International Baccalaureate (IB)
Primary Years Programme (PYP)

Founded in Switzerland in 1968 as a non-profit educational foundation, the International Baccalaureate (IB) does not merely promote a curriculum, but rather a mission to transform the world through education. Nearly 4,000 schools in almost 150 countries offer one or more of the IB programmes, a number that climbs each year as it continues to redefine our conception of modern learning.

The IBPYP is an international curriculum framework meant for children between the ages of 3 and 12 years. This program believes that each child has their own personality, learning style and combination of intelligence types. Within a structured framework, students are given an opportunity to explore their own interests and questions. The IBPYP focuses on social, physical, emotional, and cultural needs of children as part of a strong academic ethos.

Students are encouraged to become: inquirers, thinkers, communicators, risk-takers, and to be knowledgeable, principled, caring, open-minded, balanced and reflective. They develop these attributes within the classroom, during co-curricular activities, in the playground, and while participating in several of DYPIS extracurricular activities.

Inquiry based learning

Inquiry is the leading pedagogical approach of the PYP, however it is not exclusive. The methods of teaching build on individual knowledge and interests of a student. Inquiry, the process initiated by either the learner or the teacher, can mean:

• Exploring, wondering and questioning
• Experimenting and playing with possibilities
• Researching and seeking information
• Collecting data and reporting findings
• Clarifying existing ideas and reappraising events
• Making and testing theories
• Making predictions and acting purposefully to see what happens
• Solving problems in a variety of ways
• Using critical thinking skills to understand a concept

DYPIS is committed to differentiated learning. This means that students may progress through the program at different rates.