The Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) Learning Journey

By Cindy Blanes, Former Lower School Principal at ACS International School Egham

I first encountered the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) whilst working internationally at a school that delivered the British curriculum. During my time there, I made the decision to transition to the International Baccalaureate and have no regrets to this day.

Twenty years later, I am still in awe of the IBPYP and how it creates a ‘learning journey’ for the children to blossom and thrive. This exploratory and enquiry-driven curriculum offers children of all abilities the opportunity to develop their interests, ask questions and encouraging free-thinking whilst also giving them real ownership of their learning.

Core subject learning

Key literacy and numeracy skills are at the heart of the IBPYP, just as you might find in any other primary year’s curriculum and traditional British curriculum school; but what transforms students’ learning in our Lower School is how we build learning around units of enquiry. The programme develops students’ higher order thinking and interpersonal skills and engages students in real-world questions and problems. There are six key unit themes that develop and evolve as the students progress through the programme:

• 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

These differ from ‘projects’ or ‘topics’ in their depth and connection, by going across and beyond subject areas such as maths and literacy and recognising students’ prior understanding. For example, at ACS Egham you will not just see maths taught as a set lesson, you will see it interwoven with inquiries; providing data, or evidence and being applied to support an idea or discovery during multiple subject lessons.

I have seen children use their PE lessons to support inquiries into the science of how their body work, and use their maths skills to analyse statistics from the United Nations to discuss the Convention on the Rights of the Child in social studies. The aim of the IBPYP is always to add depth, apply learning and think about the world around us.

When it comes to literacy “English lessons” the IBPYP strives to create expressive and creative writers who can present their thinking and ideas in any genre, but who also take ownership of what they might write. I have witnessed powerful letter writing campaigns initiated by the students to politicians, and heartfelt posters informing our community of issues that concern them or of which they want to raise awareness.

Learning how to learn

Alongside the core subject areas and units, the IB Primary Years Programme develops a dialogue between the teachers and students about how we learn, and how they can enhance their own learning. It’s a real joy watching the students manage their own collaborative working groups, setting tasks, being mindful of time and note-taking, and ensuring that everyone is included and has a voice. Yes, primary school age children can do this!

Watching students’ confidence build in their abilities to present and share their outcomes and work to their peers, teachers and parents are a high point as an educator. Their understanding of how to work collaboratively is something that they will take with them on their learning journey. It plays a part during the IBPYP, through the Middle Years Programme (IBMYP) and beyond, even all the way through to when they work as adults in the workplace. Whilst PYP classrooms are often noisy, messy environments with children working anywhere but at their desks; they are the most focused and genuinely engaged I have seen in a learning environment.

Questioning and embracing differences

When I watch our students at work, visiting classrooms or joining them in their many discussions, I am always amazed by their openness to asking questions, trying something new, working together and being brave in sharing what they think. These key attributes are deliberately brought out by teachers guiding the children throughout the PYP to increase their resilience and confidence. International students for whom English is not their first language have given amazing presentations, demonstrating their understanding by being able to choose their way of presenting and even being able to access their own first language to do so.

I have been especially proud of how diversity is expressly acknowledged in teachers’ planning, and how the students frame their input into their work. For example, a recent inquiry was about different landmarks and their importance to students at ACS Egham; this allowed each child to proudly present and reflect on a national monument or landmark that meant a great deal to them and their family. Their excitement into such a simple, diverse inquiry was infectious.

Due to ACS Egham being an international school with year-round enrolment, many students have joined our Lower School community from very different learning journeys and systems, but importantly, each student finds the transition to the IBPYP achievable. There may be some initial hesitancy in being given more of a voice, more autonomy and more freedom within the learning space, but it really doesn’t take long for the students to adapt, grow and thrive.

It’s amazing to watch our students as they are guided not just by their teachers but also by their classmates. The clarity over how they will be assessed on their work, the sharing and discussion of targets allows for them to have very personalised goals and aims.

When the students realise that what counts is their process of learning, their ability to share and reflect, and that they don’t have to memorise things for exams, they become liberated and you can see a willingness to ‘have a go’, ‘give it a try’ and realise that it doesn’t matter if it goes ‘a bit wrong’.

As a teacher I have loved demonstrating my own determination to learn and grow alongside my students throughout the Primary Years Programme and there is no doubt in my mind that the growth mindset element embedded in the programme empowers students and teachers alike.