The IB Primary Years Programme
We feel that one of the fundamental goals of education is to encourage a love of learning. At Codrington we encourage students to be independent thinkers. Rather than simply providing facts, students are posed questions and presented problems and scenarios that can be explored hands-on. Our curriculum is guided by the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. (www.ibo.org). The PYP transdisciplinary framework focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both at school and beyond. Informed by research into how students learn, how educators teach and the principles and practice of effective assessment, the programme places a powerful emphasis on inquiry-based learning.
Curriculum
The curriculum of each academic year is underpinned by six transdisciplinary themes. These themes are selected for their relevance to the real world. Each student has six Units of Inquiry yearly (each one lasts roughly 6 weeks) These in-depth Units of Inquiry promote an integrated approach to teaching and learning so that subject connections can be made throughout the six weeks. The IB PYP is designed for students to learn conceptually, rather than using a content-driven national curriculum.
Transdisciplinary themes:
- Who we are (Social/Emotional)
- Where we are in place and time (History/ Geography)
- How we express ourselves (the Arts)
- How the world works (Science)
- How we organize ourselves (Economics and societal organisation)
- Sharing the planet (Environmental)
By placing a unit of inquiry under each theme we ensure a balance of subject matter across the year, however each unit of inquiry often makes multiple connections across differing subjects.
For example: A unit of inquiry about Mapping in PYP 2, has its guiding theme based in geography, however students make connections through art by making their own maps and globes, through maths by learning to measure accurately, using coordinates and interpreting scales.They also incorporate language into their unit of inquiry by learning to follow and give directions. In PE they are taught about orienteering and using maps in the school grounds. Our full programme of inquiry across all of the grade levels can be found in the resources section.
PYP Distance learning
Thank you Teachers
1. Initial video of Distance Learning
PYP Online challenges
1. House Team Challenge #1 – ‘Upsies’ with a soccer ball
2. House Team Challenge #2 – Jump Rope
3. House Team Challenge #3 – Hula Hoop
4. House Team Challenge #4 – Wacky Hair Day
5. House Team Challenge #5 – Lego
6. House Team Challenge #6 – Tik Tok
7. House Team Challenge #7 – Trick Shots
8. House Team Challenge #8 – Human Pyramids
9. House Team Challenge #10- The Koala and the Tree
Learner Profile
All IB students aim to learn about and acquire the attributes of the Learner Profile. Every aspect of the curriculum at Codrington is designed to promote these. The attributes are designed to develop the child as a learner, allowing them to learn in whatever setting they find themselves.
- Communicator
- Thinker
- Inquirer
- Risk-taker
- Knowledgeable
- Principled
- Caring
- Open-minded
- Well-balanced
- Reflective
These attributes are used from the very first day in Kindergarden and become part of our daily conversations throughout the school. At Codrington Kindergarden covers 2 grade levels ( 4-5 yrs and 5-6yrs). Students in this class experience a play based approach to learning. Students are taught to read and write when they are developmentally ready.
Camp Wahoo
PYP 7 (2018)
Primary Years Resources
HAPPY PARENTS
As an educator myself, I want to make sure my children get the best education possible. I was unfamiliar with the IB program before we came to Barbados, and had to do some research. Now I am a complete convert, and I hope we can find IB curriculae at future schools when we move. Codrington is small, hands-on, and provides a very personalized education. During my daugthers’ time at Codrington, I have been impressed with the way the IB program uses a six-week unit or theme to teach all the core skills (literacy, numeracy, writing, etc), which makes the learning relevant. Codrington is teaching children to be THINKERS, not just memorize answers.
We were attracted to Codrington because we were looking for the kind of liberal and progressive education that the institution offers. Codrington also provided us with a much needed support platform for our children who left their country for the first time and had to start school in a new language. The kids had a smooth start in Barbados and academically speaking we can see that they are stimulated, they have acquired new skills and are flourishing in the environment that the school offers.
Our family was and remains attracted to The Codrington School, because the style of teaching suits our daughter’s style of learning, the school promotes diversity, as more than 30 different countries are represented, and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. The philosophy of the International Baccalaureate Program continues to appeal to us, as the learner profile is rooted in most, if not all, subjects, and the inquiry based foundation enables the students, including our 11 year old daughter, to not only think outside the box, but sometimes think outside the room the box is in. We believe the hands-on approach connects our daughter’s discovery and learning to everyday life situations. This is an invaluable application in our view. Additionally, the class sizes are managed, which fosters favorable student teacher ratios. Our daughter maintains a positive attitude about Codrington, including her teachers, classmates, and the staff. She enjoys going to school, and has found some of her closest friends there. As parents, we have also developed some wonderful relationships with other families and staff members. We embrace these personal connections, knowing the important role they play in our family’s life. Even though Codrington rests on a beautiful setting in the midst of whispering pines overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the draw of the school is much more about the people, than the place. We count ourselves blessed to be part of the Codrington family.
