South West gains its first International Baccalaureate World School authorised to teach the Primary Years Programme
Headmaster Mr Simon Larter said ‘This is a most significant step forward for St John's. The process to become an International Baccalaureate World School has been lengthy and never less than rigorous and it is a great tribute to the tenacity of Rebecca Colwill (PYP Co-ordinator and Head of Junior School) and her team. Our desire to deliver a genuinely international programme of discovery for the students in our care meant we aimed high and achieved our goal. This is a great day for the school and a momentous time for the South West of England as we are the only PYP school in the region.”
The most significant and distinctive feature of the IB Primary Years Programme is the six transdisciplinary themes. These themes provide IB World Schools with the opportunity to incorporate local and global issues into the curriculum and effectively allow students to step beyond the confines of learning within subject areas. Teachers are able to go above and beyond the skills they are required to teach within the confines of the national curriculum.
Within their authorisation report, St John’s also received special commendations in a number of areas for:
• Building a stimulating learning environment based on understanding and respect
• Actively promoting students’ awareness of local, national and world issues
• Promoting the attributes of the IB learner profile in all aspects of school life
• Promoting open communication with all members of the community
• Using resources and expertise found within the community and local environment to enrich learning
• Enthusiasm and commitment to the PYP
Mrs Colwill said ‘I am not only thrilled with these commendations, I was also really pleased to hear directly from the inspectors who visited our school that they thought there was an extraordinary level of respect between students themselves and between staff and students. Undertaking the authorisation process has been a challenge for staff and students alike and we have come through with flying colours. It is very exciting for St John’s and for the region as a whole”.
About the PYP
The PYP is designed for students aged 3 to 12. It focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world outside. It is a framework guided by six trans-disciplinary themes of global significance, explored using knowledge and skills derived from six subjects areas, as well as trans-disciplinary skills, with a powerful emphasis on inquiry.
The IB Primary Years Programme
• addresses students’ academic, social and emotional well-being
• encourages students to develop independence and to take responsibility for their own learning
• supports students’ efforts to gain understanding of the world and to function comfortably within it
• helps students establish personal values as a foundation upon which international-mindedness will
develop and flourish.
The written curriculum
The most significant and distinctive feature of the IB Primary Years Programme is the six trans-disciplinary themes. These themes provide IB World Schools with the opportunity to incorporate local and global issues into the curriculum and effectively allow students to “step up” beyond the confines of learning within subject areas.
• 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
The Exhibition
The Exhibition is an important part of the PYP for all students. In the final year of the programme, students undertake a collaborative, trans-disciplinary inquiry process that involves them in identifying, investigating and offering solutions to real-life issues or problems. As the culminating experience of the PYP, the Exhibition offers students an exciting opportunity to demonstrate independence and responsibility for their own learning.
Any school, or group of schools, wishing to offer one or more International Baccalaureate programmes as an IB World School must first be authorized. The requirements are the same for all schools, and the procedure is designed to ensure that schools are well prepared to implement the programme successfully. All IB World Schools are required to participate in an on-going process of review and development, using the same programme standards and practices.