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A clear path to great outcomes
In August 2010 Kirkhill Nursery/Primary School in Aberdeen introduced the International Primary Curriculum (IPC). The IPC is the fastest growing, independent primary curriculum in the world today and is considered by many educationalists in the UK and worldwide to be the most internationally-minded and learning-focused curriculum available for primary children. It is now the curriculum choice of over 800 primary schools in Britain who join schools in 65 countries around the world learning through the IPC.
Headteacher of Kirkhill Nursery/Primary, Lorraine Napier, talks about the progress the school is making since this introduction.
Supporting Curriculum for Excellence
"In a few short months we're beginning to see a change in the delivery of learning at Kirkhill. I believe that the IPC is a tool which will support us in delivering aspects of Curriculum for Excellence. The IPC provides a framework for interdisciplinary learning guiding the teacher into an interdisciplinary way of planning, teaching and learning. The IPC encourages and provides a focus for groups of teachers to talk and work together in stage planning groups. The IPC includes an international aspect to learning which is integral to every theme and not something which is bolted on.
"Curriculum for Excellence outlines the experiences and outcomes for our pupils and IPC. Through its learning process, themes and range of learning tasks it gives us the support to provide appropriate tasks for our pupils to participate in, experience and develop skills across the four capacities. Freedom within a clear learning structure is what our school requires and the IPC is providing us with this.
Supporting teachers
"In particular, the IPC is helping our younger, less experienced teachers who have never worked in a thematic way. Each IPC theme follows a learning process with an Entry Point, a Knowledge Harvest, a range of Learning Tasks involving a range of subjects, and finishes with an Exit Point. This process guides the teachers through an interdisciplinary approach to the curriculum, providing them with a range of rich learning experiences which they match to Curriculum for Excellence outcomes.
"Even for my experienced teachers, the IPC has given them so many new ideas for learning and for teaching and has encouraged greater collaboration and sharing of thoughts and experiences between all the staff. One great thing about the IPC is its flexibility: it acts like a springboard giving teachers a rigorous approach that they can then make their own, adapting it to the exact needs of their children and our locality.
Supporting children's learning
For our children, what the IPC is doing is encouraging every pupil to participate actively in their learning. Through its learning approach, the IPC encourages children to direct their own learning and learn from each other creating an ethos of achievement.
"The IPC uses a variety of learning approaches within every theme. This allows all our learners to excel, rather than just those who do well with written work. As there are many active, collaborative learning tasks where children investigate, explore and research together, it means that teachers are then free to work more closely with small groups.
Summing up
"If I had to sum up our current position with the IPC, I would say that it is making teaching and learning exciting for everyone in our school. It actively engages our pupils in their learning and provides a flexible learning structure. It provides good coverage of areas of the curriculum through a thematic approach and this has really helped my teachers with planning for interdisciplinary learning. Its learning process has depth and breadth, engaging both learners and teachers right from the very start. IPC works, embracing the principles and practice of Curriculum for Excellence and engaging pupils, staff and parents in a common language about learning."