Primary School

Who:
About 200 children, ages 6 to 11, in grades P1-P5. There are two classes per grade level, with around 20 students and two teachers per class.

What:
The defining element of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) is the unit of inquiry: a thematic umbrella bringing together a wide variety of subjects.  See our Programme of Inquiry, below.

When:
The school day for Primary runs from 8:00-14:00, with an optional Breakfast Club from 7:00-8:00 and After School Club from 14:00-17:00 (16:00 on Fridays).

Where:
Lower Primary (P1-P3) and Upper Primary (P4-P5) are located in different areas of the school, but the arrangement of classrooms surrounding a large and flexible common area is the same.

How:
Specific class schedules and an overview of the Programme of Inquiry can be found below. For additional ISB policies, please see Policies.

PYP Programme of Inquiry overview

as well as PYP Home Learning Guidelines and an overview of the P5-M1 transition.

Transition from Primary to Middle School

At ISB, we understand that the transition from P5 to M1 is a very exciting and sometimes challenging time for parents and guardians as much as it is for students.  Rest assured, we are working hard to make this as smooth and enjoyable as possible. 

We are continually reflecting and developing our transition programme to improve the experience for all concerned and focus on the needs of our students, parents, guardians and teachers.

The following image is a timeline of the P5 to M1 transition, to help you understand the process.

What the P5 Transition Day might look like
8:30 – 9:40 Welcome to the MYP & tour of the clusters
9:40 – 10:00 Break with the Ms!
10:00 – 12:15 Lesson experiences
12:15 – 13:00 Lunch with the Ms!
13:00 – 13:45 Algebra Fair – hosted by the M2s
13:45 – 14:00 Q&A-session with MYP staff

Students
Transition Day.
Opportunities to explore the type of learning engagements that students experience in MYP subjects.
Buddy Program P5&M1 & MYP breaks.
P5 Bridge building demonstrating various M1 procedures, programs & tools.

Parents
Parent meeting in August in M1 – a chance to meet the MYP teachers.

Teachers
Cross-department handover.
MYP teachers meet P5 students.
P5 Bridge building sessions in June.