Kyoto International School, KIS, uses the IB framework for developing the curriculum. We have been authorised by the International Baccalaureate Organisation to use the Primary Years Programme, PYP, since 2006. Our Programme of Inquiry outline for the coming year is posted below. Curriculum for Middle School & High School is on a different page.
Our Vision
Inspiring active learners, developing global citizens
Our Mission
In our community we foster passionate, collaborative, and internationally minded individuals through an engaging and supportive education.
Learn more about our vision, mission, and core values.
What Is the IB Primary Years Programme?
The IB Primary Years Programme, or IB PYP, aims to promote responsibility, critical thinking, and independent inquiry.
This is an outline of what the IB PYP is and how it works. We’ll go over the curriculum framework and answer the following questions…
- What is the IB PYP?
- Why should children do the IB PYP?
- What is the IB PYP Curriculum?
- What is the PYP Programme of Inquiry Plan at KIS?
What is the IB PYP?
The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) offers four distinct types of learning programmes for students in elementary school, middle school, and high school.
One of these programs is the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP), an internationally recognized educational framework geared toward primary school children aged 3 to 12. The three others are the IB Middle Years Programme, the IB Diploma Programme, and the IB Career-related Programme.
The IB PYP was introduced in 1997, and its curriculum is taught at nearly 1,800 schools in more than 100 countries around the world. Many different kinds of schools teach the IB PYP, including public, private, and international schools.
The IB Primary Years Programme is the first of the four IB programmes and was designed to ease the transition for students into the IB Middle Years Programme. The program aims to promote inquiry and foster the development of the whole child through a unique “transdisciplinary framework,“ meaning that children learn in terms of issues and themes rather than categorically defined subjects.
Through the IB PYP, as well as the other three programs, students will come to exhibit these 10 traits, which make up the “IB learner profile”:
- Inquirers
- Knowledgeable
- Thinkers
- Communicators
- Principled
- Open-minded
- Caring
- Risk-takers
- Balanced
- Reflective
With the IB PYP specifically, children learn how to become more self-reliant and independent, and how to take control of and responsibility for their learning.
Why should children do the IB PYP?
The IB PYP is a unique approach to learning that offers many benefits to primary school students.
For one, the IB PYP encourages children to think independently and take responsibility for their actions and learning. Students are taught the basic tenets of the IB learner profile to help them develop positive, open-minded attitudes toward a variety of topics, skills, and issues.
The program’s “inquiry-led approach” allows students to be active participants in their learning by asking questions, exploring ideas, and sharing knowledge with their peers. The classroom is a dynamic atmosphere that encourages students to make discoveries and choose what they would like to study—characteristics that are reminiscent of the Montessori method.
The IB PYP also emphasizes “international-mindedness,” or becoming more culturally aware and empathetic toward others. This is where the key element of “attitudes” comes into play: students learn how to interact appropriately and openly with others from a variety of backgrounds, cultures, and languages.
It’s also where the idea of learning a foreign language comes in: all IB Primary Years Programme students who are at least 7 years old have the option to learn another language. At KIS, this additional language is Japanese, which is divided into a acquisition class and language & literature class.
Additionally, through the IB PYP’s transdisciplinary curriculum, children can engage with issues and subjects in multiple ways. While students will still study traditional subject areas such as math, science, and social studies, they will also learn how to apply the knowledge and skills they gain from each subject to other issues and areas.
Regarding academic performance, participation in the IB Primary Years Programme has been proven to strengthen students’ critical-thinking skills and improve comprehension.
What is the IB PYP Curriculum?
The IB Primary Years Programme uses a unique transdisciplinary curriculum, which encourages students to make connections between local and global issues in a real-world context and using an inquiry-based approach.
The main aims of the IB PYP curriculum are as follows:
- Address students’ personal, emotional, and academic needs
- Encourage independent thinking and responsibility
- Support students’ learning
- Promote international-mindedness
Specifically, the curriculum consists of five basic elements, which IBO describes below:
The five essential elements of the PYP are:
- Knowledge, which is both disciplinary, represented by traditional subject areas (language, maths, science, social studies, arts, PSPE) and transdisciplinary
- Concepts, which students explore through structured inquiry in order to develop coherent, in-depth understanding, and which have relevance both within and beyond subject areas
- Skills, which are the broad capabilities students develop and apply during learning and in life beyond the classroom
- Attitudes, which contribute to international-mindedness and the wellbeing of individuals and learning communities, and connect directly to the IB learner profile
- Action, which is an expectation in the PYP that successful inquiry leads to responsible, thoughtful and appropriate action.
The PYP curriculum is described as “rigorous and challenging,” so students can expect to be fully immersed in their learning. That said, there are no required IB tests in the IB PYP, and grades are not moderated.
For the “knowledge” element above, learning is underscored by six transdisciplinary themes, which students are expected to apply to real-life issues and topics, regardless of subject area:
- 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
Transdisciplinary Themes
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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; 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; discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind; the relationships between 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; 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. |
From the age of 7 onward, IB PYP students are also given the option to study a foreign language. Exactly how this is implemented at schools can vary. For example, one IB elementary school might be fully bilingual, whereas another might offer a program taught in a language that is not the mother tongue of most students.
In the last year of the IB Primary Years Programme, students are required to work on an in-depth, collaborative research project called the “PYP Exhibition.” This project allows teachers to evaluate each student’s individual abilities and understanding of the concepts they’ve studied. It’s also a way for students to synthesize their skills and prepare for the IB MYP should they choose to enroll in it.
What is the PYP Programme of Inquiry Plan at KIS?
A PUBLIC SAMPLE OUTLINE of the Programme of Inquiry for 2021-22 year at KIS can be viewed here. Parents should log into their ManageBac account for details and reports for their children. Please note this a sample and is subject to change.
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Pre K |
WHO WE ARE Central Idea Lines of inquiry Key concepts Subjects |
HOW WE EXPRESS OURSELVES Central Idea Lines of inquiry Key concepts Subjects |
HOW THE WORLD WORKS Central Idea Lines of inquiry Key concepts Subjects |
SHARING THE PLANET Central Idea Lines of inquiry Key concepts Subjects |
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Pre K |
WHO WE ARE Central Idea Lines of inquiry
Key concepts Subjects |
HOW WE EXPRESS OURSELVES Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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HOW THE WORLD WORKS Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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SHARING THE PLANET Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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| Kindergarten |
WHO WE ARE Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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HOW WE EXPRESS OURSELVES Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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HOW THE WORLD WORKS Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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SHARING THE PLANET Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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| Grade 1 |
WHO WE ARE Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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WHERE WE ARE IN PLACE AND TIME Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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HOW WE EXPRESS OURSELVES Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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HOW THE WORLD WORKS Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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HOW WE ORGANIZE OURSELVES
Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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SHARING THE PLANET
Central Idea Lines of inquiry
Key concepts Subjects |
| Grade 2 |
WHO WE ARE Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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WHERE WE ARE IN PLACE AND TIME Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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HOW WE EXPRESS OURSELVES Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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HOW THE WORLD WORKS Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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HOW WE ORGANIZE OURSELVES Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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SHARING THE PLANET Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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| Grade 3 |
WHO WE ARE Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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WHERE WE ARE IN PLACE AND TIME Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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HOW WE EXPRESS OURSELVES Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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HOW THE WORLD WORKS Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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HOW WE ORGANIZE OURSELVES Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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SHARING THE PLANET Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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| Grade 4 |
WHO WE ARE Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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WHERE WE ARE IN PLACE AND TIME Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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HOW WE EXPRESS OURSELVES Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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HOW THE WORLD WORKS Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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HOW WE ORGANIZE OURSELVES
Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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SHARING THE PLANET Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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| Grade 5 |
WHO WE ARE Central Idea Lines of Inquiry
Key concepts Subjects |
WHERE WE ARE IN PLACE AND TIME Central Idea Lines of Inquiry
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HOW WE EXPRESS OURSELVES Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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HOW THE WORLD WORKS Central Idea Lines of inquiry
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HOW WE ORGANIZE OURSELVES Central Idea Lines of inquiry
Key concepts Subjects |
EXHIBITION
Service Learning |
Curriculum for Middle School (Grades 6 to 8) & High School (Grades 9 & 10) is on a different page.
View / Download PDF versions of PoI
Click to open viewer or download PDF versions of current 2021-22 or previous 2020-21.
Conclusion: What to Know About the IB PYP
The IB Primary Years Programme, or IB PYP, is one of four educational programs designed by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). It’s geared toward primary school students aged 3 to 12 and focuses mainly on inquiry and helping children develop skills such as responsibility, independence, critical thinking, and international-mindedness.
The IB PYP curriculum is unique in its transdisciplinary approach, which encourages students to make connections between local and global issues across traditional subject areas.
If you wish to enroll your child at KIS in an IB Primary Years Programme, you can start with checking the application outline.