IB Primary Years Programme (PYP)

The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) is a curriculum framework designed for students aged 3 to 12 years. It focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world outside. Through this program students learn how to think for themselves and take responsibility for their own learning through an inquiry-led approach.

The PYP curriculum is transdisciplinary, meaning that it focuses on issues that go across subject areas, and is organised according to three concepts:

The Written Curriculum

The written curriculum is made up of five essential elements and details what students will learn:

• Knowledge, which is both disciplinary, represented by traditional subject areas (language, maths, science, social studies, arts, PSPE) and transdisciplinary.
• Concepts, which students explore through structured inquiry in order to develop coherent, in-depth understanding, and which have relevance both within and beyond subject areas.
• Skills, which are the broad capabilities students develop and apply during learning and in life beyond the classroom.
• Attitudes, which contribute to international-mindedness and the wellbeing of individuals and learning communities, and connect directly to the IB learner profile.
• Action, which is an expectation in the PYP that successful inquiry leads to responsible, thoughtful and appropriate action.

The Taught Curriculum

The taught curriculum identifies how schools should teach the PYP written curriculum, and engages students to:

• Draw on their prior knowledge.
• Provide provocation through new experiences.
• Provide opportunities for reflection and consolidation.

It encourages students to question, consider and refine their understanding of the social and natural world.

The Assessed Curriculum

The assessed curriculum explains how teachers go about gathering and analysing information about student performance. The IB does not set examinations or moderate grades in the PYP.

Through assessment, the IB helps schools teaching the PYP to identify what students know, understand, can do and value at different stages in the teaching and learning process. This allows teachers to identify students’ needs and use assessment data to plan the next stage of their learning.

Click on the links to the left to learn more about the IB Primary Years Programme.

Return to the IB Home Page