The ISN IB Primary Years Programme
Joanne Brown
The IB PYP (Primary Years Programme) at ISN is designed to nurture and develop young students as caring, active participants in a lifelong journey of learning. From Young Explorers to Grade 5, children are given exciting and challenging opportunities to pursue their interests and become successful and inquisitive learners. Teaching staff and children work alongside each other to create a fun and engaging learning environment, designed to achieve their academic and personal goals.
Throughout the academic year, all children are led through the six transdisciplinary themes which enable students to build concepts and skills across subject areas. Subjects are interconnected, allowing for a holistic approach to learning.
These are
- 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.
Each year children focus on different learning goals related to these overarching themes.
Here at ISN, we encourage the children to have agency in their learning, providing the opportunity to use their passions to lead and direct the learning within subjects and units. For example, PYP2 children decided to lead a school-wide initiative to petition against a circus which featured animals. They collected signatures and wrote a persuasive letter to the Mayor to encourage animal rights.
As part of the PYP curriculum children aspire to display and enhance ten learner profiles; Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators Principled, Open-minded, Caring, Risk-takers, Balanced and Reflective. These phrases are used implicitly throughout and children are encouraged to reflect upon their learning styles and the areas they would like to improve.
As an Eco school, we are extremely proud of the part we play ensuring the Sustainable Global Goals are running alongside the units of inquiry throughout the PYP. We also celebrate exciting worldwide days such as Eco Week which featured a biodiversity photography competition, WWF world online quiz and lots of other exciting activities.
We are proud to offer an excellent IB PYP Programme!