International Primary Curriculum

The International Primary Curriculum (IPC) is an independent programme of education for learners aged 5 to 11, cited by The SAGE Handbook of Research in International Education in 2015 as one of the three major international systems of education[1] and one of two identified programmes specifically with international education objectives.[2] The IPC forms part of a continuum of curricula, including the International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC) and the International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC), and was identified as forming a key part of the rise in international education.[3][4][5][6]

International Primary Curriculum
AbbreviationIPC
Parent organisation
International Curriculum Association
Websitewww.internationalcurriculum.com

History

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The curriculum was developed in the late 1990s[7] by a group of international school educators and the support of Shell Oil's international education division[8] and was launched as a standalone international curriculum in 2000.

Curriculum design

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From the IPC Curriculum Guide (2020), the design of the IPC cites 7 foundations that present the curriculum as a holistic programme of education for 5-11 year-olds, separated into three 'mileposts' (5–6 years old, 7–9 years old, and 10–11 years old). The 7 foundations are listed as:[9]

  • Learner-focused Personal, International and Subject Learning Goals
  • A Progressive Pedagogy
  • A Process to Facilitate Learning for All
  • Globally Competent Learners
  • Knowledge, Skills and Understanding are taught, learned and assessed differently
  • Connected Learning
  • Assessment for Improving Learning

Thematic units of learning

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The IPC is presented to schools through a number of thematic units of learning, which bring together the learning of multiple subjects associated with that theme over a 3, 6 or 9 week period. All the units follow the same Process to Facilitate Learning, which has the following stages:

  • Entry Point
  • Knowledge Harvest
  • Explaining the Theme
  • Research, Record and Reflect activities
  • Exit Point

Personal learning goals

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The 8 Personal Learning Goals of the IPC are to become:

  • Adaptable
  • (a) Communicator
  • (a) Collaborator
  • Empathetic
  • Ethical
  • Resilient
  • Respectful
  • (a) Thinker[10]

Subject learning goals

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The subjects included in the IPC subject learning goals are:

Use in schools around the world

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As of 2021, the IPC is used by over 1,000 international schools in over 90 countries.[11]

References

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  1. ^ Book: Hayden, M., Levy, J. & Thompson, J. (2015) The SAGE handbook of research in International Education. London: SAGE Publications Ltd, 2015.
  2. ^ Book: Walker, G., Hayden, M. & Thompson, J. (2002) Criteria for curriculum continuity in international education. London: Routledge, 2002. Chapter 1: Drennen, H. Criteria for curriculum continuity in international education
  3. ^ Book: International Education and Schools: Moving Beyond the First 40 Years. Hayden, M., and Thompson, J. (2013)
  4. ^ Journal: Hayden, M., and Thompson, J. (2013) UNESCO: International Institute for Educational Planning. International schools: growth and influence. Fundamentals of Educational Planning. Vol 92.
  5. ^ Journal: Bunnell, T. (2010) Journal of Curriculum Studies. Volume 42, Issue 4. The momentum behind the International Primary Curriculum in schools in England. Pages 471-486.
  6. ^ Book: Taking the IPC Forward - Engaging with the International Primary Curriculum. Ed. Hayden, M., and Thompson, J. (2012)
  7. ^ Book: Hayden, M., Levy, J. & Thompson, J. (2015) The SAGE handbook of research in International Education. London: SAGE Publications Ltd, 2015, p. 95.
  8. ^ Book: Taking the IPC Forward - Engaging with the International Primary Curriculum. Ed. Hayden, M., and Thompson, J. (2012)
  9. ^ Resources: IPC Curriculum Guide. Fieldwork Education. (2020)
  10. ^ Resources: IPC Curriculum Guide. Fieldwork Education. (2020)
  11. ^ Crystal (2021-07-29). "About". Fieldwork Education. Retrieved 2021-07-29.