Curriculum & Learning Approach

The Curriculum and Learning Approach at Panyaden are designed to instil in our students a lifelong love of learning. The ability to learn complex things is, after all, what makes us most human! We believe that learners learn best through hands-on, dynamic and fun experiences that grow in complexity over time. We also believe that when we learn something new, we have a responsibility to do something with that learning, whether it be to serve others or to be better within ourselves. The learning programme at Panyaden is ever evolving, following research driven approaches that support students in achieving their personal best. 

Informed by UK Frameworks, we personalise content to reflect our unique context. It is worth noting that within each “key stage,” the approach to teaching and learning is pitched for a child’s age and stage of development.

Dual Language Approach: Primary school students are taught in both English and Thai from Nursery to Year 6. Each Early Years classroom has a certified English teacher and a certified Thai teacher who take turns in leading the learning. In Primary years, maths and English are taught by certified foreign teachers; PE, life skills, art and Thai by certified Thai teachers; and science, social studies, and performing arts are taught in both languages. In Year Six, the language of instruction begins to shift in science and social studies to be in English, with the concepts being visited within the Thai language classes. 

We expect students who are with us from kindergarten through to the end of Primary to become fully functional in both languages by the end of Year 6. To learn more, please visit the Language Approach section. 

Foundation Stage

Early Years, Nursery-Kindergarten2: Guided by the UK Early Years Foundation Stage Framework, our play based Early Years programme provides a strong foundation for life through student-led and adult-guided learning in the seven core areas of development.

The Three Prime Areas are: 

• Communication and language

• Physical development

• Personal, social and emotional development

The Four Specific Areas are:

• Literacy

• Mathematics

• Understanding the world

• Expressive arts and design

Early Years and Year 1 parents will have a chance to see their child’s progress through pictures, videos and teachers’ comments via the Tapestry app. Sign in information is shared with parents during the orientation period. 

Mixed Age Grouping in Fireflies, Butterflies, and Caterpillars: We have chosen the research based approach to have mixed-age grouping for our 2- to 4-year-old children. The benefits for the children in a mixed-aged setting are many, highlights of which include:

• More individualised learning that is not tied to an age as a measure of progress, giving children the freedom to develop at their own rate

• Greater opportunities for differentiation, allowing teachers to offer learning at the child’s developmental level

• Enhanced leadership skills within the older students, wherein they serve as role models, improving development in all areas for the older and younger students

• Younger children gain confidence to try new things by having peers close to their developmental stage modelling success

Key Stage 1

Year 1 - Year 2: Seen as a transition phase, children in Key Stage 1 (Year 1 to Year 2) experience an increase in more structured learning opportunities. In Year 1, learning remains play-based and student-led 40-50% of the time, with an increase in opportunities to develop foundational behaviours for academic learning in a more adult-led environment. 

Students in Year 1 expand their learning to include time with some specialists and now engage in the IPC Units of Study. “Must do” jobs are introduced and serve as an opportunity to develop time-management and organisation skills, alongside an awareness of the need to do what is required rather than learning under their own steam. More targeted literacy and maths instruction is provided in taught sessions of a longer duration. 

Students in Year 2 transition under the umbrella of the Primary School. They continue to be exposed to hands-on learning opportunities that incorporate play; however, their learning becomes more structured and guided by the teachers as they work towards the intended learning outcomes. 

Key Stage 2

Year 3 to Year 6: Students in the Primary School follow the National Curriculum of England framework (the ‘British curriculum’) integrated with the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) and the National Thai Language and Culture Curriculum. When planning student learning, we use an interdisciplinary approach wherein multiple subjects are integrated into one unit of study. This allows students to see the interconnectivity of disciplines, building a better understanding of how the world works. This approach stimulates the ability to look at content from different angles, building the skills to reach deep understanding and contribute towards solving complex problems/issues.

Woven into the curriculum are opportunities to develop the skills and dispositions of a global citizen who is well poised to make a positive difference in the world. Through learning about the UN Sustainable Development Goals, developing the skills for service, and building the dispositions within the 12 Wise Habits, Primary School students are well prepared for a rich and challenging secondary programme. 

Core Primary Subjects

• English

• Thai

• Mathematics

• Science

Foundation Subjects

• Art

• Computing

• Design and Technology

• Geography

• History

• Performance Arts

• Physical education

Life Skills and Social Contribution: Panyaden students will have the opportunity to engage in learning experiences that encourage the development of life skills such as self-reliance, sustainable actions, and social responsibility. Examples of these are: 

• Nature studies

• Meditation and mindfulness experiences

• Organic vegetable growing

• Household repairs

• Rice farming

• Recycling

• Weaving and needlework

• Building a shelter and other survival skills

• Activities for social and public benefit

• Service learning

Becoming an Expert comprises a term-long student-led unit of study that provides students the opportunity to create, design, and present their own unique project. Reflective of the student’s interest skills and talents, teachers assume the role of coach and facilitator as students work through a 6-stage design cycle in order to become an expert in a field of their own choosing. 

Assessing the Learning: Teachers will assess students’ progress towards learning goals on a daily, weekly and termly basis. Assessment of learning is based on two fundamental principles: evaluation for the purpose of developing the learners’ capacity and for appraising their achievements. The goal of assessment is to monitor progress from an individual students’ starting point, and identify each learner’s needs. Ongoing formative assessment, based on observation, informal testing and student self-evaluation, is complemented by formal testing (summative assessment). Assessment is 80% formative and 20% summative. We use a balance of internally developed assessments as well as external assessments such as Fountas and Pinnell reading to determine reading levels and Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) online adaptive assessment to monitor student progress. 

All assessments help us to support a child’s learning, determine support needs, reflect on our teaching practice, and evaluate the curriculum.