The Primary Years Programme (PYP) is a student-centred, inquiry-based approach to learning that nurtures curiosity and helps children build strong knowledge, understanding and skills. Through meaningful, transdisciplinary learning, students make connections across subjects and between their learning and the world around them. They are encouraged to ask questions, think deeply, take action and grow as confident, caring and independent learners.
At ISH, the PYP provides a learning journey from our 4-year-old Early Years programme and goes to 10-11 year olds in Grade 5.
ISH is a licensed Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) provider in Finland. Our Early Years programme brings together the Finnish Early Childhood Education and Care Curriculum and the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), creating a learning experience grounded in both Finnish ECEC principles and the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) approach to early years education. Our highly qualified Early Years teachers are trained in both frameworks.
The PYP curriculum is listed below by grade level. If you click the link you can see an overview of the programme of study. These overviews include grade level Units of Inquiry, Maths and Language as well as the specialist subjects Art, Design, Music, PE, Finnish Language and Literature, Finnish Acquisition, French Acquisition, Technology and Library.
The International School of Helsinki is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. The International Baccalaureate® (IB) offers high quality programmes of international education to a worldwide community of schools. There are over 4,000 IB schools in 145 countries. You will find more IB world school statistics from here.
ISH became Finland’s first fully IB accredited school in 2005. Our three IB programmes – PYP; MYP and DP – meet the needs of a wide range of nationalities of students. The programmes focus on the development of the skills, attitudes, confidence and responsibility that enable our students to succeed in the next national or international school.
Our IB programmes are driven by a student-centered and inquiry-based educational philosophy. We want our students to develop independent thinking, to explore the world with curiosity and to express themselves creatively.
At ISH, student empowerment is the first big idea in our vision statement. This idea is based on the understanding that learning is more effective when students can shape the process. We all have distinct learning speeds and styles. Simply put, if a student is developing understanding, then they need to able to ask the next question that makes sense to them at a time when they are ready. Genuine inquiry-based education is driven forward by student inspiration and excitement. Therefore, the best schools are fully engaged with individualising learning. At ISH, we truly believe that each student is unique and we try to get the best out of each learner.
The language of instruction is English. Spanish, French and Finnish as a Foreign language, as well as Finnish Mother Tongue, are offered. The English as an Additional Language (EAL) programme provides support for identified students.
