The IB

Primary Years
Programme

Education for a better world

The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) for children aged
3 to 12 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. It reflects the best of educational research,
thought leadership and experience derived from IB World Schools. The PYP has
evolved to become a world leader in future-focused education. The PYP is an
example of best educational practice globally, responding to the challenges
and opportunities facing young students in our rapidly changing world.

What is the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP)?

The PYP curriculum is a student-centered approach to education for children
aged 3-12. The framework begins with the premise that students are agents
of their own learning and partners in the learning process. It prioritizes people
and their relationships to build a strong learning community.
PYP students use their initiative to take responsibility and ownership of their
learning. By learning through inquiry and reflecting on their own learning,
PYP students develop knowledge, conceptual understandings, skills and the
attributes of the IB learner profile to make a difference in their own lives, their
communities and beyond.
The framework emphasizes the central principle of agency, which underpins
the three pillars of school life:
The IB Primary Years Programme
• the learner
• acknowledges learner agency and the importance of self-efficacy to enable
• learning and teaching students to become partners in the learning process
• the learning community
• addresses students’ academic, social and emotional well-being
The IB learner profile in the PYP
• encourages students to develop independence and to take responsibility for
The IB learner profile represents a broad range of human dispositions, their own learning
capacities and traits that encompass intellectual, personal, emotional and
social growth. Developing and demonstrating the attributes of the learner • supports students’ efforts to gain understanding of the world and to
profile is an expression of what the IB means by international-mindedness. function comfortably within it

The IB learner profile permeates all facets of school life in the PYP. All members • helps students establish personal values as a foundation upon which
of the learning community from the youngest learners to school leaders to international mindedness will develop and flourish
parents, educators and beyond, have a responsibility to be guided by and • provides the opportunity to learn more than one language from the age
demonstrate a commitment to the development of the IB learner profile of seven
attributes.
The six subject areas identified within the PYP are:
Informed by the values described in the learner profile, an IB education:
• language
• focuses on learners—the IB’s student-centred programmes promote healthy • social studies
relationships, ethical responsibility and personal challenge
• mathematics
• develops effective approaches to learning and teaching—IB programmes
• arts
help students to develop the knowledge, dispositions and skills needed for
both academic and personal success • science
• personal, social and physical education
• works within global contexts—IB programmes increase understanding of
languages and cultures, and explore globally significant ideas and issues The PYP is organized around the six transdisciplinary themes. Transdisciplinary
learning in the PYP conveys learning that has relevance between, across and
• explores significant content—IB programmes offer a curriculum that is
beyond subjects and transcends borders connecting to what is real in the
broad and balanced, conceptual and connected
world.
The PYP is designed to focus on the development of the whole child as an Through the six transdisciplinary themes, PYP students learn to appreciate
inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world outside. It is a framework knowledge, conceptual understandings, skills and personal attributes as a
guided by six transdisciplinary themes of global significance, explored using connected whole. They can reflect on the significance of their learning to take
knowledge and skills derived from six subject areas, as well as approaches to meaningful action in their community and beyond. Through this process of
learning (ATL) skills. The PYP is flexible enough to accommodate the demands learning in the PYP, students become competent learners, self-driven to have
of most national or local curriculums and provides the best preparation for the cognitive, affective and social tools to engage in lifelong learning.
students to engage in the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP).

“The recognition of Seneca Academy as an IB World School delivering the Primary Years Programme, makes me extremely
proud of our teachers, staff and parents who have dedicated themselves to helping our students become lifelong learners. By
creating an environment where students make connections between what they are learning in the classroom and the world
around them, we are creating global citizens who will be well prepared to take leading roles in the world”.
Head of School, Dr. Brooke Carroll, Seneca Academy, U.S.
• Who we are • How we organize ourselves
Inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; person, physical, Inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and
mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal
families, friends, communities and cultures; rights and responsibilities; decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind
what it means to be human. and the environment.
• Where we are in place and time • Sharing the planet
Inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes Inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite
and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migrations of resources with other people and other living things; communities
humankind; the relationship between and the interconnectedness of and the relationship within and between them; access to equal
individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives. opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.
• How we express ourselves Each theme is addressed each year by all students. (Students aged 3 to
Inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, 6 engage with four of the themes each year.) These transdisciplinary
nature, culture, beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, themes help teachers to develop a programme of inquiries–
extend and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic. investigations into important ideas, identified by the schools, and
requiring a high level of involvement on the part of the students.
• How the world works
Since these ideas relate to the world beyond the school, students see
Inquiry into the natural world and its laws, the interaction between
their relevance and connect with it in an engaging and challenging way.
the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies;
Students who learn in this way understand their roles and responsibilities
how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the
in the learning process. PYP students know that a unit of inquiry involves
impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the
in-depth exploration of an important idea. They partner with teachers to
environment.
document and collect evidence of how well they understand that idea.
They will expect to be able to work in a variety of ways, on their own and
in groups, to allow them to learn to their best advantage.
 Model inquiry and
continually inquire Implements hands-on Create flexible and Provide time for learners
Support thinking and
into their teaching learning, recognizing that Scaffold connected engaging learning to wonder, explore, build
metacognition (thinking
practices and learning a child’s hands, eyes and opportunities for spaces and promote and revise theories,
about thinking) with
processes of students as ears are infinite sources of development of skills independence and engage in research and
prompts and tools
a source of professional discovery collaboration reflect on learning
development

Are open-minded about

the process of inquiry,
Value students as using conceptual Extend learning with Use prior knowledge
capable inquirers understandings to open-ended questions or as launching point for
anchor sustained problems new learning
investigations

Engage curiosity through

meaningful learning
Use real world contexts Learning and teaching Personalise learning by
Understand the
importance of
and primary experiences employing a range of collaborative learning
engagements to launch
and re-launch conceptual
as significant activators
of learning
through inquiry strategies and flexible and value the
investigations groupings contributions of both
individuals and groups

Reserve whole-class Generate routines,

Support students Consider materials, Monitor and document Measure the products
experiences for questions, strategies
to make deliberate fieldtrips, learning learning providing of learning against
meaningful instructional, and systems that can be
connections within and engagements as stimuli meaningful feedback established success
collaborative and transferred across a range
between subjects for inquiry throughout criteria
reflective moments of contexts

The Exhibition
In the final year of the PYP, students take part in the PYP exhibition. The exhibition is an authentic process for students to explore, document
and share their understanding of an issue or opportunity of personal significance. The whole learning community shares and celebrates this
culminating event in the journey students have experienced through their PYP years.

How to become a PYP school?

Any schools teaching students aged 3 to 12 can apply to become an IB World School and implement the PYP.
The PYP is found in a wide range of contexts around the world. Its design is adaptable to meet the needs of learners in their local context, and
can align with local, state or national curricula.
Any school interested in offering the PYP must first complete an authorization process to become an IB World School. During this process, the IB
supports schools in building the understanding and organizational structures needed to implement the PYP as well as other IB programmes.

The IB mission statement

The International Baccalaureate® aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more
peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international
education and rigorous assessment.
These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people,
with their differences, can also be right.

If you’d like to learn more about how the IB can benefit your school, and how we can support you on your journey, please contact us.

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2021

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and ‘IB®’ are registered trademarks of the International Baccalaureate Organization and may not be used as (or as
part of ) a product or publication name, company name or registered domain name without the express written
permission of the International Baccalaureate Organization.

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