Pyp Handbook

THE PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME (PYP)
CURRICULUM HANDBOOK 2019-2020
IB code: 050390
Table of Contents
Who we are 02
International Baccalaureate 07
The IB Continuum at Neev 10
The Primary Years Programme 12

- PYP curriculum Framework 12
- Elements of the PYP Framework 15
- Inquiry in the PYP 22
- Subject Area of the PYP 25
- Assessment in the PYP 31
PYP at Neev 36
- Our Learning Journey 44
- Neev after school activities 45
- Neev continuum 47
- Image of the child 48
- Academic Honesty 49
References 50
Who we are
Vision
Reimagining education for a changing India
Mission
Building knowledge, self-awareness and relationships with people and the environment, to lead
happy, healthy, impactful lives.
Core Values
GRIT, HONOR & GRACE
02 The Primary Years Programme

Founder’s Note
Building knowledge, self-awareness and relationships with people

and the environment to seek happy, healthy, impactful lives. I believe
in equality of opportunity – and the only route to it is finally through
great education. When Gandhi came back from South Africa in 1915,
Gokhale told him to “Make India proud of herself”. I find solace in the
thought that Neev students will complete what Gokhale and Gandhi
started. I hope to create academic institutions that remain true to our
mission and values and outlast me, my generation, and many others;
schools where Neev alumni are proud to send their great grandchildren
to, for an education that continues to stand for excellence forever.
Neev Academy is an intellectually challenging, creatively vibrant, and
diverse community of children and teachers set up to meet the needs
of a changing India with the return of city center schools where children don’t have long commutes.
It is a school that moves beyond either/ or, achieving academic excellence through building critical
thinking skills and nurturing socio-emotional development, developing engaged learners who aim
to be thought leaders. We recognize that what has helped some of us succeed, will not meet
the needs of our children in a rapidly globalizing world, where value moves from resources to
knowledge to ideas; a world where joining the dots is as essential as the strength of those dots.
Our mission is a living statement that we embed into practice through curriculum, learning culture,
travel, sports, the arts, the sciences and much else, learning from the world around and building
towards the world we want to live in, building the core values of Grit, Honor and Grace. Our goals
come alive in best practices, contemporary educational experience, which is fun, challenging,
creative and collaborative while making space for individual excellence. Do join us on this learning
journey.
Kavita Gupta Sabharwal

Founder & Head of School
“Be the change you wish to see in the world” – Mahatma Gandhi

From the Desk of the Head of Primary School
Dear Parents,
John Dewey stated, “We do not learn from experience … we learn
from reflecting on experience.”
Being reflective to our own learning and experiences enables to

assess and understand our strengths and challenges in order to
support learning. Through reflection we gain new knowledge, to further
think about ourselves, our environment, and how we can contribute to
enrich our lives. To endeavour this, we need to have the right mindset
and skill set. The mindset is a set of beliefs that motivate us and is
often what needs to be in place in order to develop new skill sets.
To cultivate growth mindset is important to create a balanced learning

ecosystem in which teachers work together in collaboration with students. An environment that
creates lifelong learners within the school community, who are enthusiastic about learning and
take responsibility for their learning. Developing an ecosystem in which we value diversity and
recognising that different people bring different perspective, ideas, knowledge and culture; and
that differences bring great strength to our school community.
The PYP program challenges every individual student and nurtures academic rigour that’s develops
a growth mindset. Our program supports the views that students learn best when the learning is
authentic, transdisciplinary, and relevant to the real world; where the learning is not confined within
the boundaries of traditional subject areas but is supported and enriched by them. Experiential
learning is an integral part of our curriculum that nurtures the passion for learning, leaving students
to explore and understand concepts and build knowledge. The curriculum is spiralling and aligned
vertically and horizontally, where learning is spread over time focusing on learning from the past
while reimagining and remaining open to future innovations.
It’s a joy to be part of this organisation that aims to promote academic excellence, personal integrity
and responsible citizenship.
Shanthi Raghunath
PYP Head
Neev Academy

Our Leadership and
Administration team
Tom Peter states, “Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.”
I believe, building leadership in all areas will lead us to successfully achieve our
vision - “Reimagining Education in a changing India”Focusing on individual’s
strength, valuing their expertise first, builds a relationship with each individual
pushing them to be better everyday. It’s also important to build, open and
transparent environment by providing opportunities to collaborate and bring in
different voices to continuously learn and grow.
In short my philosophy is, building relationship, developing leadership and creating a hub for
learning, for the whole Neev community”.
Shanthi Raghunath
Neev, a dynamic and energetic learning environment is designed to enhance

the childís innate sense of curiosity and creativity. As an authorized PYP school,
we earnestly strive to meet the unique needs of students learning with the spirit
of inquiry.
The Neev PYP is designed, keeping these goals in mind. We are continuously
striving to implement and adhere to the principles laid out by the IB PYP. We
work on developing the studentsí academic, social and emotional well-being.
We focus on inculcating international-mindedness and strong and personal values in our students.
We strongly believe that students must deeply internalize the belief that learning is a lifetime journey
and that it is much more than mere accumulation of facts and figures.
The school has excellent infrastructure with thoughtfully created spaces. We believe that this
provides our children ample room to explore their creativity and express themselves.
I look forward to welcoming you into our community and earnestly hope that you personally
experience the happiness, warmth and the joy of learning and discovery
Soumya Anil Venkatram - PYP Coordinator
“As a School Administrator I am committed to maintaining a clean and green

environment in the School Campus to bring in social consciousness that promote
healthy and safety of students, teachers and the whole school community”.
Hari Krishna Paidi Lakshmaiah - Head of Administration

“Our teaching philosophy aims at helping students deal with rigor and learning
to collaborate, discovering a lifelong love of learning. This innovative program
is grounded in contemporary educational research, through individualized
education enabling academic excellence and confidence in students. Our
leaders of tomorrow deserve to be on an equal footing in the global sphere. The
transaction of the curriculum through transdisciplinary approach, inquiry based
learning equips students with self confidence, diverse knowledge and necessary
creative skills to tackle challenges and be effective communicators.as they seek admission in any
course of their choice. The role also allows me to use my people skills to understand the feedback,
concerns and suggestions of parents and help build the trust to strengthen their belief and trust in
the philosophy of the institution.
Aparna Singh - Head of Enrolment and Parent Engagement

International
Baccalaureate
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
respectTo this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations
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 Mindedness
International-mindedness is a view of the world in which people see themselves connected to the
global community and assume a sense of responsibility towards its members. The learner profile
and approaches to learning provide the dispositions and foundational skills for the development and
demonstration of international-mindedness. The learning community envisions, creates, articulates,
and models a culture of international- mindedness. An internationally minded learner takes action
for positive change.
The learner profile attributes and the approaches to learning (ATL) provide the foundational skills
and dispositions for the development of international-mindedness. An internationally minded learner:
• is a competent communicator
• is open-minded and knowledgeable
• is a caring and principled thinker
• uses his or her curiosity and research skills to inquire about the world
• thinks and reflects critically about opportunities and challenges
• takes action for positive changes (for example, to promote intercultural understanding, foster
caring relationships, to care for self and others)
• takes risks to further self-develop and understand others.

International mindedness and intercultural understanding hold a prominent place at Neev. The
attributes of the learner profile is meant to create international minded individuals who, through
their knowledge and understanding of concepts, ideas and issues of local and global significance,
recognise “our common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet”. This entails understanding
and appreciating one’s own culture and personal histories and being open to the perspectives,
values and traditions of other individuals and communities. At Neev Academy, this finds expression
not only in the general ethos of the school environment, but also in its concentrated exploration in
academic studies, field trips and discussions. School-wide reading programs, literature festivals,
language day celebrations and a carefully curated CAS program help widen the Neev child’s
worldview so that they become true connoisseurs of variety and diversity.

Learner Profile
IB learners strive to be :
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, 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
the world around us.
Risk-takers 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 recognize 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.

The IB Continuum at Neev
(PYP, MYP and DP)
The IB continuum of international education for 3 –19 year olds is unique because of its academic
and personal rigour. It challenges students to excel in their studies and in their personal growth.
They aim to inspire a quest for learning throughout life that is marked by enthusiasm and empathy.
The IB aspires to help schools develop well rounded students with character: students who
can respond to challenges with optimism and an open-mind; student’s confident in their own
identities; students who make ethical decisions; students who join with others in celebrating our
common humanity; students who are prepared to apply what they learn in real world, complex and
unpredictable situations.
The IB offers high-quality programmes of international education that share a powerful vision.
Neev Academy is authorised by the IB to offer the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma
Programme.
Programme Year of inception Offered at

by IB Neev Academy
1997 Yes
1994 Yes
1968 Yes

Facilitating the Transition
Among IB Programmes
The diagram below is taken from Towards a Continuum of International Education (September
2008). This diagram outlines the key features of the three IB programmes.
IB MISSION STATEMENT
IB LEARNER PROFILE
PYP MYP DP
Nature Framework Framework Prescribed curriculum
Inclusive Inclusive Aimed at preparing
students for higher
education
Structure Transdiciplinary Organised around Organised around

units of Inquiry disciplines and disciplines with theory of
interdisciplinary global knowledge connecting
contexts the disciplines
How is the Internal assessments of Internal assessment External moderation

programme all aspects of students based on subject of internally assessed
assessed learning specific criteria,school work and external
can opt for examinations
e Assessments
Learning to Transdiciplinary Approaches to learning Theory of knowledge

learn concepts and skills
Learning Action Service as action Creativity,

through activity and
experience service
Language Support for mother Support for Mother Support for Mother
learning tongue development tongue/best language tongue/best language
development development, school
(School’s additional
(students additional supported, self taught
language from age 5)
Acquisition) language A courses
(students additional
language B)
Culminating Exhibition Personal project Extended essay

experience
that
synthesizes
learning

The Primary Years Programme
(PYP )
The PYP Curriculum Framework

The PYP curriculum framework is uniquely adaptable to state and national standards. Guided by
six transdisciplinary themes of global significance, students deepen their learning by developing
their conceptual understandings; strengthening their knowledge and skills across and beyond
subject areas. The essential elements - knowledge, skills, concepts, dispositions and action are
intrinsically related and connected components of PYP that allows our schools to build relevant
curriculum that educate the whole child and make them life-long learners, these together with the
acquisition of the learner profile leads to the development of International mindedness.
An aim of the PYP is to create a transdisciplinary curriculum that is engaging, relevant, challenging
and significant for learners in the 3–12 age range. In developing a curriculum of international
education for primary school students, the PYP definition of curriculum is broad and inclusive. The
IB believes that:
• all students should be supported to participate in the programme to the fullest extent possible
• the school’s curriculum includes all those student activities, academic and non-academic, for
which the school takes responsibility, since they all have an impact on student learning.

A PYP school needs to demonstrate that all teaching and learning for which it is responsible is
seen as an interpretation of the PYP in action. The influence of the PYP is pervasive within a school
and has an explicit impact on all aspects of the functioning of the school community. The school
community needs to accept that the effect of the PYP will be systemic and all encompassing, so
that change takes place within the school for the betterment of all students. One of the aims of the
PYP is to ensure that students experience coherence in their learning, regardless of which teacher
has responsibility for them at any particular point in time.
At the heart of the PYP curriculum is “Agency” - where students have voice, choice and ownership
for their own learning. When students have agency, the relationship between the teacher and
students become a partnership. Students with a strong sense of self-efficacy bring a stronger
sense of agency to the learning community. The learning community supports agency and fosters
self-efficacy.
The PYP framework supports the symbiotic relationship between the learner, learning and teaching
and the learning community. Transdisciplinarity serves as an organizing principle for the written,
taught, and assessed curriculum within learning and teaching. The intended output of the PYP
framework and curriculum model is an educational experience that is coherent in all its aspects.

Connecting the learner
By design, the language and intent of the transdisciplinary themes encourage students to share
their voices and to explore their common ground collaboratively, from the multiple perspectives
of their individual experiences and backgrounds. This sharing of experience increases students’
awareness of, and sensitivity to, the experiences of others beyond the local or national community.
Unplanned and planned access to learning and content are now given the same status, hence
promoting learning that is more learner-centric and more accessible to them (Beane 1995). In
highlighting the importance of student voice, the PYP transdisciplinary model upholds the belief
that students are better served when we support knowledge as a socially constructed process
rather than an end goal, fixed and universal
Connecting learning and teaching

By design, PYP inquiry and concept-based learning align neatly with, and contribute to, the
transdisciplinary model. Supported by the subject scope and sequence guidance and the key
programme elements, the transdisciplinary themes provide the means for students and members
of the learning community to engage in genuine dialogues. Emerging through the inquiry process,
these dialogues bridge subject knowledge and individual and collective experiences to articulate
new visions and solutions for a more peaceful world. Specifically, students and teachers engage
with:
• the programme of inquiry—the structure that articulates loosely what, when and how to explore
the transdisciplinary themes from 3–12 years
• concepts that have relevance across, between and beyond the subjects and that connect a
wideranging knowledge to arrive at conceptual understandings
• the approaches to learning and approaches to teaching that are crucial for exploring subject
knowledge in context with the transdisciplinary themes
• the opportunities to reflect and take action to enhance individual and collective understanding
and learning or to address local and/or global challenges.
Connecting the learning community

The value of transdisciplinary learning is the integration of knowledge and experiences from
different participants, disciplines and perspectives, and not merely those of any single individual.
Transdisciplinarity calls for a collaborative, community-based approach to resolving issues, and
to considering opportunities centred on common themes. Transdisciplinary learning is about the
human subject, namely students, teachers, members of the wider learning community and the
“emotional relations between them and the object of knowing …”
Many of the transdisciplinary themes, such as “Sharing the planet”, “Where we are in place and
time” and “How we express ourselves”, signal a shared responsibility and invite communities to act
based on collectively shared values and norms. Through the learning community, the PYP connects
with the heritages of the host countries and with the principles of human development on which it is
based. This sense and role of community in learning and teaching is a universal asset, particularly
towards developing internationally minded individuals.

Elements of the PYP framework
A transdisciplinary education, allows us to establish links between persons, facts, images,

representations, fields of knowledge and action and to discover the learning during our entire
life. Organized around transdisciplinary themes of personal and societal significance, explored
collaboratively by the students and teachers, and supported by the learning community and
rigorous approaches to learning and approaches to teaching, the PYP framework:
• inspires a coherent educational experience that is broad, balanced and holistic
• incorporates the needs and developmental stages of students
• considers the knowledge, conceptual understandings, skills and dispositions students need to
engage in a changing world
• embraces the principles of an equitable education.
In the PYP a balance is sought between acquisition of essential knowledge and skills, development
of conceptual understanding, demonstration of the dispositions, and taking of responsible action.
In terms of achieving this balance, the essential elements of the curriculum are emphasized. They
are shown in the figure below.

Knowledge: what do we want our students to know
“To be truly educated, a student must also make connections across the disciplines, discover ways
to integrate the separate subjects, and ultimately relate what they learn to life” (Boyer 1995). Ernest
Boyer proposed that students explore a set of themes that represents shared human experiences
such as “response to the aesthetic” and “membership in groups”. He referred to these as “core
commonalities”. Boyer’s work has been seminal to the development of the PYP. Debate and
discussion, representing multiple perspectives, about this idea of human commonalities has led
to the selection of six transdisciplinary themes that are considered essential in the context of a
programme of international education. These themes:
• have global significance – for all students in all cultures
• offer students the opportunity to explore the commonalities of human experience
• are supported by knowledge, concepts and skills from the traditional subject areas but utilize them
in ways that transcend the confines of these subjects, thereby contributing to a transdisciplinary
model of teaching and learning
• will be revisited throughout the students’ years of schooling, so that the end result is immersion
in broad-ranging, in-depth, articulated curriculum content
• contribute to the common ground that unifies the curriculum in all PYP schools.
The transdisciplinary themes are cognitively and developmentally appropriate for young
learners because they have enduring importance, and children can identify with them. The PYP
themes are broad in scope and timeless by nature. Children do not come to school knowing the
departmentalization of disciplines because their daily lives are not compartmentalized. Therefore,
subject delineation is neither necessary nor natural. Even as subject-specific teachers at PYP
schools extend their support for students transitioning to interdisciplinary and disciplinary thinking
in the next stage of education in the MYP or other programmes, students will be best served by
adopting the habits and methods of a disciplinary thinker within the broader transdisciplinary themes
PYP transdisciplinary themes
Who we are
An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, 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 and the
interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, form 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 bioogical) 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 organize ourselves
An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure
and function of organizations; 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.
These units collectively constitute the school’s Programme of Inquiry (POI), The transdisciplinary
themes provide a basis for much discussion and interpretation within a school, and allow for both
local and global perspectives to be explored in the units.
Concepts: what do we want students to understand?

Central to the philosophy of the PYP is the principle that purposeful, structured inquiry is a powerful
vehicle for learning that promotes meaning and understanding, and challenges students to engage
with significant ideas. Hence in the PYP there is also a commitment to a concept-driven curriculum
as a means of supporting that inquiry.
The decision to structure the PYP curriculum around important concepts is driven by the following
beliefs.
• Education for the understanding of significant ideas has often been sacrificed for the memorization
of isolated facts and the mastery of skills out of context. The expansion of the curriculum and
the pressure to cover the syllabus have resulted in many students leaving school with superficial
levels of understanding.
• By starting with the students’ prior knowledge, and by confronting and developing their earlier
conceptions and constructs, teachers can begin to promote real understanding.
• The exploration and re-exploration of concepts lead students towards an appreciation of ideas
that transcend disciplinary boundaries, as well as towards a sense of the essence of each subject
area. Students gradually work towards a deepening of their conceptual understanding as they
approach those concepts from a range of perspectives.

• Transdisciplinary units, where concepts are used to support and structure the inquiries, provide
a context in which students can understand and, at the same time, acquire essential knowledge,
skills and attitudes.
• A concept-driven curriculum helps the learner to construct meaning through improved critical
thinking and the transfer of knowledge.
• Transdisciplinary concepts increase coherence across the curriculum.
Key Concepts Understanding
Form What is it like?
Function How does it work?
Causation Why is it as it is?
Change How is it transforming?
Connection How is it linked to other things?
Perspective What are the points of view?
Responsibility What is our obligations?
Approaches to Learning (ATL) Skills: what do we want students to be able to do?

Approaches to learning (ATL) are an integral part of an IB education and complement the learner
profile, knowledge, conceptual understanding and inquiry. These skills are grounded in the belief
that learning how to learn is fundamental to a student’s education. Five categories of interrelated
skills aim to support students of all ages to become self-regulated learners who know how to ask
good questions, set effective goals and pursue their aspirations with the determination to achieve
them. These skills also help to support students’ sense of agency, encouraging them to see their
learning as an active and dynamic process.

However, the emphasis on the development of conceptual understanding does not preclude a
recognition of the importance of developing skills. The construction of meaning and, therefore, of
understanding is complemented by the students acquiring and applying a range of skills. These
skills are best developed in the context of authentic situations such as those offered through the
PYP units of inquiry.
When learning about and through the subject areas, students acquire the particular skills that define
the discipline of those subjects. the PYP position is that, in order to conduct purposeful inquiry and
in order to be well prepared for lifelong learning, students need to master a whole range of skills
beyond those normally referred to as basic. These include skills, relevant to all the subject areas
and also transcending them, needed to support fully the complexities of the lives of the students.
These ATL skills are valuable, not only in the units of inquiry, but also for any teaching and learning
that goes on within the classroom, and in life outside the school.
Categories Sub-skills
Thinking • Critical-thinking skills (analysing and evaluating issues and ideas)

• Creative-thinking skills (generating novel ideas and considering new
perspectives)
• Transfer skills (using skills and knowledge in multiple contexts)
• Reflection/metacognitive skills ((re)considering the process of learning)
Research • Information-literacy skills (formulating and planning, data gathering and

Skills recording, synthesizing and interpreting, evaluating and communicating)
• Media-literacy skills (interacting with media to use and create ideas and
information)
• Ethical use of media/information (understanding and applying social and
ethical technology)
Communication • Exchanging-information skills (listening, interpreting, speaking)

Skills • Literacy skills (reading, writing and using language to gather and
communicate information)
• ICT skills (using technology to gather, investigate and communicate
information)
Social skills • Developing positive interpersonal relationships and collaboration skills

(using self-control, managing setbacks, supporting peers)
• Developing social-emotional intelligence
Self- • Organization skills (managing time and tasks effectively)

management • States of mind (mindfulness, perseverance, emotional management,
skills self- motivation, resilience)

The IB’s ATL aim to support student agency and the development of cognitive and metacognitive
skills and dispositions so that students view learning as something that they “do for themselves
in a proactive way, rather than as a covert event that happens to them in reaction to teaching”
(Zimmerman 2000: 65). Together, these ATL help students think, research, communicate, socialize
and manage themselves effectively.
Embedded within the ATL are digital literacy skills that can be an invaluable resource for
information gathering or processing, as well as for critical and creative thinking, communication
and collaboration.
By combining ATL and the attributes of the learner profile, PYP students become self-regulated
learners. Self-regulated learners are agents of their own learning. They know how to:
• set learning goals
• ask open-ended questions
• generate motivation and perseverance
• reflect on achievement
• try out different learning processes
• self-assess as they learn
• adjust their learning processes where necessary

Action: How do we want students to act?
Action is connected to agency, the learner profile and international-mindedness. Action is authentic,
meaningful and mindful. It is student-initiated and can be individual and collective. It can happen
at any time; it can be short or long term, revisited or ongoing. Action is supported by the learning
community.
In the PYP, it is believed that education must extend beyond the intellectual to include not only
socially responsible attitudes but also thoughtful and appropriate action. An explicit expectation of
the PYP is that successful inquiry will lead to responsible action, initiated by the student as a result
of the learning process. This action will extend the student’s learning, or it may have a wider social
impact, and will clearly look different within each age range. PYP schools can and should meet the
challenge of offering all learners the opportunity and the power to choose to act; to decide on their
actions; and to reflect on these actions in order to make a difference in and to the world.
Supporting action
Teachers and other members of the learning community can support student action by:
• acknowledging the various forms of action that occur
• helping students connect action with lived /personal experiences
• engaging students in dialogue around what action is
• analysing the scope of possibilities for action
• encouraging students to consider the appropriateness and impact of their actions
• guiding students to reflect on their actions and adjust their course of action when necessary
• planning for inquiry that supports making informed choices
• providing opportunities for skills development that facilitates action
• collaborating as needed, to plan and carry out action
• allotting time for students to apply their learning about action
• supporting students in establishing and maintaining connections to local and wider communities
by providing service learning opportunities, in response to need, such as volunteering.

Inquiry in the PYP
Inquiry, as the leading pedagogical approach of the Primary Years Programme (PYP) recognizes
students as being actively involved in their own learning and as taking responsibility for that learning.
PYP learning is approached with a spirit of inquiry. Drawing from the transdisciplinary themes and
students’ interests, inquiry is an authentic way for students to relate to, explore and understand the
world around them.
Inquiry is purposeful and authentic. It incorporates problem solving and supports students in
achieving personal and shared goals. Inquiry extends students’ learning when the exploration
of initial curiosity generates new questions and wonderings. By situating inquiry in meaningful
contexts, connections are made between personal experiences to local and global opportunities
and challenges.
Connecting passion with intention, the inquiry process builds capacity through student agency
where voice, choice and ownership feature strongly.
Through the inquiry process, students move from current understandings to new and deeper
understandings. This process involves:
• exploring, wondering and questioning
• experimenting and playing with possibilities
• making connections between previous learning and current learning
• making predictions and acting purposefully to see what happens
• collecting data and reporting findings
• clarifying existing ideas and reappraising perceptions of events
• applying concepts to deepen conceptual understandings
• researching and seeking information
• establishing and testing theories
• solving problems in a variety of ways
• taking and defending a position.

The learning community and inquiry
As inquiries in the PYP are based on human commonalities that have relevance to everyone in the
learning community and beyond, members of the wider community also play a meaningful role in
the inquiry process. There are multiple ways they can support student inquiries:
• serve as experts in a unit of inquiry
• serve as mentors in inquiries, such as the exhibition
• provide opportunities for students to take action through their organizations.
Family members can further support student inquiry by:

• talking about the inquiry being explored in class
• talking about the value of the inquiry process as well as learning goals
• encouraging interest and curiosity with learning activities at home
• encouraging and modelling communication skills
• browsing online content to support children in developing research skills
• encouraging children to share their inquiries with extended families or friends
• conducting open inquiries or building projects together.

Subject Areas of the PYP
Languages
The need to communicate is instinctive. The development of language is fundamental to that need
to communicate; it supports and enhances our thinking and understanding. Language permeates
the world in which we live; it is socially constructed and dependent on the number and nature of our
social interactions and relationships.
Language plays a vital role in the construction of meaning. It empowers the learner and provides
an intellectual framework to support conceptual development and critical thinking. In the PYP, it is
recognized that the teaching of language should be in response to the previous experience, needs
and interests of the student, rather than the consequence of a predetermined, prescriptive model
for delivering language. Fragmenting learning into the acquisition of isolated skill sets can create
difficulties for learners
Language is the major connecting element across the curriculum. Therefore, in a PYP school the
focus is not only on language for its own sake, but also on its application across the subject areas
and throughout the transdisciplinary programme of inquiry. It also facilitates connections with the
wider community.
Receptive – receiving and Expressive – creating and sharing

Strand
constructing meaning meaning
Oral language Listening Speaking
Visual language Viewing Presenting
Written language Reading Writing
The Languages offered presently at Neev are:
LANGUAGE OPTIONS PYP
English Acquisition stage – Grades 1 to 5 (medium of instruction)
Hindi Acquisition stage – Grades 1 to 5 (2nd language option)
French Acquisition stage – Grades 1 to 5 (2nd language option)
Spanish Acquisition stage – Grades 1 to 5 (2nd language option)

Oral Language: Listening and Speaking
Oral language encompasses all aspects of listening and speaking – skills that are essential for
ongoing language development, for learning and for relating to others. Listening (the receptive
mode) and speaking (the expressive mode) work together in a transactional process between
listeners and speakers.
Visual Language: Viewing and Presenting

Viewing and presenting are fundamental processes that are historically and universally powerful
and significant. The receptive processes (viewing) and expressive processes (presenting) are
connected and allow for reciprocal growth in understanding; neither process has meaning except
in relation to the other.
Written Language
Reading: Children learn to read by reading. In order to develop lifelong reading habits, learners
need to have extended periods of time to read for pleasure, interest, and information, experiencing
an extensive range of quality fiction and non-fiction texts. As learners engage with interesting and
appealing texts, appropriate to their experiences and developmental phase, they acquire the skills,
strategies and conceptual understanding necessary to become competent, motivated, independent
readers.
Writing: Is a way of expressing ourselves. It is a personal act that grows and develops with the
individual. From the earliest lines and marks of young learners to the expression of mature writers,
it allows us to organize and communicate thoughts, ideas and information in a visible and tangible
way. Writing is primarily concerned with communicating meaning and intention. When children are
encouraged to express themselves and reveal their own “voice”, writing is a genuine expression of
the individual.
Math
In PYP mathematics is viewed primarily as a vehicle to support Inquiry, a global language through
which we make sense of the world around us. It is intended that students become competent users
of the language of mathematics and begin to use it as a way of thinking, as opposed to seeing it as
a series of facts and equations to be memorized. Mathematics is a highly effective tool for analyzing
and solving problems around us.
The math content is organized into five strands, they are:
• Data handling: Data handling allows us to make a summary of what we know about the world
and to make inferences about what we do not know.
• Measurement: To measure is to attach a number to a quantity using a chosen unit. Since the
attributes being measured are continuous, ways must be found to deal with quantities that fall
between numbers. It is important to know how accurate a measurement needs to be or can
ever be.

• Shape and Space: The regions, paths and boundaries of natural space can be described by
shape. An understanding of the interrelationships of shape allows us to interpret, understand
and appreciate our two-dimensional (2D) and three- dimensional (3D) world.
• Pattern and Function: To identify pattern is to begin to understand how mathematics applies to
the world in which we live. The repetitive features of patterns can be identified and described as
generalized rules called “functions”. This builds a foundation for the later study of algebra.
• Number: Our number system is a language for describing quantities and the relationships
between quantities. Numbers are used to interpret information, make decisions and solve
problems.
How children learn mathematics
Constructing Transferring
meaning meaning
Applying with
understanding
Science
The importance of science in an international curriculum is recognized as universal and transcends
the boundaries of gender, cultural, linguistic and national biases. The inclusion of science within
the curriculum develops an understanding of, and competence in using, the facilities of a rapidly
changing scientific and technological world while gaining a positive image of science and its
contribution to the quality of life today. It also involves the development of an appreciation for the
scientific contributions of people from various cultures and backgrounds.
Science is viewed as the exploration of the biological, chemical and physical aspects of the natural
world, and the relationships between them. Our understanding of science is constantly changing
and evolving. The knowledge component of science in the PYP is arranged into four strands
• Living things: The study of the characteristics, systems and behaviours of humans and other
animals, and of plants; the interactions and relationships between and among them, and with
their environment.
• Earth and space: The study of planet Earth and its position in the universe, particularly its
relationship with the sun; the natural phenomena and systems that shape the planet and the
distinctive features that identify it; the infinite and finite resources of the planet.

• Materials and matter: The study of the properties, behaviours and uses of materials, both natural
and human-made; the origins of human-made materials and how they are manipulated to suit a
purpose.
• Forces and energy: The study of the properties, behaviours and uses of materials, both natural
and human-made; the origins of human-made materials and how they are manipulated to suit a
purpose.
Social Studies
In the PYP, social studies is viewed as the study of people in relation to their past, their present
and their future, their environment and their society. Social studies encourages curiosity and
develops an understanding of a rapidly changing world. Through social studies, students develop
an understanding of their personal and cultural identities. They develop the skills and knowledge
needed to participate actively in their classroom, their school, their community and the world: to
understand themselves in relation to their communities.
Social studies guide students towards a deeper understanding of themselves and others, and of
their place in an increasingly global society. Learning social studies provides opportunities for
students to look at and think about human behaviour and activity realistically, objectively, and with
sensitivity. Exposure to and experience with social studies therefore opens doors to key questions
about life and learning.
In the PYP Social Studies is divided into 5 strands
• Human systems and economic activities: The study of how and why people construct
organizations and systems; the ways in which people connect locally and globally; the distribution
of power and authority.
• Social organization and culture: The study of people, communities, cultures and societies; the
ways in which individuals, groups and societies interact with each other.
• Continuity and change through time: The study of the relationships between people and
events through time; the past, its influences on the present and its implications for the future;
people who have shaped the future through their actions.
• Human and natural environments: The study of the distinctive features that give a place its
identity; how people adapt to and alter their environment; how people experience and represent
place; the impact of natural disasters on people and the built environment.
• Resources and the environment: The interaction between people and the environment; the
study of how humans allocate and manage resources; the positive and negative effects of this
management; the impact of scientific and technological developments on the environment.
PSPE
In the PYP, personal, social and physical education (PSPE) is concerned with the individual’s well-
being through the promotion and development of concepts, knowledge, attitudes and skills that
contribute to this well-being. Well-being is intrinsically linked to all aspects of a student’s experience
at school and beyond. It encompasses physical, emotional, cognitive, spiritual and social health
and development, and contributes to an understanding of self, to developing and maintaining
relationships with others, and to participation in an active, healthy lifestyle.

• Identity: An understanding of our own beliefs, values, attitudes, experiences and feelings and
how they shape us; the impact of cultural influences; the recognition of strengths, limitations and
challenges as well as the ability to cope successfully with situations of change and adversity;
how the learner’s concept of self and feelings of self-worth affect his or her approach to learning
and how he or she interacts with others.
• Active living: An understanding of the factors that contribute to developing and maintaining a
balanced, healthy lifestyle; the importance of regular physical activity; the body’s response to
exercise; the importance of developing basic motor skills; understanding and developing the
body’s potential for movement and expression; the importance of nutrition; understanding the
causes and possible prevention of ill health; the promotion of safety; rights and the responsibilities
we have to ourselves and others to promote well-being; making informed choices and evaluating
consequences, and taking action for healthy living now and in the future.
• Interactions: An understanding of how an individual interacts with other people, other living things
and the wider world; behaviours, rights and responsibilities of individuals in their relationships
with others, communities, society and the world around them; the awareness and understanding
of similarities and differences; an appreciation of the environment and an understanding of, and
commitment to, humankind’s responsibility as custodians of the Earth for future generations.
Physical Education
Age appropriate Physical Education programme
• Grade 1-3 - Fun/ action – acceptance, participation, connect with self and earth (Games, play)
• Grade 4-5 - Skill building, teams, moral values, develop and good human beings (Games, teams
moving to skills)
Physical activities:
• Fitness (All)
• Fundamental Movements (Grade -1-2)
• Adventure Activities (Grade - 1-2)
• Recreational Activities (Grade - 1-3)
Team sports:
• Basketball (Grade - 4-12)
• Football (Grade - 4-12)
Individual sports:
• Tennis (Grade - 4-12)
• Athletics (All)
• Table tennis (Grade - 4-12)
• Swimming [Grade - 3 (term2) -12]

The Arts
Arts are integral to the PYP. They are a powerful mode of communication through which students
explore and construct a sense of self and develop an understanding of the world around them. Arts
provide students with a wide range of opportunities and means to respond to their experiences
and engage with historical, social and cultural perspectives. The students are stimulated to think
and to articulate their thoughts in new ways, and through a variety of media and technologies. The
PYP recognizes that not all learning can be supported solely through language, and that arts as a
medium of inquiry also provide opportunities for learning, communication and expression. Learning
about and through arts is fundamental to the development of the whole child, promoting creativity,
critical thinking, problem-solving skills and social interactions.
In the PYP, arts are identified as dance, drama, music and visual arts. Each of these arts is a
significant discipline in its own right, but the transdisciplinary nature of arts gives them relevance
throughout the curriculum. Arts promote attitudes such as empathy and appreciation, and skills such
as analysis, that help us to see the uniqueness of each person as well as explore the commonalities
that connect us.
Drama
Drama explores how we express ourselves physically and vocally. In creating, students should
explore the use of facial expressions, gestures, movement, posture and vocal techniques to convey
emotional or cultural meaning to both characters and stories. It is important that students are
exposed to a variety of dramatic forms including creative movement, impersonation, improvisation,
mask work, mime, musical, role play, pantomime, puppetry, re-enactment, scripted drama, and skit.
In responding, students should experience a wide variety of scripts and stories from different times,
cultures and places and, where possible, access live theatre performances and presentations.
Students should have opportunities to present their creative work to an audience, to witness their
peers in performance and through this.
Music
Music is a part of everyday life. Listening to and performing music can be a social activity. The
development of listening skills, an important aspect of all learning, is constantly reinforced.
Teachers should be aware that music plays an important part in the language learning process.
Through songs and rhymes, students can hear patterns and develop a sense of the rhythm that
applies to languages. This can be especially apparent when learning a new language because the
meaning of the words is not necessarily understood, and so students concentrate on the rhythms
and patterns they hear.
Visual arts
The term “visual arts” is used to describe practices that have been more traditionally described
in education as “art, craft and design”. It is important that students are exposed to a broad range
of experiences that illustrate the field of visual arts, including architecture, bookmaking, ceramics,
collage, costume design, drawing, graphic design, film, illustration, industrial design, installation,
jewellery, land art, mask making, metalwork, painting, papermaking, performance art, photography,
printmaking, sculpture, set design, textiles and woodwork.

Assessment in the PYP
Assessment is integral to all teaching and learning. It is central to the PYP goal of thoughtfully and
effectively guiding students through the essential elements of learning: the acquisition of knowledge,
the understanding of concepts, the mastering of skills, the development of the dispositions and the
decision to take action. The prime objective of assessment in the PYP is to provide feedback on the
learning process.
Well-designed assessment is central to engaging students and should be closely aligned to the
outcomes within a stage. Effective assessment increases student engagement in their learning and
leads to enhanced student outcomes.
“What we have in common makes us human, how we differ makes us individuals” -
Carol Ann Tomlinson
There are generally several students in any classroom who are working at different levels, these
levels of readiness will vary between different subjects in school. It is important to offer students
learning tasks that are appropriate to their learning needs rather than just to the grade and subject
being taught. This means providing 3 or 4 different options for students in any given class. Readiness
(ability), learning styles and interest vary between students and even within an individual over time.
In a differentiated classroom all students have equally engaging learning tasks.
Assessments are:
• Authentic: It supports making connections to the real world to promote student engagement.
• Clear and specific: This includes desired learning goals, success criteria and the process
students use to learn
• Varied: It uses a wider range of tools and strategies that are fit for purpose in order to build a
well-rounded picture of student learning.
• Developmental: It focuses on an individual student’s progress rather than their performance in
relation to others.
• Collaborative: It engages both teachers and students in the assessment development and
evaluation process
• Interactive: Assessment encompasses ongoing and iterative dialogues about learning.
• Feedback to feedforward: It provides feedback on current learning to inform what is needed to
support future learning and raises students’ motivation.

What evidence of learning do we look for?
Assessment at Neev involves generation and collection of data and evidence as well as collaborative
analysis of this. As a PYP school, the key evidence of learning we focus on is Knowledge, Approaches
to learning Skills, Conceptual understanding, Learner Agency and Action, and demonstrating
Learner Profile Attributes.
How do we evidence the learning?

Assessment at Neev has four dimensions: monitoring, documenting, measuring and reporting
on learning. Each of these aspects has its own function, but all aim to provide evidence to inform
learning and teaching. Although the four dimensions of assessment are not weighted the same;
each dimension has its own importance and value. The emphasis is on monitoring and documenting
learning as these dimensions are critical in providing actionable feedback for the learner.
Why do we evidence the learning?

The purpose of assessment is to inform learning and teaching. It involves the gathering and analysis
of information about student learning to inform teaching practice. It identifies what students know,
understand and can do at different stages in the learning process.
Students become effective, self-regulated learners when they are actively engaged in assessment
and act on constructive feedback. This helps them reflect on their progress, set goals for their
learning and engages them in making decisions about what they need to do to achieve these goals.
Teachers become more effective when they continually learn about what students know and can
do. They reflect on their practice, adjust their teaching based on data, and offer timely, specific and
well-considered feedback to better support learning.

Parents and legal guardians become more informed when they understand the learning goals
their child is working towards, and the progress their child is making. They extend their child’s
understanding and development of skills when they support learning. They contribute to their
child’s joy of learning and growth as a successful learner through sharing insights with the learning
community.
Portfolios
A portfolio is a record of students’ involvement in learning which is designed to demonstrate
success, growth, higher-order thinking, creativity, assessment strategies and reflection. A portfolio
is a celebration of an active mind at work. It provides a picture of each student’s progress and
development over a period of time both as individual and group learners. It enables students to
reflect with teachers, parents and peers in order to identify their strengths and growth as well as
areas for improvement, and then to set individual goals and establish teaching and learning plans.
Reporting
• Term end reports
• PTMs
Gallery Walk – where a student’s learning journey is displayed.

Student Support Services
“As an International Baccalaureate continuum school, Neev Academy recognizes that inclusion
is facilitated in a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, support and problem-solving involving
the whole school and parent community. Neev Academy recognizes that each student is unique
and aims to provide an environment in which all children are supported to reach their full potential.
We incorporate inclusive practices and recognize that access to learning for all students is the
shared responsibility of the classroom and specialist support teachers and the parents/guardians.
We are committed to creating an educational setting, where all students benefit from a multimodal
approach that facilitates all learning approaches in an authentic, interactive learning environment.
Neev Academy believes that it is the responsibility of every teacher to provide the highest expectations
in the classroom so that each student is included, challenged and successful. To personalise
learning for each student, Neev provides differentiated instruction including modifications and
accommodations (based on the needs of the child and the degree of support required). “

PYP at Neev
At Neev the Curriculum is divided into 5 pillars.

Pillar 1: Communication
Pillar 2: Holistic Learning
Pillar 3: Inquiry
Pillar 4: Academic Rigour
Pillar 5: Learner Agency
Pillar 1: Communication
We believe that to master a language, all four components of language learning must be met
i.e. listening, speaking, reading and writing. Language plays a vital role in the construction of
meaning and empowers the learner to develop effective strategies to support their conceptual
understanding and critical thinking skills. By providing opportunities to engage in language learning
within meaningful and engaging contexts, we ensure that students do not look at language learning
as just an incremental series of skills to be acquired. To be able to communicate effectively (orally
and in writing) is a lifelong skill that must have its roots in the foundation years of a child’s education.
Reading at Neev:
Guided Reading – Guided reading is a framework where the teacher supplies whatever assistance
or guidance students need in order for them to read a selection successfully. It is done as a small
group format with up to 5 students. Students are grouped according to similar needs and abilities –
homogeneous. The teacher maintains a private record of these groups. Groups are dynamic – this
means students move from group to group based on their progress. The texts used corresponds
the students’ developmental level. This type of lesson reinforces word recognition strategies and
comprehension strategies.
Novel Study – Novel study involves close reading which is an investigation of a short piece of text,
with multiple readings done over multiple instructional lessons. Through text-based questions and
discussion, students are guided to deeply analyze and appreciate various aspects of the text, such
as key vocabulary and how its meaning is shaped by context; attention to form, tone, imagery and/
or rhetorical devices; the significance of word choice and syntax; and the discovery of different
levels of meaning as passages are read multiple times . It is done as a small group format with up to
5 students. Students are grouped according to similar needs and abilities—homogeneous. Groups
are dynamic – this means students move from group to group based on their progress.
USSR – Uninterrupted Sustained Silent Reading develops interest and independence in our
students, and a tool for developing lifelong learners. The amount of time that students spend reading
independently often increases as a result of a structured reading program. This program is aimed
at demonstrating the joy that reading can bring and developing lifelong readers and learners.

Teachers set aside 20 minutes for USSR three times a week depending on the grade level and
the ability of the whole class.The aim of this reading program is to ensure that every student reads
independently at regular intervals and across a range of different genres. The range of subjects
will ensure that the student builds background knowledge and knowledge of text conventions. This
reading program will have minimum teacher intervention and use of reading strategies.
Library Program
Our library has a large collection of books in various genres. Students are given many opportunities
to go to the library and read. Borrowing books of their choice and talking about them is something
that they enjoy most!
We believe library to be a learning hub where students and teachers can collaborate and share
ideas with the library team and take advantage of the variety of resources we have to offer. With our
primary goal being to foster a love of reading among our entire community, we are moving towards
developing a structured library curriculum which will equip children to be effective researchers,
responsible information gatherers and adventurous readers. The library promotes overall linguistic
confidence, healthy interactions and exposure to the full range of literacy skills necessary to create
lifelong learners.

Pillar 2: Holistic Learning
Holistic development in children focuses on addressing all of the needs of a child’s life: emotional,
physical, relational, intellectual, creative and spiritual.This perspective to development encourages
caregivers and teachers to look at the child as a whole and not focus on the individual parts.It
contributes to the overall well -being of the learner and the individual. Since the student’s well-
being can be explicitly and implicitly addressed through all areas of the curriculum, every teacher
at Neev has a responsibility to support the holistic development of every child. The strategy also
contributes to the overall well-being of learners and gives children the confidence to respect their
individual uniqueness.

Pillar 3: Inquiry as a Stance
Don’t we all learn best when we truly seek answers to our own questions? At Neev, we firmly believe
that children learn most effectively through a process of inquiry which allows them to freely ask
questions and seek answers.
Through a sequence of learning engagements, deliberate experiences that help build on and
challenge children’s perspective and by appealing to their prior understandings, knowledge is
extended, challenged and refined to develop an inquiring bent of mind. Students are encouraged
to recognize and state problems, pose meaningful questions, pursue answers and recognize that
these answers are both the final product and the starting point for further study.
All inquiry is transdisciplinary in nature, instead of being compartmentalized as separate entities
or subjects, hereby providing students with tools to be able to experience their surroundings more
realistically. Due to the interweaving of concepts and skills, children continue to apply their learning
much after they leave the four walls of the classroom.
Recognising another layer to how children learn – inquiry based trasndisciplinary learning at Neev –
is extended with experiential learning. As Confucius said – “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember.
I do and I understand”.
Field trips, expert visits and immersive hands-on experiences provoke questions, reinforce
learning and create real understanding. The experience goes beyond reading about a concept.
Students are able to see it, manipulate it or participate in it physically. For younger children this
makes learning real, for older students the application of learning brings out relevance. Science
through doing, through understanding how the world works. Social studies through seeing the
world and understanding the connect between history and geography, math through measuring it,
and language through reading and writing about it. Field trips and expert visits also form an early
exposure to careers. Our children walk away from them wanting to be wildlife conservationists,
architects,makers of wonderful products, discoverers.
An example Grade 3 - Field Trip
Unit Fieldtrips
Who We Are –
Where we are in place and time Trek
How We Express Ourselves Lepakshi, NGMA
How we Organise Ourselves TZed Homes
How the World Works Star gazing (Sleepover at school)
Sharing the Planet Manchinebelle Dam, BWSSB , STP in school

Grade 3- Expert Visit Calendar
Unit Expert Visits
Who We Are Teachers and Parents share their role models
Where we are in place and time Ms. Kavitha Reddy, Mr. Raghu Shenoy, MYP INS teacher
How We Express Ourselves Yakshagana troupe
How we Organise Ourselves Mr Barath
How the World Works Mr. Raghu Shenoy
Sharing the Planet Ms. Shubha
Parents are also encouraged to come in as expert visitors.

Pillar 4: Academic Rigour
Concepts are a way of linking learning across content and grade levels. Students continue to
develop and explore these specific concepts within and across disciplines to promote deeper
understanding of powerful ideas. This is the soul and essence of the PYP programme. Our learning
units are consciously created and differ in content every year (From Grade 1 to 5) in ways that
promote true understanding and deeper knowledge of the key concepts.

Pillar 5 : Learner Agency
The concept of agency has been central to educational thinking and practice for centuries. The
idea that education is the process through which learners become capable of independent thought
which, in turn, forms the basis for autonomous action, has had a profound impact on modern
educational theory and practice.
One way of thinking of learner agency is when learners have “the power to act”. Agency is when
learning involves the activity and the initiative of the learner, more than the inputs that are transmitted
to the learner from the teacher, from the curriculum, the resources and so forth. In the past our
schools have catered mostly for groups of learners, for classes of kids, with a one size fits all
approach. Arguably, many students felt disenfranchised in the midst of that, as they just had to sit
and do what they were told. Lessons were delivered to students who were passive in the way that
they received that. When learners move from being passive recipients to being much more active
in the learning process, actively involved in the decisions about the learning, then they have greater
agency.
There’s been a lot of talk in the past about learner-centric approaches to education and
personalisation, and these are aspects of what we might mean by learner agency, but the concept
goes deeper than this.
There are three things that I think are core features of our understanding of learner agency. The first
is that agency involves the initiative or self-regulation of the learner. Before a learner can exercise
agency in their particular learning context they must have a belief that their behaviour and their
approach to learning is actually going to make a difference for them in the learning in that setting –
in other words, a personal sense of agency. The notion of agency isn’t simply about handing control
over to the learner - a sort of abdication model – it involves a far greater tapestry of intentionality
on the part of schools and teachers to create that context and environment where the learners are
actively involved in the moment by moment learning and well being. However, it will be important
for schools to consider the safeguards that will need to be in place to ensure no one is falling
through the gaps under the guise of just “doing my own thing”.
Second, agency is interdependent. It mediates and is mediated by the sociocultural context of

the classroom. It’s not just about a learner in isolation doing their own thing and what suits them.
Learners must develop an awareness that there are consequences for the decisions they make and
actions they take, and will take account of that in the way(s) they exercise their agency in learning.
And thirdly, agency includes an awareness of the responsibility of ones own actions on the
environment and on others. So there’s a social connectedness kind of dimension to that. Every
decision a learner makes, and action she or he takes, will impact on the thinking, behaviour or
decisions of others - and vice versa. You can’t just act selfishly and call that acting with agency.

Our Learning Journey
Our journey starts from known to the unknown, finding out how the world works and finally the circle
ends with the students looking at their rights and responsibilities at grade 5.
• In grade 1 – the focus is mostly on the student, the identity, their body and the world around
them.
• In grade 2 students learn more about ritual, and celebrations in their own communities but also
to the geographical and historical connections to Bangalore, Karnataka and India as it is today.
• In grade 3 they inquire about values & beliefs, role models, systems and exploration that has
taken place in the world.
• Grade 4 – They understand how the world works, how history has carved out the geography of a
place how tectonic plates work and biodiversities are formed.
• In our final year of the PYP, students take all this learning and question their responsibilities
towards themselves and the community. They learn to be responsible digital citizens , inquire
into the root causes of inequitable distribution of resources and migration and make projects
on how to conserve energy. This year is where all their learning through the years will be put into
action through the PYP Exhibition.
The PYP Exhibition: encouraging in-depth, collaborative inquiry

In the final year of the PYP, students, carry out an extended, in-depth, collaborative project known
as the PYP exhibition. This involves students working collaboratively to conduct an in-depth inquiry
into real life issues or problems. Students collectively synthesise all of the essential elements of the
PYP in ways that can be shared with the whole school community.
It also provides teachers with a powerful and authentic process for assessing student understanding.
The exhibition represents a unique and significant opportunity for students to exhibit the attributes
of the IB learner profile developed throughout their engagement with the PYP.
It also provides schools and students with a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the transition of
learners to the next phase of their education.

Neev After School Activities
Neev Academy offers a variety of stayback Programme activities that complements the curriculum.
Stay back activities can happen after school. Activities are varied ranging from sports, arts ,music
to school newsletter and Model United Nations. Students can choose to participate in activities they
are interested in or self-initiate and lead their own activity. These activities operate throughout the
year and require students to be committed to their choice.
• MUN@Neev – is the simulation of the United Nations at Neev Academy. It is offered as an after-
school activity and is organised by the MUN@Neev team. The team consists of teachers who
supervise the activity and students from Grade 7 upwards. The broad aim of the activity is to
help students develop into knowledgeable, open-minded and courageous individuals, with a
keen sense for analyzing problems and logical thinking. The activity focuses on building skills,
such as Research and Knowledge Skills, Writing and Speaking Skills, Conflict Resolution and
Problem-solving skills. MUN@Neev believes in mentoring and consistent skill building.Skills
are built through support from peers and teachers, and workshops organized within school by
internal or external facilitators. Student performance is continuous and evaluated against rubrics
consisting of several strands, and is followed by feedback.
• Sports @ Neev – There are a large range of physical fitness and sports options at Neev Academy.
Students can engage in sports for fun or commit to a team sport or represent the school at
tournaments. Once a year an annual event called as Sarvajeet Divas happens as a whole school
event. Coaching takes place after school to gear up student teams to participate in sports such
as Football, Basketball, Swimming and Athletics.
• Neev Times – The stay-back initiative for Neev Times, the school newsletter, is aimed at fostering
one’s sense of pride and belonging to the institution by presenting the alma mater to the outside
community in all its glory and splendor. This will hone a child’s literary abilities, editing skills and
discretion in choosing appropriate literature that will speak for the Neev Community. Added to
these, this club will educate children in the skills of communication, presentation and marketing
of all that they stand for. With quarterly publications planned to scale up to monthly issues, the
newsletter will provide the Neev students his/her independent voice.
• Theatre/Orchestra & Choir – The stay-back initiatives in Performing Arts at Neev Academy is a
platform for excellence and all students can work towards being part of the school team, namely
theatre, choir, and music band. PA stay back sessions inspires perseverance and positive
attitude towards learning and practicing their artistry with vigour and enthusiasm towards
creating and develop their personal artistic intention. The sessions are designed to allow the
learning opportunities in performing arts from the perspective of creators, designers, directors,
composers, performers, choreographers and spectators of the art. Student will work towards
creating their own interpretation of a real-life theme to devise and create a yearly theatrical and
musical ensemble and production for the larger school community.

AFTER SCHOOL
ACTIVITES

The Neev Continuum
Early Years – PYP – Awareness MYP /ICSE – DP–

Exploration Life Worthy topics Ability Choice
Multiple Intelligences Skills Content High content

through skills
100 Languages Attitudes Consolidating skills
with content
Play Communication
development Inquiry & Investigation
Curiosity
Experiential learning Developing viewpoints
Inquiry with Inquiry and communicating
Topics – Me and what Topics – Who I am, to Topics – From subjects,
I do the world around and but correlate to the
its challenges world around
Concrete level
Moving from Concrete Mostly Abstract
to Abstract

Image of a Child –
What Makes Our Students Stand Out
• Focus on Skills – Able to apply their learning in real- life situations

• Purposeful learning – Learning that is significant and relevant to the local and global contexts.
• PSPE – fundamental values and beliefs and feelings about the environment and people
around us
• Concept driven – fundamental part of content that we never forget and build new meaningful
learning on
• Intercurricular links – Strong Art, Drama & PE learning – which helps our students go for
Interschool competitions.
• Action – Students make a difference in the local community with their learning.
• Happy Holistic learners – who are portray the attributes of the Learning Profile- lifelong learners-
21st century learners.

Academic Honesty at Neev
“Knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful” - Samuel Johnson
Students of Neev Academy are expected to know the proper methods to attribute the sources
whenever imperative. Students are taught to acknowledge their sources in an age-appropriate
manner through information literacy skill-based activities including Plagiarism, Paraphrasing,
Summarizing and Note Taking skills.
The Teacher Librarian and Head of Libraries works in collaboration with the form tutors and subject
tutors to develop the research and referencing skills that are identified in the PYP Transdisciplinary
skills. Sessions on Plagiarism, Paraphrasing and Note Taking, etc will be conducted during the
school hours.

References
• http://www.ibo.org/what-is-an-ib-education/
• http://www.ibo.org/about-the-ib/mission/
• http://www.ibo.org/en/programmes/
• http://www.ibo.org/programmes/primary-years-programme/
• https://www.stratfordhall.ca/uploaded/DP_Handbook_2016.2017 FINAL.v2.pdf
• Google images

THE GREAT AIM OF EDUCATION IS NOT KNOWLEDGE BUT ACTION
Reimagining
Education

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THE PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME (PYP)

CURRICULUM HANDBOOK 2019-2020

The IB Continuum at Neev 10

The Primary Years Programme 12

02 The Primary Years Programme

Building knowledge, self-awareness and relationships with people

Kavita Gupta Sabharwal

The Primary Years Programme 03

Being reflective to our own learning and experiences enables to

To cultivate growth mindset is important to create a balanced learning

04 The Primary Years Programme

Neev, a dynamic and energetic learning environment is designed to enhance

“As a School Administrator I am committed to maintaining a clean and green

The Primary Years Programme 05

06 The Primary Years Programme

The Primary Years Programme 07

08 The Primary Years Programme

Knowledgeable We develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge

Caring We show empathy, compassion and respect.We have a commitment to

Risk-takers We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work

Balanced We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives-

The Primary Years Programme 09

Programme Year of inception Offered at

10 The Primary Years Programme

Structure Transdiciplinary Organised around Organised around

How is the Internal assessments of Internal assessment External moderation

Learning to Transdiciplinary Approaches to learning Theory of knowledge

Learning Action Service as action Creativity,

Culminating Exhibition Personal project Extended essay

The Primary Years Programme 11

The PYP Curriculum Framework

12 The Primary Years Programme

The Primary Years Programme 13

Connecting learning and teaching

Connecting the learning community

14 The Primary Years Programme

A transdisciplinary education, allows us to establish links between persons, facts, images,

The Primary Years Programme 15

PYP transdisciplinary themes

Where we are in place and time

How we express ourselves

16 The Primary Years Programme

How we organize ourselves

Sharing the planet

Concepts: what do we want students to understand?

The Primary Years Programme 17

Key Concepts Understanding

Form What is it like?

Function How does it work?

Causation Why is it as it is?

Change How is it transforming?

Connection How is it linked to other things?

Perspective What are the points of view?

Responsibility What is our obligations?

Approaches to Learning (ATL) Skills: what do we want students to be able to do?

18 The Primary Years Programme

Thinking • Critical-thinking skills (analysing and evaluating issues and ideas)

Research • Information-literacy skills (formulating and planning, data gathering and

Communication • Exchanging-information skills (listening, interpreting, speaking)