What do MYP criteria A to D actually mean?

In the IB Middle Years Programme, each subject is assessed against four criteria, usually labelled A, B, C and D. Each criterion is marked from 0 to 8, so a subject has a total out of 32.

Each criterion measures a different skill

• ✓In most subjects one criterion is about knowing and understanding, and the others cover skills such as investigating, communicating, creating or applying learning to real situations.
• ✓The exact names differ by subject, so check your child’s subject guide or ask the teacher.

Levels describe quality, not quantity

• ✓Bands such as 1–2, 3–4, 5–6 and 7–8 describe how well a skill is shown. Moving up usually means explaining more fully, using evidence or evaluating, not writing more.

Command terms matter

• ✓Words such as "describe", "explain", "analyse" and "evaluate" tell students how deep to go. Many lost marks come from describing when the task asked for an explanation.

How to help

• ✓Ask your child which criterion a task assesses and what the top band asks for.
• ✓Look at feedback by criterion: a low score in one criterion is a clear target for practice.

Spectrum is independent and is not endorsed by or affiliated with the IB.