The YIS Kindergarten and Primary School curriculum is designed to guide students to:
- The concepts and skills necessary for educational success
- Knowledge appropriate to the level of their educational development
- Healthy self-respect, a sense of tolerance and an appreciation of others
THE WRITTEN CURRICULUM
The most significant and distinctive feature of the IB Primary Years Programme is the six trans-disciplinary themes. These themes are about issues that have meaning for, and are important to, all of us. They offer a balance between learning about or through the subject areas and learning beyond them. The six themes of global significance create a trans-disciplinary framework that allows students to “step up” beyond the confines of learning within subject areas.
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; and what it means to be human.
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 and the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives.
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.
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; and the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.
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.
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.
The programme puts great emphasis on learning through these trans-disciplinary themes. All students, with the exception of students aged 3 to 5, who engage explicitly with four of the themes each year, address each theme each year. The themes, also importantly, provide the opportunity to incorporate local and global issues into the curriculum.
In addition to the trans-disciplinary themes, the traditional subject disciplines retain a role in the IB Primary Years Programme. The specified subjects include languages, mathematics, social studies, arts, science and physical education. The overall expectations for each subject area are defined for each year of the programme.