Primary School

DPS International, Gurgaon is an authorised IB World School for the Primary Years Programme.

The Primary School includes students between 2 ½ to 11 years in Grades Pre-Nursery to 5.

Keeping in mind a view of the future world helps us decide what kind of learning the children will need and knowing what kinds of learning they need guides us to what learning should look like in the classroom. We offer the IB Primary Years Programme( PYP) in the primary school. This curriculum framework includes subjects like languages, social studies, mathematics, science and technology, arts, and personal, social and physical education which provide students with a broad and developmentally appropriate academic experience that emphasises the inter-relatedness between subjects. The curriculum promotes an international perspective which recognises and welcomes the diversity of student experiences and backgrounds.

Classroom teaching and learning practices stimulate curiosity and inquiry in order to foster a spirit of discovery and enjoyment of learning, equipping students with the skills to learn and acquire knowledge, individually or collaboratively and to apply these skills and knowledge accordingly across a broad range of areas. We use an inquiry-based approach where our teaching methods build upon individual understanding, knowledge and interests, emphasising how to learn and how to delve deeper, while developing critical thinking skills. A variety of teaching and learning strategies which includes real life experiences are adopted to engage our students in purposeful, engaging and active learning. We provide our students with access to technology in the classroom through a vast array of devices and online resources.

The core curriculum is taught by the class teacher while Hindi, Visual Arts, Music, Physical Education, Library by specialist teachers. Information Communication Technology is integrated into all aspects of the curriculum.
We also aim to develop appropriate attitudes, including appreciation, commitment, confidence, cooperation, creativity, curiosity, empathy, enthusiasm, independence, integrity, respect and tolerance.

The students are encouraged to apply all that they have learned by taking action, not only in the school community, but also in the wider world. Effective action is voluntary and involves the students in exercising their own initiatives and taking on responsibilities.
A variety of assessment strategies are used to gather information about what students know, how they are developing and finally, what they have learned. Students are given opportunities to share their learning and understanding with others in the form of student led conferences.

PYP CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK:

This curriculum framework is guided by six transdisciplinary themes of global significance, students deepen their learning by developing their conceptual understandings; strengthening their knowledge and skills across and beyond subject areas. The subjects include languages, social studies, mathematics, science and technology, arts, and personal, social and physical education. The curriculum promotes an international perspective which recognises and welcomes the diversity of student experiences and backgrounds.

ELEMENTS OF THE PYP FRAMEWORK:

ELEMENTS OF THE PYP FRAMEWORK:In the PYP a balance is sought between acquisition of essential knowledge and skills, development of conceptual understanding, demonstration of the dispositions(learner profile), and taking of responsible action. In terms of achieving this balance, the essential elements of the curriculum are emphasized. They are shown in the figure below.

Knowledge:

The six subject areas identified within the IB Primary Years Programme are:

Mathematics

Social Studies

Arts

Personal

Social

Physical Education

The most significant and distinctive feature of the IB Primary Years Programme are 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 up” beyond the confines of learning within subject areas. The six transdisciplinary themes are:

The six subject areas identified within the IB Primary Years Programme are:

Who we are : into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; person, 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: Inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind; the relationship between and the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives.

How we express ourselves: 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: 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: 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: Inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and other living things; communities and the relationship within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.

How the PYP works?

Learner Profile:

The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. B learners strive to become inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, courageous, balanced and reflective.

Learner Profile Learner Profile in Action

Skills:

The world in which we all live is constantly changing and evolving. We therefore need to equip our students with sets of relevant skills which help to thrive and adapt in any profession, challenges or situations they find themselves in. Within their learning throughout the programme, students acquire and apply a set of skills: social skills, communication skills, thinking skills, research skills and self-management skills.

Video on Skills in PYP

Action:

Action, the core of student agency, is integral to PYP learning and to the programme’s overarching outcome of international-mindedness. Through taking individual and collective action, students will come to understand the responsibilities associated with being internationally minded and appreciate the benefits of working with others for a shared purpose. When students see tangible actions that they can choose to take to make a difference, they see themselves as competent, capable and active agents of change (Oxfam 2015).

Demonstrations of action can include:

Participation – contributing as individual or group

Advocacy – action to support social / environmental / political change

Social Justice – relation to rights, equality and equity, social well-being and justice

Social Entrepreneurship – innovative, resourceful and sustainable social change

Lifestyle Choices – eg. consumption, impact of choices