PYP (Ages 3-11)

What is the Primary Years Programme (PYP)?

The PYP is designed for students aged 3 to 11 years. Green Land Pré Vert International School has been an IBPYP school since 2003; the programme is offered in both English and French. The PYP nurtures and develops young students as caring, active participants in a lifelong journey of learning. The PYP offers an inquiry-based, transdisciplinary curriculum framework that builds conceptual understanding. This programme is inspired by recent and up to date research in education and has evolved to become a world leader in future-focused education in response to the challenges and opportunities of our changing world.https://www.ibo.org/

Two GPIS nursery students, learning through play with colorful, big blocks on a rubber mat in the sunny garden.

GPIS IB school primary students, learning through play with wooden building blocks, while sitting on bean bags in the classroom.

Two GPIS IB school primary students, reading on bean bags, with drawings of the solar system on the wall behind them.

The PYP curriculum framework

The framework emphasizes the central principle of agency, which underpins the three pillars of school life.

The Learner

The PYP curriculum framework begins with the premise that PYP students are agents of their own learning and partners in the learning process. They have innate potential to inquire, question, wonder and theorize about themselves, others, and the world around them.

Learning and Teaching

The emphasis on collaborative inquiry and integrative learning honours the curiosity, voice, and contribution of the students. The approaches to learning (ATL) and approaches to teaching (ATT) play a crucial role in the inquiries into the six transdisciplinary themes aimed at promoting understandings about human commonalities of local, national, and global significance.

The Learning Community

The PYP learning community brings to life learning and teaching practices that support students in pursuit of a significant, relevant, engaging, and challenging learning experience.

Agency

At GPIS, students have voice, choice, and ownership for their own learning. PYP students have a strong sense of self efficacy which brings a strong sense of agency to the school community.

Action

Action is the result of agency and a demonstration of the IB learner profile attributes. At GPIS, PYP students engage into individual and collective student’s-initiated action that are authentic, meaningful, and mindful. Action at GPIS is supported by the entire school community.

PYP Programme Guide

English Version

French Version

The PYP Exhibition

At GPIS, the PYP celebrates the students’ learning through the PYP Exhibition. The PYP Exhibition takes place in PYP8 (grade 5). Students showcase their learning journey and agency. Students work in collaboration to lead an inquiry that tackles local and global issues and revel their capacity to take relevant action. This event is the culminating point of the PYP and is shared with the entire school community.

To find more about PYP, visit the IB website:

PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME

WHY IB PYP?

FAQs

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:

Who we are
Where we are in place and time
How we express ourselves
How the world works
How we organize ourselves
Sharing the planet

Units of inquiry authentically interweave ideas and skills from the relevant subject areas:

language
social studies
mathematics
arts
science
personal, social and physical education

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.

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.

Does implementing an IB programme mean my child’s school will not teach local or national standards?

Are IB programmes considered, “gifted”, programmes?

When do students start and finish the PYP?

When do they transition to the MYP?

What is my role in the PYP? How can I learn more about the IB and PYP?

Parents and caregivers are important members of the PYP learning community. All members of the learning community from the youngest learners to school leaders to parents, educators and beyond, have a responsibility to be guided by the IB and the learner profile attributes. To learn more:

Visit the IB website at www.ibo.org
Attend school meetings and events
Speak with your school’s PYP coordinator
Speak with your child’s PYP homeroom teacher