IPC
International Primary Curriculum (IPC)
As we prepare our students to take their place in a globalised world where they are likely to have several diverse careers and where the knowledge they will need probably doesn’t exist yet, it is essential to provide them with a curriculum that makes them ready to face the unknown. The International Primary Curriculum (IPC) provides a cross-curricular, thematic, rigorous teaching structure designed to engage children of all abilities in today’s world. It has clear learning goals that either meet or exceed those of the English National Curriculum and other international curricula.
The emphasis is on the student developing as a lifelong learner with all the skills, concepts and attitudes necessary for them to develop academically, socially, emotionally and physically to be leaders in the 21st Century. The teacher facilitates this process allowing the students to construct their own meaning and understanding.
At the heart of the IPC are the learning goals which are divided into three areas:
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Subject specific – although these are taught in cross curricular themes it is still important that the students recognise the goals of the individual subjects which includes science, art, history, geography, society and technology. We use specialists to teach music, drama, PE and languages, but tie these into IPC topics where possible to provide context for learning.
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Personal Development - these areas are incredibly important and link to the attributes we have in our BSJ Learner Profile. The personal development goals focus on: Enquiry, Adaptability, Resilience, Morality, Communication, Thoughtfulness, Cooperation and Respect.
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International Understanding – these are especially important to us at BSJ where we are seeking to develop global citizens with strong intercultural awareness and understanding. The international goals focus on developing knowledge and understanding beyond a child’s own nationality; and developing understanding of the independence and interdependence of people, cultures and countries. Within IPC topics, a focus on host and home country are interwoven in our planning.
AGE RELATED EXPECTATIONS
The IPC is divided into different age ranges called Mile Posts.
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Mile post one: 5 – 7 year olds
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Mile Post two: 8 – 9 year olds
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Mile Post three: 10 – 12 year olds
Each Mile Post follows a number of cross curricular units that are all structured similarly. They are fun and develop the students' knowledge, understanding and skills which are assessed using clear criteria that are shared and understood by the students. More information can be found at www.greatlearning.com.
My child came home from school yesterday and told me they had been learning to be resilient. They then proceeded to tell me what they did and how they knew they were successful”
- Year 2 Parent
