IB Primary Years Programme
Welcome to the Primary School section of the International Community School website. Our Primary School (3-11 years) is located in a tranquil setting in Regent’s Park. The children follow the IB Primary Years Programme where traditional subjects are integrated to support inquiry and learning in meaningful contexts. We encourage our children to have a positive attitude to learning and emphasise the intellectual, physical, personal and social development of the child.
We have high expectations for all our students and aim to provide broad and enriching learning experiences through a stimulating environment. When new students join the school, teachers always take the time to understand the individual child and to help them recognise their learning preferences, their areas of strength and areas for development. It is vital that we understand what each child enjoys and what motivates them, so that the educational programme is personalised to reflect these aspects. Our inclusive setting also enables us to offer structured learning.
At ICS we are skilled at working with an international community and the range of English language abilities present in our student body – from fluent, native English speakers, to students for whom English may be their second or third language,to English-language beginners. Students for whom English is an additional language (EAL students) are supported at different levels and in a variety of ways so that they can maximize their learning and participate in all aspects of school life.
The Primary Years Foundation Programme (PYF) supports students whose English skills restrict their ability to independently participate in the mainstream classes of IB PYP 5 and IB PYP 6. PYF students are taught in a pull-out PYF class, and some mainstream classes, to increase their proficiency in English to a point where they can begin to access the full IB curriculum at the Primary Years level. All PYF students are fully integrated members of the Primary School community at ICS.
Primary Years Foundation is a flexible programme, designed to help each individual learner develop essential communication skills in English and become familiar with ICS culture and expectations. Key to this approach is our desire to build on a student’s strengths and interests, skills and abilities. PYF students receive the majority of their education within the pullout PYF class and join their year group for Maths, Music, Physical Education, Foreign Language (Spanish or Mandarin) and break times.
In PYF classes, teachers raise awareness of vocabulary and grammar while focusing on the skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening. Specialized instructional materials, activities, excursions, and artwork help develop both conversational English and academic language.
When a PYF student transitions to the mainstream programmes she/he continues to receive support with their English language learning. This support addresses the individual needs of students through team-teaching, work with small groups, and individualized sessions with students. Teachers work with EAL students on the language, skills and concepts necessary for full participation in mainstream class. Whenever possible, the content of the mainstream is used as the context for learning so that students concurrently progress in their English language and grade-level subject matter.
Our success with students in the Primary Years Foundation programme shows that we can facilitate a smooth transition to meaningful inclusion in the mainstream by virtue of the support offered by our English language specialists. While progress rates are unique to each student, the PYF programme moves students gradually and with support into their year group and to the full curriculum as soon as possible; most PYF students become proficient users of English conversational language within the first year at our school. Full mastery of academic language can take additional years to acquire; at ICS we continue to provide language support to this end from both EAL and classroom teachers. Individual cases are reviewed regularly by specialist and mainstream teachers and support programmes changed accordingly.
At ICS, we promote the mastery of English language whilst still promoting and facilitating the maintenance of a student’s home language. We encourage parents to continue to use and develop their child’s mother tongue because we recognize that children’s acquisition of a second language builds on the skills and concepts they have acquired through their first language.
