Primary Years Programme (PYP)

The PYP was developed as a result of the vision and effort, sustained for over 10 years until 1997, of the former International Schools Curriculum Project (ISCP).

In 1997 the responsibility for ownership and ongoing development of the programme was handed over to the International Baccalaureate (IB). The ISCP was an independent, grass-roots movement of heads of school and teachers in international schools. Its aims were to:

• produce a common curriculum for international primary education that would suit all the learning communities represented within the group.

• develop international-mindedness on the part of the learners.

There was a shared belief that the nature and substance of learning were the means of promoting corresponding insight, empathy and compassion.

The IB has broadened access to the PYP by making it available to a wide range of schools, all willing to support the mission of the IB and prepared to commit to the standards and practices drawn up to ensure successful implementation of the programme, IB World Schools offering the PYP include state or national system schools, as well as independent fee-paying schools - the group to which designated international schools most usually belong.

There are currently 150 IB world schools in Australia with 86 of these schools being PYP schools. In the Perth area there are five PYP schools. As a group of schools following the same set of standards and practices we have formed a network and meet regularly to support programme implementation, discuss best practice and share ideas.

More information on IB school numbers within Australia and globally can be found on the IB website: www.ibo.org

Kathy Derrick

PYP Coordinator