Primary Years Programme

MBC is proud to be an authorised International Baccalaureate (IB) World School which offers the Primary Years Programme (PYP). This is an internationally accredited education programme which focuses on academic development and progress alongside social, physical, emotional and cultural needs in a rapidly globalising community.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme

The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme is a curriculum framework designed for students aged 3 to 12. It prepares students for the intellectual challenges of further education and their future careers, focusing on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world outside. The PYP is based on a transdisciplinary approach to learning and aims to develop lifelong learners who are internationally minded.

The programme promotes inquiry-based learning as the vehicle for developing deep conceptual understanding, the acquisition of essential knowledge and skills and the taking of responsible action. It seeks to develop the whole person (a students' academic, social and emotional wellbeing) by engaging children in issues of local and global significance.

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IB mission statement

IB mission statement

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

To this end the organisation works with schools, governments and international organisations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

© International Baccalaureate Organization

International mindedness

Through the provision of a stimulating, secure and supportive learning environment based on Christian principles and beliefs, Moreton Bay College aims to encourage each girl in the Primary School to be:

Inquirers
Knowledgeable
Thinkers
Communicators
Principled
Open-minded
Caring
Risk-takers (courageous)
Balanced
Reflective

Inquirers

We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. We know how to learn independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life.

Knowledgeable

We develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines. We engage with issues and ideas that have local and global significance.

Thinkers

We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicators

We express ourselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. We collaborate effectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups.

Principled

We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.

Open-minded

We critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience.

Caring

We show empathy, compassion and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.

Risk-takers (courageous)

We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.

Balanced

We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives - intellectual, physical, and emotional - to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognise our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.

Reflective

We thoughtfully consider the world and our own ideas and experience. We work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development.

Teaching and learning

There are six transdisciplinary themes that are considered essential in the context of a programme of international education. Students inquire into, and learn about, these globally significant issues in the context of Units of Inquiry, each of which addresses a central idea relevant to a particular transdisciplinary theme.

Who we are
Where we are in place and time
How we express ourselves
How the world works
How we organise ourselves
Sharing the planet

Who we are

An exploration of the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.

Where we are in place and time

An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind; the relationships between interconnectedness of individuals and civilisations from local and global perspectives.

How we express ourselves

An inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express, ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic. 

How the world works

An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.

How we organise ourselves

An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organisations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.

Sharing the planet

An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living things; communities and the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.

Student agency and action

Student agency and action

Agency is the power to take meaningful and intentional action, and acknowledges the rights and responsibilities of the individual, supporting voice, choice and ownership for everyone in the community.

As a part of the PYP, students are encouraged to take authentic and meaningful action through such avenues as:

  • Participation – contributing as an individual or group
  • Advocacy – action to support social, environmental or political change
  • Social Justice – action relating to rights, equality and social well-being
  • Social Entrepreneurship – innovative, resourceful and sustainable change
  • Lifestyle Choices- action relating to consumption and impact of choice

An event not to miss

An event not to miss

The PYP Exhibition in Year 6 is a pivotal experience for our students. Under the guidance of their teacher and a mentor, each girl undertakes an inquiry into an area of their choice under the selected transdisciplinary theme. This major assessment piece has a strong emphasis on synthesising all the elements of the programme. At the PYP Exhibition night, the girls present the findings of their Exhibition inquiry to family, friends and the wider community.