International Primary Curriculum

International education curriculum

International Primary CurriculumAbbreviation| IPC

|

Parent organisation

| International Curriculum Association
Website| www.internationalcurriculum.com

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]

## 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:

* Art
* Design technology and Innovation
* Geography
* Health and Wellbeing
* History
* ICT and Computing
* Language Arts
* Mathematics
* Music
* Physical education
* Science

## 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.