Lower School

Learning in Action

Annie Wright is an International Baccalaureate World School and is fully authorized to deliver the Primary Years Programme (PYP) in the Lower School. The PYP is a flexible curriculum that addresses children’s needs holistically, focusing on developing them as inquirers, both in the classroom and the outside world.

We believe that a strong, inquiry-based curriculum is essential for our mission to cultivate individual learners to become well-educated, creative, and responsible citizens for a global society, and so that our students may thrive in the 21st century. Students acquire knowledge, explore concepts, and learn and apply skills in a program that is relevant and challenging. They learn how to learn and how to take responsible action to create a better world.

PYP FAQs

List of 4 items.

I’ve heard a lot about IB. What exactly is it?

The IB, short for International Baccalaureate, is a nonprofit organization founded in Switzerland in 1968. Its mission is to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better world through understanding and respect. Originally developed for children of diplomats, IB programs, currently offered to more than one million students in 144 countries, encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners. These programs also provide a framework to assess performance according to world standards.
Okay, so how is the PYP really different from a standard curriculum for young students?

Like many solid programs, the PYP includes language (reading, writing and communicating), math, science, social studies, arts, and physical education.

The PYP program, however, goes beyond the academic subjects and aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who are motivated to succeed. The PYP gives students distinct advantages by building their critical thinking skills, nurturing their curiosity and their ability to solve complex problems considering both local and global contexts.

The IB describes their PYP program as follows:

"The programme offers an inquiry-based and concept-driven transdisciplinary model of learning and teaching, supported by a strong understanding of how students learn.

PYP students develop knowledge, conceptual understandings, skills and the attributes of the IB learner profile to make a positive difference in their own lives, their communities, and beyond.

Students also demonstrate the agility and imagination to respond to new and unexpected challenges and opportunities and to take action for a better and more peaceful world.

Schools who choose to implement the PYP will develop students’ academic, social and emotional wellbeing, focusing on international-mindedness and a sense of belonging to local and global communities. The PYP nurtures independent and collaborative learners, encouraging every student to have voice, choice and ownership in their own learning."

To learn more about the PYP program, visit the IBO website.
It sounds good in theory, but how does it play out in the classroom?

Here’s an example: Annie Wright Grade 4 students study food distribution, exploring the PYP theme “Sharing the Planet.” Their study includes research, action and reflection. After auditing Annie Wright’s level of food waste, students support a school-wide composting program. Students also promote awareness of food waste and hunger through visual art, songs and videos.
Would my kids get the same experience in any PYP school?

In a word: no. The PYP provides a framework for inquiry and conceptually-based learning, and schools that have adopted the PYP share its core curricula and philosophies. At Annie Wright, however, we embrace students as individuals in small classes, where they enjoy hands-on learning in a program enhanced by a variety of special subjects in a strong and nurturing environment. The result is the Annie Wright student is a compassionate, knowledgeable and globally-minded problem solver.