Head: Ira Ghosh
Coordinator: Pritisha Ahir
Age Range: 3-11 years
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.
Regardless of location, size, or make-up, an IB PYP school strives to develop an internationally minded person. It means our students are taught WHY they should know something and HOW it connects to other subjects and the real world. It means high quality teaching and learning – challenging instruction and worldwide knowledge “at home” (so to speak, in whichever country you live and go to school). It also means opportunities to study abroad for college/university, as well as opportunities to make friends with others at IB schools around the world.
The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), is the first curriculum framework for international primary schools, designed for students ages three to twelve (grades preschool through five). Both, the curriculum and teaching aim to develop the intellectual, emotional and physical potential of each child, in a secure and stimulating environment.
What subjects do we offer?
- Language of instruction – English
- Second Language – Hindi /French
- Club Language – German /Japanese /French /Hindi
- Mother Tongue Club
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social studies
- Personal, Social & Physical Education
- Other Sports – Swimming / Badminton
- Visual Art
- Performing Art – Music: Vocal and Instrumental
- Performing Art – Dance: Classical and Freestyle
- Tools used – ICT, iPad & Library
PYP Curriculum
We have a curriculum which is concept-driven. Importance is given to acquiring skills in real life context and exploring content that is appropriate to students; transcending the boundaries of the traditional subjects making it more applicable in real life scenarios.
Five essential elements of the curriculum:
Concepts
Concept-based inquiry is a powerful vehicle for learning that promotes meaning and understanding and challenges students to engage with significant ideas. Concepts are powerful, broad and abstract organizing ideas that may be transdisciplinary or subject-based. Concepts help to build understandings across, between and beyond subjects. Key concepts provide a lens for conceptual understandings within a transdisciplinary unit of inquiry; related concepts provide a lens for conceptual understandings within a specific subject.
Approaches to learning
Approaches to learning (ATL) are grounded in the belief that learning how to learn is fundamental to a student’s education. Five categories of inter-related skills and associated sub-skills support students of all ages to become self-regulated learners. Through a variety of strategies, teachers collaboratively plan for implicit and explicit opportunities to develop ATL both inside and outside the programme of inquiry.
Approaches to learning (ATL) are grounded in the belief that learning how to learn is fundamental to a student’s education. Five categories of interrelated skills and associated sub-skills support students of all ages to become self-regulated learners.
Through a variety of strategies, teachers collaboratively plan for implicit and explicit opportunities to develop ATL both inside and outside the programme of inquiry.
Attributes of the learner profile
What is the “Learner Profile”?
The learner profile supports students in developing international-mindedness and in taking action for positive change. Exercising their agency, students take ownership of their learning, express their ideas and opinions, and reflect on their development of the learner profile attributes. Students have a range of opportunities to develop, demonstrate and reinforce attributes of the learner profile in the daily life of the learning community. For example, these opportunities arise:
- As part of the school curriculum—through the transdisciplinary units of inquiry and subject-specific investigations.
- Through interactions in a variety of learning spaces—in the library, music room, maker-space through social interactions—break/recess and lunch, sport and interest groups, after school activities during field trips—museum visits, inter school sports events, camps.
Action
Initiated by students, PYP action is authentic, meaningful, mindful, responsible and responsive.
Action could be:
- A change in attitude.
- A consideration or plan for action in the future.
- A demonstration of responsibility, or of respect for self, others and the environment.
- A commitment to leading or participating in a youth advocacy group.
- An engagement in school decision-making or an expression of support in community, local and global decision-making.
Knowledge
Significant, relevant content that we wish the students to explore and know about, taking into consideration their prior experience and understanding. PYP has identified themes or areas of knowledge which organize the 6 units of inquiry.
The Six Transdisciplinary Themes are
- Who we are?
An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.
- How the world works?
An 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.
- Where we are in place and time?
An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind; the relationships between and the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives.
- How we organize ourselves?
An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.
- How we express ourselves?
An 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.
- Sharing the planet
An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living things; communities and the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.
These themes provide a framework for teachers to design units of inquiry that incorporate district/state/national learning standards as well as opportunities for students to develop the skills, attitudes, concepts and knowledge needed to become international-minded and life-long learners.
This is supported and balanced by skills and knowledge from the 6 traditional subject areas towards the development of a child.
Explore VKE’s policies, covering areas like Academic Integrity Policy | Access and Admissions Policy | Assessment Policy | Inclusion Policy | Language Policy
