A St Peter’s School, Cambridge student has become the first student from the school to achieve a perfect score of 45 points in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma programme.
Zach Mackaskill-Smith IB Dux 2024
School dux Zach Macaskill-Smith was part of a cohort of 58 students to participate in the programme.
Fewer than one per cent of those who take the qualification worldwide get a perfect score.
Other top performing students were Meera Patel, Katie Li, Toby Zaiser, Olivia Skiffington, Murdoch Dawe, Tim Qian and Leon Lee, all scoring 40+ points each, an outstanding feat. Grades were phenomenal across the board with an overall average of 32 points, with 41 students scoring higher than the global average of 30.3 points for the IB.
IB Diploma Programme coordinator Toni Foley said Zach’s perfect score and the other successes showcased the remarkable depth of academic achievement and dedication within the school.
Deputy principal Amy Featonby said the IB diploma equips students with a broad and deep knowledge base.
“But also with critical thinking, collaboration, and a global perspective—skills essential for higher education and beyond.
“What’s truly special is the journey itself: the hard work, the camaraderie within the cohort, and the joy of learning together. These students leave us not just with excellent qualifications but with the confidence and readiness to embrace the next stage of their lives.”
Acting head of school Julie Small thanked the teaching staff for their passion and dedication and parents and caregivers for supporting their children at St Peter’s.
“Of course, Zach, has been a phenomenal student and we are especially proud of his achievement as the first ever IB St. Peter’s student to attain 45!”
Key Highlights of the 2024 Results:
- A 91% diploma pass rate, outperforming global averages
- An average score of 32 points
- Eight students achieved 40+ points, representing 14% of the cohort.
Of those 58, two students completed bilingual diplomas, Eva McGuire studied in English and Vietnamese and Hyemin Cho studied in English and Korean.
Six students achieved the highly coveted A grade for their Extended Essays, a reflection of both their commitment to research and the dedicated mentorship they received. It requires students to write a 4000-word essay in a subject area they are interested in, such as English Literature, Business Studies, Geography or Chemistry. This assessment supports students entering university or tertiary study as they have already had practice with the research, drafting, and editing journey.
The IB Diploma Programme is also valued due to the expectation that students complete Theory of Knowledge and Creativity, Activity, Service over their two years.
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St. Peter’s IB Diploma Cohort 2024
