An IB Education
What are the advantages of an IB education?
- IB students develop a sense of the world around them and their responsibility to it.
- IB World Schools (the only schools authorized to offer IB programmes) are subject to a strict accreditation process monitored by the IB, ensuring that schools provide a high quality education.
- IB approaches to learning and teaching are research based and draw from the best educational practices from around the world.
- IB teachers are required to participate in many professional development opportunities to continually improve their awareness of current educational practices and new thinking by connecting with the global IB community.
- IB programmes are recognized internationally and ease the educational transitions of mobile students so that their education is not adversely affected if their families relocate.
What is the Primary Years Programme?
The PYP is a curriculum framework for young learners aged 3–12. Like all International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes, the IB learner profile permeates all facets of school life in the PYP. 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.
Does the PYP have a specific set of standards?
The IB standards offer rigorous guidelines that allow for school and classroom practices to align with the IB educational philosophy and values. The PYP is a framework for schools and their approach to learning and teaching. Students explore significant concepts through units of inquiry.
The six transdisciplinary themes that guide units of inquiry in each school year are:
Units of Inquiry authentically interweave ideas and skills from the relevant subject areas:
- Language
- HASS
- Mathematics
- The Arts
- Science
- Personal, social and physical education/Health
This approach encourages students to make their own connections between what they know and how it relates to the world around them. The school outlines its specific knowledge content and academic curriculum within the framework of the PYP including:
- Knowledge content organized by the transdisciplinary themes. Each school decides specific concepts and topics studied through each theme based on their local context.
- Approaches to learning skills aimed to help students become independent, self-motivated learners.
- Action initiated by learners that is authentic, meaningful, mindful, responsible and responsive of their learning and the world they live in.
