The PYP
The PYP is designed for students between the ages of 3 and 12 years. It is an international, transdisciplinary program designed to foster the development of the whole child, both in the classroom and in the world outside. The program focuses on students’ intellectual social, emotional, and physical development.
The PYP aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring students. International understanding and intercultural competence are also key aspects of the program that are developed through the IB learner profile which makes explicit the key attributes for students to develop as internationally minded global
citizens. IB learners strive to be inquirers, thinkers, communicators, risk takers, knowledgeable, principled, open-minded, caring, balanced and reflective.
As an IB World School Clearwater Bay aims to provide students with a truly international education that
encourages them to be active, compassionate, lifelong learners who understand that other people with their differences can also be right.
Essential Elements of the PYP
The program comprises five key elements which together provide a framework for structured and purposeful inquiry. These five elements are; knowledge, concepts, skills, attitudes and action.
Knowledge
The inquiry program is organized around six transdisciplinary themes of global significance and learning about these themes underpins the program. Students address all six themes each year (six units of inquiry).
The themes are:
Who We Are
Where We Are in Place and Time
How We Express Ourselves
How the World Works
How We Organise Ourselves
Sharing the Planet
Through these themes, students gain knowledge in six subject domains:
Language/Chinese
Mathematics
Science and Technology
Social Studies
Personal, Social and Physical Education
Arts
The program identifies a body of knowledge which is designed to be engaging, relevant, challenging and significant for students and which is closely aligned with ESF Curriculum policy documents.
Concepts
Eight fundamental concepts, expressed as key questions, propel the process of inquiry and help to encourage a transdisciplinary perspective. These concepts drive the units of inquiry which teachers and students design.
Skills
The skills acquired in the process of structured inquiry are thinking, communication, social, research and self management skills. The specific skills that align with the content of the inquiry are taught as part of that inquiry.
For example: communication skills are taught in the inquiry unit on media (Year 5),
self-management skills in the natural disasters inquiry (Year 4) and social skills in the inquiry relating to friendships (Year 1).
Attitudes
Personal attitudes to learning, to other people and to the environment are also important. The attitudes fostered and promoted through the program are:
Appreciation
Commitment
Confidence
Cooperation
Creativity
Curiosity
Empathy
Enthusiasm
Independence
Integrity
Respect
Tolerance
Action
Students are encouraged to reflect, to make informed choices and to take action that will help their peers, families, school and the wider community. Action should be student initiated and voluntary.
Programme of Inquiry
Students at Clearwater Bay School inquire into and learn about a wide range of issues within the context of a unit of inquiry.
Each unit addresses a central idea relevant to a particular transdisciplinary theme.
Lines of inquiry are identified in order to explore the scope of the central idea for each unit.
Please click here to view the Unit of Inquiry Overview for 2023-24.
If you require any further information about the IB PYP at CWBS please do not hesitate to contact:
Chiara Holmes (chiara.holmes@cwbs.edu.hk)