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The
International Primary Curriculum is a curriculum that is being
used in over 600 schools in 51 countries around the world. It
was launched in 2000 having taken three years to create by a
group of leading experts in children’s learning from around the
world.
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The goal of
the IPC is for children to focus on a combination of academic,
personal and international learning. We want children to enjoy
their learning; develop enquiring minds, develop the personal
qualities they need to be good citizens of the world, and
develop a sense of their own nationality and culture, at the
same time developing a profound respect for the nationalities
and cultures of others. Most of all, we want children to develop
all the skills they will need in order to confidently face the
world of tomorrow.
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Children
learn through a series of IPC units of work. Each unit of work
has a theme that today’s children find interesting and relevant.
Examples of these themes includes Treasure, Rainforest, Mission
to Mars and Beyond and Fit for Life. Each unit of work lasts on
average between four and eight weeks and children learn many of
their subjects through this one common theme so that their
learning has meaning to them.
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Linking
subjects means that children can make lots of connections with
their learning. We now know that the more connections that the
brain can make, the better a child can learn.
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The
development of skills is a very big part of the IPC and learning
activities have been designed so that children can develop these
skills. This development of skills even applies to the personal
learning goals which emphasise adaptability, resilience,
thoughtfulness, cooperation and respect and which, as a result
of progressive skill development, help children to become able
and inspired learners.
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The IPC is
not just topic learning. Although the learning is based around a
theme, the learning that the children do within that theme has
very distinct outcomes to ensure that children are learning
exactly what they need to learn.
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The IPC
focuses children’s learning on a combination of knowledge,
skills and understanding. No one can properly predict the nature
of work and life opportunities that will be available for
today’s primary age children by the time they are adults. Many
of the jobs they will have don’t yet exist; especially in the
fields of ICT, technology and science. So the IPC focuses on a
skills-based approach, developing adaptable and resilient
globally-minded learners, prepared for the fast-changing world
that they’ll be living and working in.
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The IPC has
been designed for children of all abilities and all learning
styles, and encourages learning in groups as well as individual
learning.
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In order
that parents know what their child is learning, they are sent a
letter at the beginning of each IPC unit which outlines what
learning will be covered and how parents can help continue that
learning at home if they choose.
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The
continued development of the IPC today ensures that children are
learning a current and highly relevant curriculum based on the
very latest research into the brain and children’s learning.
