Overview

The International Primary Curriculum encompasses Geography, History, Art and DT. It is a comprehensive, thematic, creative curriculum, with a clear process of learning and specific skills for every subject. It develops international mindedness and encourages personal learning. 

IPC at BIS is taught through topics from Year 1 to Year 6. For each topic, the children begin with an ‘Entry Point’ which introduces the themes and main ideas creating excitement and interest for the following weeks’ learning. The children then explore the topic further through various creative approaches culminating in an ‘Exit Point’. The ‘Exit Point’ is a fantastic celebration showcasing learning and providing an opportunity to make links between the subjects within a topic. These events are planned by our teachers to provide the children with a stimulating, inspiring and creative way of looking at the world around them. 

The topics vary greatly in their content and approaches. A topic may cover a broad range of subjects or be more focussed on one strand. Over the course of an academic year, the children will cover all the curriculum strands and subsequently further develop skills they have encountered in previous years. These skills include; researching, informational literacy, physical and human geography, historical and enquiry skills, design and evaluation skills and specific art and creative approaches. The inclusion of the International Learning Goals is unique to the IPC curriculum and helps our children begin the move towards an increasingly sophisticated national, international and intercultural perspective. Each thematic IPC unit includes an international aspect, to help develop a sense of ‘international mindedness’.

At BIS, we feel themed units help children to see how subjects are both independent and interdependent. This enables them to see the big picture of their learning, make connections across different subjects, and talk about a topic from multiple perspectives. It allows us to include digital learning and online platforms to develop our children as independent learners. Children can develop a sense of the ‘bigger picture’ which is an invaluable skill as global citizens. 

Our classroom learning is often enhanced and enriched by specialist sessions at our secondary campus, trips within the local community, residential trips, expert speakers, global links with schools and child-led exhibitions. This enables our children to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world around them, to make links between subjects and foster creativity.  We hope to provide our children with a platform to become true global citizens ready for the innovative, creative and fast paced digital world. 

Aims and Objectives:

• To provide a rich and varied IPC curriculum incorporating a variety of; geography, history, art and DT skills that challenge and motivate students.

• To ensure that our students have access to practical learning experiences that are age appropriate, challenging and meaningful.

• To inspire the students to take their learning beyond the classroom through research and enquiry projects linking to information literacy.

• To become increasingly independent and responsible for their own learning. 

• To build upon skills as they progress through the year groups.

• To provide opportunities to extend their learning through cross curricular working, including Maths and English. 

• To become aware of global issues and embrace cultural diversity whilst learning about the wider world. 

• To reflect upon and share their learning and understanding with others .

Curriculum

Y1 – Who am I?, Toys, Seeing the Light, Live and let live, Buildings and Structures

Y2- The Circus is Coming, Stories People Tell, All Dressed Up, All Around the World

Y3- Dinosaurs, Chocolate, Visual Representation, Rainforests

Y4- Active Planet, Fashion, Adventurers and Explorers, Do you Live Around Here?

Y5- Mission to Mars, They see the world like this, AD900, Going Global, Holiday Show

Y6- The Great, the Bold and the Brave, What is the Price Progress?, Out of Africa, What a Wonderful World 

Progress and attainment - Age related expectations (ARE)

The following document lists all of our IPC Age Related Expectations in one easy to follow document. On this document you are able to clearly see the progression from Year 6 down Year 1.

Homework and helping your child at home

• Weekly homework’s may include a link to the IPC topic and ask the children to develop a skill or complete research to develop subject knowledge. 

•  Talk to your children in your home language about key events that have happened/are happening in your home and host country. 

•  Be aware of the Global Goals and how you can help.

•  Help your child to understand that small actions can add up to make big changes.

•  Provide opportunities for wider questioning and research both inside and outside your home environment. 

other useful information

IPC can help your child to gain a better understanding of the world around them. To help them to put this into context, talk to your children about global and local events and events in history which allow them to understand why and how places and people have developed and changed.