How does the PYP connect with the NSW/Australian curriculum?

Previous curriculum focused largely on content. Today, educators realise the need to focus on creating lasting understanding through the investigation of concepts, skills and the processes involved in learning.  Current best practice take curriculum beyond the memorisation of facts to deeper levels of understanding and knowledge. This approach to learning has led educators to favour inquiry based learning which is utilised at Newington College Lindfield (NCL) in the The Primary Years Programme (PYP).

Our students live in a complex world where learning and development arise not only from the school environment but also from family, home and the community.  It is vital that NCL captures and encourages an active learning environment through its curriculum. Adopting the PYP was a significant step in moving towards an internationally recognised education as well as providing our students with a global perspective which will prepare them for playing their part in the world of the future.

The PYP provides an excellent vehicle for the delivery of the NSW/Australian curriculum whilst at the same time providing students with a unique global outlook which allows for subject depth and breadth. The students follow a balanced curriculum that is globally significant and provides them with the opportunity to take an active role in their own learning. The PYP of the International Baccalaureate Organisation focuses on key concepts such as connection, perspectives and responsibility. It explores transdisciplinary themes linked by their relevance and importance to a body of knowledge.  This framework leads students and teachers to deeper investigation, develops conceptual understanding, encourages critical and creative thinking when solving complex problems and builds long-lasting understandings.

At NCL we have a curriculum model that delivers core knowledge, understanding and skills to our students, required by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) but within an Internationally benchmarked framework of learning. Being a World School means we are committed to quality education, the professional development of staff and equipping students with the knowledge and skills for a rapidly changing world.

“It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish.”

IT’S NOT WHERE YOU START
From the Broadway Musical “Seesaw” (1973)
(Cy Coleman / Dorothy Fields)

Sue Gough – PYP Co-ordinator