PYP

Welcome

Welcome to the European School and the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP). The PYP forms part of the continuum of education covering schooling at ES from 6 – 11 years of age and has its own distinctive characteristics appropriate to the developmental stages of the students.

An Education for Life

The European School offers a balanced and academically challenging education in English, … designed to develop young students into independent learners and international citizens. We strive to develop knowledge, attitudes and skills our students need to participate actively and responsibly in a changing and increasingly interrelated world. The PYP is an integrated framework that focuses on the development of the whole child addressing social, physical, emotional, cultural and academic needs for learner’s ages 6 to 11. It combines the best research and teaching practices from a variety of national systems, with the wealth of knowledge and experience in international schools, to create a transdisciplinary curriculum that is relevant, challenging and engaging.
The framework offers a comprehensive, inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning. This programme provides an opportunity for learners to construct meaning, principally through concept-driven inquiry.

An International Curriculum

The PYP identifies a body of knowledge for all students in all cultures, in six subject areas:

  • Languages
  • Social Studies
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • The Arts
  • Personal, Social and Physical Education

To support students in their development as international citizens they start French, German and Russian as additional languages from Grade 5. The school has developed six Units of Inquiry at each year level (four units for Reception), one for each of the six transdisciplinary themes that are common to every PYP School. These IB themes are:

  • Who we are
  • Where we are in time and place
  • How we express ourselves
  • How the world works
  • How we organize ourselves
  • Sharing the planet

Teaching Methodologies

We aim to provide a quality curriculum that is relevant, engaging and challenging for all students, as well as encouraging the development of critical and analytical thinking skills through a variety of inclusive teaching methodologies. Our teaching methodologies allow for students to work and learn at different levels with teachers addressing individual student needs, abilities, interest and learning styles through:

  • Active and hands-on learning with a focus on inquiry.
  • Conceptual learning that leads to understanding.
  • Cooperative learning where the students help one another and explore and learn together.
  • Meaningful and relevant learning experiences Using a variety of instructional materials and appropriate technology.
  • Encouraging the students to become independent learners and acquire essential knowledge, skills and thinking dispositions.

We believe there is not just one way to learn, so we adopt a variety of teaching styles and strategies. Year Group teachers work together to provide learning activities that allow each child to make the progress that he/she is capable of. Other professionals in the school may provide support: The Educational Learning Support (ELS) Department specializes in working with children with Special Educational Needs. An EAL teacher provides extra support needed when a child is learning English as a second, third or fourth language!

The PYP Learning Environment

At ES, teachers structure their classroom around dynamic learning environments to provide ongoing opportunities for students to develop planned and spontaneous inquiries by:

  • making choices and decisions
  • using materials in flexible and imaginative ways
  • initiating inquiry and asking questions
  • working collaboratively with others
  • sustaining their interests and extending their knowledge
  • developing understanding

To some extent, each classroom has a range of areas to encourage inquiry, investigation, exploration and play, both indoors and outside of the classroom. Spaces for reading, writing, art, construction, imaginative play and science are provided with a variety of appropriate resources in each.