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IB Programmes and Certificates
The IB offers a continuum of education, consisting of
three individual programmes and the IB Careerrelated
Certificate (IBCC). They span the years from
kindergarten to a pre-university diploma. The IB
continuum, for students aged 3 to 19, promotes the
education of the whole person, emphasizing
intellectual, personal, emotional and social growth
both in the classroom and the world outside. The IB’s
philosophy about the nature of a continuum of
international education is expressed in its mission
statement and in the IB learner profile.
The three IB programmes
The three IB programmes share a common philosophy
and common characteristics. They provide a broad and
balanced education that includes science and the
humanities, languages and mathematics, technology
and the arts. The programmes teach students to think
critically, and encourage them to draw connections
between areas of knowledge and to use problem-solving
techniques and concepts from many disciplines. They
instil in students a sense of responsibility towards
others and towards the environment. Lastly, and
perhaps most importantly, the programmes give
students an awareness and understanding of their own
culture and of other cultures, values and ways of life.
All three programmes:
• have a strong international dimension
• draw on content from educational cultures around
the world
• require study across a broad range of subjects
• include both individual subjects and
transdisciplinary areas
• give special emphasis to learning languages
• focus on developing the skills of learning
• provide opportunities for individual and
collaborative planning and research
• encourage students to become responsible
members of their community.
IB programmes include:
• a written curriculum or curriculum framework
• student assessment appropriate to the age range
• professional development and networking
opportunities for teachers
• support, authorization and programme evaluation
for the school.
The IB Primary Years Programme
The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), for students
aged 3 to 12, focuses on the development of the whole
child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the
world outside. It is a framework consisting of five
essential elements (concepts, knowledge, skills,
attitude, action) and guided by six transdisciplinary
themes of global significance, explored using
knowledge and skills derived from six subject areas
(language, social studies, mathematics, science and
technology, arts, personal, social and physical
education) with a powerful emphasis on inquiry-based
learning.
The most significant and distinctive feature of the PYP
is the six transdisciplinary themes. These themes are
about issues that have meaning for, and are important
to, all of us. The programme offers a balance between
learning about or through the subject areas, and
learning beyond them. The six themes of global
significance create a transdisciplinary framework that
allows students to ‘step up’ beyond the confines of
learning within subject areas:
• Who we are
• Where we are in place and time
• How we express ourselves
• How the world works
• How we organize ourselves
• Sharing the planet
The PYP exhibition is the culminating activity of the
programme. It requires students to analyze and
propose solutions to real-world issues, drawing on
what they have learned through the programme.
Evidence of student development and records of PYP
exhibitions are reviewed by the IB as part of the
programme evaluation process.
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