Effective Documentation Using the 2025 IB PYP Subject Continuums
The 2025 IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) Subject Continuums provide a coherent framework for tracking learning progression across all subjects. They strengthen connections between disciplines, transdisciplinary themes, and Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills.
By emphasising four developmental phases, the continuums clarify learning progressions, making conceptual growth visible. They empower learners to set goals, reflect on their learning, and understand how knowledge, skills, and attitudes interconnect. When applied effectively for documentation, these continuums transform daily classroom evidence into meaningful stories of progress that inform teaching, differentiation, and family engagement.
1. Understanding the 2025 Continuumsย
Each subject continuum organizes learning through three core elements:
๐ข๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐: Broad statements summarizing what students are expected to demonstrate at the end of each phase. They provide guidance for teaching and assessment across subjects.
๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฑ๐/๐ง๐ผ๐ผ๐น๐: Exit tickets, quick quizzes, mini-presentations, collaborative discussions, and short written reflections
๐๐ผ๐ฎ๐น: Provides immediate feedback that guides instruction and helps students understand their strengths and areas for improvement.
๐๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐: Examples of concepts that can anchor teaching and assessment, providing clarity for teachers and supporting transdisciplinary learning.
๐ฎ. ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
๐ข๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ โ ๐จ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ๐น๐ถ๐๐ (๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ถ๐๐)
๐จ ๐๐๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐.
๐ข๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ โ ๐ฆ๐๐ฏ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐-๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ๐น๐ถ๐๐๐
๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐.
Both approaches complement each other. Option A provides an overview, while Option B supports classroom implementation and teacher reference.
๐ฏ. ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ๐น๐ถ๐๐ (๐ข๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐)
This checklist lists evidence types that can be collected across all subjects to maintain consistent documentation and facilitate reporting and planning.
Audio/video recordings of presentations, discussions, or experiments
Photographs or scans of work (drawings, models, drafts)
Teacher anecdotal notes or observations
Student reflections, journals, or goal-setting statements
Peer and teacher feedback annotated with continuum language
Revised or improved work showing progression
Portfolios (digital or physical) tagged by phase or strand
Evidence of ATL skills and Learner Profile attributes
Student-selected โbest workโ with rationale
Parent/family feedback or reflections (if applicable)
๐ฐ. ๐ฆ๐๐ฏ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐๐๐บ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ๐น๐ถ๐๐๐
Below are detailed examples for Language, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Arts, and PSPE.
๐. ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐๐๐บ
Strands: Oral language (listening and speaking) | Visual language (viewing and presenting) | Written language (reading) | Written language (writing)
