Primary Years Programme (PYP) at True Colors Delft

The IB PYP helps PYP baccalaureate helps prepare children to be independent and confident for when they go out into the world. The aim is to encourage children to look at the world with an open mind, with respect for each other, for our natural environment and everything in it.

Core principles
The PYP is built on core principles that guide its approach to learning and teaching young children:

• Transdisciplinary: The curriculum integrates multiple subject areas, encouraging children to make connections across different disciplines.
• Conceptual: The PYP asks children to focus on big ideas that transcend traditional subject boundaries.
• Inquiry-based: Children are stimulated to ask questions and explore topics in greater depth.

The core principles of the PYP form the foundation on which we base our approach to childcare at True Colors.

Essential elements
The PYP framework includes a number of essential elements:

• Learner profile: This describes the skills that children work on developing, for example being inquisitive, open-minded, principled, risk-takers, thinkers, balanced, communicators, reflective, informed and caring.
• Key concepts: These are the fundamental ideas that drive the curriculum and help children develop a deeper understanding of the world.
• Agency: This term is used to explain the way children are empowered to take ownership of their own learning process.
• Action: Children are encouraged to apply their learning in meaningful ways.
• Approaches to learning: Children develop the skills they need to become effective learners.

Curriculum themes
The PYP curriculum is organised around themes, which provide a framework for learning that is both broad and deep. The themes enable children to explore complex ideas and develop a well-rounded understanding of the world. The six overarching themes of the PYP are:

• Who we are
• Where we are in place and time
• How we express ourselves
• How the world works
• How we organise ourselves
• Together in the world

At True Colors, we spend 10 weeks on each theme and set goals that we work towards for each  theme.

Shaping the learning process together with the child
The PYP also emphasises the notion of ‘student agency’. This refers to a child’s ability to take initiative, make choices, and have ownership of their learning process. In practice, this means that teachers and children work together to shape the content of the curriculum. Core objectives are integrated into the curriculum, and there is minimal reliance on textbooks. This promotes a more dynamic and interactive learning environment.

Based on the goals for each theme, we offer the children different activities according to their age and interests.

Skills
During their development, children work on different skills, which the PYP differentiates as follows:

• Social skills: Children learn to work together, resolve conflicts and respect each other.
• Communication skills: Children expand their vocabulary, listen to each other, use non-verbal communication and can express their ideas and feelings.
• Self-management skills: Children work on their gross and fine motor skills. They learn to organise, and to follow and recognise routines.
• Research and thinking skills: Children learn to solve problems, formulate questions, observe and analyse.

Because children with social skills become more confident and feel safer in the group, at True Colors we encourage interaction between children of different ages and groups. Children learn through the routines we have in place. We encourage them do as much as possible on their own and we acknowledge when they succeed. This approach helps them acquire valuable self-management skills as well as boosting their self-confidence and sense of security.

The Key Concepts of the PYP

The PYP and True Colors childcare
The fundamental aim of the PYP is to develop internationally minded students who are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need in order to thrive in a globalised world. At True Colors, this aim forms the essence of our vision. This is why we apply the various aspects of PYP in our methodology and in our day-to-day interactions with our children, their parents/guardians and others involved in their upbringing.