Primary Years Programme

The Primary YearsProgramme (PYP) is an international, transdisciplinary programme designed to foster the development of the whole child, not just in the classroom but also through other means of learning. The PYP focuses on the total growth of the developing child, touching hearts as well as minds and encompassing social, physical, emotional and cultural needs in addition to academic welfare.  At the heart of the Primary Years Programme’s philosophy is a commitment to structured inquiry as the leading vehicle for learning.  Six transdisciplinary themes provide the framework for the exploration of knowledge.  Teachers and students are guided by these themes as they design curricular units for exploration and study.  Students explore subject areas through these themes, often in ways that transcend conventional subject boundaries. In the process, they develop an understanding of important concepts, acquire essential skills and knowledge, develop particular attitudes and learn to take socially responsible action. 

The Primary Years Programme offers a comprehensive approach to teaching and learning.  It provides a complete curriculum model, which incorporates guidelines on what students should learn, as well as guidelines on teaching methodologies and assessment strategies. The Primary Years Programme identifies a body of significant knowledge for all students in all cultures, in six principal subject areas: language; social studies; mathematics, science and technology; the arts; personal, social and physical education.  Subject knowledge should be integrated using the six transdisciplinary themes of the curriculum model, which are the following:

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