Elementary School Curriculum

The Elementary curriculum at the Australian International School Singapore is based on the Australian Curriculum outcomes. The IB Primary Years Program (IB PYP) framework brings these outcomes to life, providing rigorous and engaging learning experiences in a global context. This transdisciplinary framework allows students to explore concepts deeply and build knowledge that spans various subjects and contexts. Our learning experiences foster essential transdisciplinary and subject-specific skills for lifelong learning. For instance, our students might explore the concept of sustainability and the impact of climate change on different ecosystems through various hands-on learning experiences encompassing mathematics, science, geography, and social studies.

We emphasise the importance of personal well-being for academic success. Above all, we are committed to supporting our students in becoming internationally-minded global citizens who embody the attributes of the IB PYP Learner Profile and take action based on their learning.

Academic and Personal Excellence achieved through:

• a broad rich curriculum
• strong academic outcomes
• strong progress and value add

Key features of the Program:

The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP) is at the centre of our curriculum. This globally recognised program comprises 36 units of inquiry systematically mapped across P through Yr 5. Students engage in 6 units of inquiry at each year level within 6 themes. The themes are based on human commonalities and are taught at varying levels of complexity across P-Yr5, as highlighted by the bold white arrows.

The curriculum is underpinned by the subject disciplines and Australian National Outcomes, which we assess and report to each semester.

The Approaches to Learning, research, social, self-management, thinking, and communication skills are explicitly taught and nurtured. These approaches are also embedded in the teaching and learning in the Elementary School as is The IB Learner Profile, which includes 10 attributes; learning dispositions that extend into all dimensions of school life and beyond. Research into best practices drives our rigorous curriculum, and this is evident in our engagement with 10 High Impact Teaching Strategies, outlined on the left side of the graphic.

Key programs in Language, Mathematics, Positive Education and Physical Education are highlighted and explained on the right side of the graphic. These programs enhance and enrich our curriculum, ensuring students reach and exceed their potential.

At AIS, students’ progress is constantly tracked through a comprehensive Assessment and Monitoring schedule.

Informing teaching practice and ensuring each child achieves their personal best, the rigorous gathering of student data allows our teachers to triangulate data, making more in-depth judgements about each child’s progress and individual needs.

What are the components of Assessment and Reporting at AIS?

• Monitoring students learning through a range of written and oral assessment tasks
• Documenting learning through differentiated checklists,, anecdotal records, observations and portfolios
• Measuring learning through standardized tests to measure students’ performance
• Reporting learning through parent/teacher, student led-conferences, reports, and learning progressions

By using a combination of programs and teaching practices, and actively seeking feedback from our students to monitor the effectiveness of our teaching, AIS is committed to paving the way for a successful learning journey for each and every student.