IB PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME
A programme that nurtures and develops young students as caring, active participants in a lifelong journey of learning.
The PYP curriculum is a student-centred approach to education for children aged 3-12. The PYP is based on the recognition of a child’s natural curiosity, creativity and ability to reflect. It generates a stimulating, challenging learning environment to nurture the whole child and foster a lifelong love of learning for all. The PYP is transdisciplinary, meaning students learn across subject areas while inquiring into big ideas. The IB PYP:
Helps students establish personal values as a foundation upon which international mindedness will develop and flourish
Addresses students’ academic, social and emotional well-being
Encourages students to develop independence and to take responsibility for their own learning
Supports students’ efforts to gain an understanding of the world and to function comfortably within it
- What is IB PYP?The IB PYP framework begins with the premise that students are agents of their own learning and partners in the learning process. It prioritises people and their relationships to build a strong learning community. PYP students use their initiative to take responsibility and ownership of their learning.
By learning through inquiry and reflecting on their own learning, PYP students develop knowledge, conceptual understandings, skills and the attributes of the IB learner profile to make a difference in their own lives, their communities and beyond.
The six subject areas identified within the PYP are:
- Language
- Art
- Social Studies
- Science
- Mathematics
- Personal, social and physical education
- The PYP is a framework guided by six transdisciplinary themes of global significance:
• Who we are
• Where we are in place and time
• How we express ourselves
• How the world works
• How we organise ourselves
• Sharing the planet
Through these, PYP students learn to appreciate knowledge, conceptual understandings, skills and personal attributes as a connected whole. They can reflect on the significance of their learning to take meaningful action in their community and beyond. Through this process of learning in the PYP, students become competent learners, self-driven to have the cognitive, affective and social tools to engage in lifelong learning.
Inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; person, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.
Inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind; the relationship between and the interconnectedness of individuals and civilisations, from local and global perspectives.
Inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic
Inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; person, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.
Inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and other living things; communities and the relationship within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.
Inquiry into the natural world and its laws, the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.
Each theme is addressed each year by all students (students aged 3 to 6 engage with four of the themes each year). Since these ideas relate to the world beyond the school, students see their relevance and connect with them in an engaging and challenging way. Students who learn in this way understand their roles and responsibilities in the learning process.
PYP students know that a unit of inquiry involves in-depth exploration of an important idea. They partner with teachers to document and collect evidence of how well they understand that idea. They will expect to be able to work in a variety of ways, on their own and in groups, to allow them to learn to their best advantage.
PYP students know that a unit of inquiry involves in-depth exploration of an important idea. They partner with teachers to document and collect evidence of how well they understand that idea. They will expect to be able to work in a variety of ways, on their own and in groups, to allow them to learn to their best advantage.
- The PYP ExhibitionIn the final year of the PYP (grade 5), students take part in the PYP exhibition. The exhibition is an authentic process for students to explore, document and share their understanding of an issue or opportunity of personal significance. The whole learning community shares and celebrates this culminating event in the journey students have experienced through their PYP years.
FAQ
- IB World Schools (the only schools authorised to offer IB programmes) are subject to a strict accreditation process monitored by the IB, ensuring that schools provide a high-quality education.
- IB teaching methods and curricula are research-based and draw from educational best practices from systems around the world.
- IB teachers are required to participate in professional development opportunities to continually promote their awareness of current educational practices and new thinking.
- IB programmes are recognised internationally and ease the educational transition of mobile students so that their education is not adversely affected if their families relocate.
All PYP teachers receive professional development in the approaches to teaching and approaches to learning from certified IB workshop leaders. This is a requirement for IB World Schools implementing the MYP.
The PYP is implemented schoolwide and adapted by teachers to meet the learning needs of all students. All PYP teachers are required to participate in collaborative planning and reflection to meet those needs and to foster a holistic approach to education. A growing body of evidence suggests a positive relationship between teacher collaboration and student achievement.
The IB is committed to making sure that students in IB programmes meet and exceed local or national standards. With the implementation of any IB programme, schools are required to examine their curriculum carefully to ensure alignment with local, state or national standards. More information is available at www.ibo.org.
The PYP is designed for students aged 3–12 (preschool and primary grades). The MYP spans students aged 11–16, and the Diploma Programme (DP) and Career-related Programme (CP) is for the last two years of high school, students aged 16–19.
The IB places great value on external validation of its programmes, curricula and professional development. A recent Global International Schools’ Assessment study found that PYP students outperformed non-IB students in mathematics, reading and writing. Additional studies on programme impact, quality assurance, programme development and assessment research are available at www.ibo.org/research.