A HIGH-profile education initiative at a Southampton college is now only months away.

From September 2005 Taunton's College in Hill Lane will be launching the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma programme.

In order to become an approved centre for offering the qualification the college went through a two-day inspection by IB authorisers, who were impressed with the facilities offered by Taunton's and the high quality of the teaching they observed.

The IB has become seen as a more attractive qualification than A-levels by many of top universities in the UK and abroad. The diploma adds more breadth to a student's studies than is possible by following the conventional AS/A-Level programme.

Potential students can find out more about the International Baccalaureate at a college taster afternoon on Friday, January 7.

For more information call 023 8051 4745.