriculum
Under the DP Curriculum, you’ll see the six subject groups:
- Studies in Language and Literature
- Language Acquisition
- Individuals and Societies
- Sciences
- Mathematics
- The Arts
Click the group your child’s subject belongs to.
Step 4: Select the Subject (Example: Biology)
Let’s use Biology as an example.
Navigate to:
Sciences → Biology
This brings you to the official Biology subject page.
Each page includes:
- subject aims
- curriculum overview
- assessment structure
- links to the Programme Brief
- sometimes sample learning resources or teacher guidance
This is the hub for understanding the subject.
Step 5: Scroll to the Bottom and Open the Programme Brief
The Programme Brief is one of the most parent-friendly resources the IB publishes.
Scroll toward the bottom of the Biology page until you see:
👉 Biology Programme Brief (PDF)
This document includes:
- how the course is structured
- what students learn
- assessment breakdown (Internal Assessment, External Papers)
- skills developed
- exam expectations
- IB’s description of subject aims and outcomes
It’s a short but powerful way for parents to understand what the course involves.
Parent tip:
Programme Briefs can be technical, so copy the parts you need into ChatGPT and ask:
- “Explain this in simple terms.”
- “What skills is my child expected to demonstrate?”
This makes the content far more digestible.
Step 6: Find Additional Subject Resources
While the IB does not publish past papers publicly (schools access them through secure portals), the subject pages often contain:
- curriculum frameworks
- assessment descriptions
- internal assessment guidance
- sample learning materials
- subject development updates
- key documents used by teachers
Parents can use these to understand:
- what students are expected to know
- how assessments work
- what exam papers generally look like
- how the IA (Internal Assessment) is marked
- how much weighting each component carries
This helps parents support their child without guessing.
Step 7: Navigate to Other Subjects Easily
Once you’re familiar with the structure:
DP Curriculum → Subject Group → Subject Page → Programme Brief
…you can navigate all IB DP subjects effortlessly including:
- IB English
- History
- Economics
- Mathematics AA/AI
- Chemistry
- Psychology
Each follows the same pattern.
If your child is taking the MYP (Years 7–11) or IB Career-related Programme, you can navigate via the same “Programmes” menu, the layout is consistent across all IB pathways.
How InstantTutor Complements IB Resources
Although IB does not release past papers publicly, InstantTutor fills an important gap by giving parents visibility into:
- which topics the student repeatedly asks for help with
- where they struggle with reasoning or application
- which subjects trigger the most confusion
- patterns in the types of questions they find hard
Parents can compare these insights with the Programme Brief and subject page, making it easier to identify which areas need attention.
InstantTutor also helps with:
- question interpretation
- breaking down complex IB prompts
- supporting students through longer written responses
- clarifying syllabus concepts in everyday language
This is particularly useful across IB, where questions often require analysis, evaluation, interpretation, and synthesis, not memorisation.
Common Mistakes Parents Make (and How to Avoid Them)
❌ Mistake: Thinking the IB website will show full past papers
✔ Reality: Past papers are not publicly accessible, but the curriculum pages still show exactly how the exams work.
❌ Mistake: Only reading the first section of the subject page
✔ The most useful documents (Programme Brief, assessment structure) are usually lower down.
❌ Mistake: Supporting a child without understanding the IA requirements
✔ Fix: Read the Programme Brief it clearly explains how the Internal Assessment works.
❌ Mistake: Treating IB subjects like A-levels
✔ IB assessment style is different, more emphasis on higher-order thinking, not recall.
Final Thought: Once You Find One Programme Brief, You Can Navigate the Entire IB Easily
With the simple pathway:
Programmes → Diploma Programme → DP Curriculum → Subject → Programme Brief
…you can access every IB subject quickly and confidently.
Understanding the IB structure is one of the most powerful ways parents can support their children and combining official IB guidance with InstantTutor’s insight into your child’s actual learning patterns gives you the complete picture.
