Curriculum Overview

 

PYP Overview

 

　　 

The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) at Beijing Enlighten School for children aged 5 - 11 nurtures and develops young students as caring, active participants in a lifelong learning journey. The school follows the Chinese National Curriculum which is taught within an inquiry-based, transdisciplinary curriculum IB framework to build conceptual understanding.

　　 

It reflects the best educational research, thought leadership, and experience derived from IB World Schools. The PYP has evolved to become a world leader in future-focused education. The PYP is an example of best educational practice globally, responding to young students' challenges and opportunities in our rapidly changing world. 

　　 

The PYP curriculum framework 

　　 

The PYP curriculum framework begins with the premise that students are agents of their learning and partners in the learning process. It prioritizes people and their relationships to build a strong learning community.

　　 

It is a framework that informs how children learn and how teachers teach within the classroom. The Chinese National Curriculum at Beijing Enlighten School represents the core components of knowledge required by the Chaoyang Educational Bureau. One key aspect of the PYP at Beijing Enlighten School is its roots in our Chinese identity and its aspects of Social-Emotional Learning, Morality, and Talent-Development. Within the framework of the PYP, students use their initiative to take responsibility and ownership of their learning.  

　　 

By learning through inquiry and reflecting on their learning, PYP students develop knowledge, conceptual understandings, skills, and the attributes of the IB Learner Profile to make a difference in their own lives, their communities, and beyond. 

　　 

The framework emphasizes the central principle of agency, which underpins the three pillars of school life: 

　　 

•The learner 

•Learning and teaching 

•The learning community 

　　 

Embedded in the framework is recognizing the importance of fostering an individual's self-efficacy. Students with a strong sense of self-efficacy are active in their learning and take action in their learning community.

　　 

Why offer the PYP at BES? 

　　 

The PYP focuses on developing the whole child as an inquirer, both in school and in the world beyond. The PYP offers a transformative experience for students, teachers, and entire school communities and delivers excellent outcomes by providing an engaging, relevant, challenging, and significant education. 

　　 

PYP learners know how to take ownership of their learning, collaborating with teachers to deepen understanding and increase their confidence and self-motivation. Through actively engaging in the integrated ongoing assessment, students become effective, self-regulated learners who can act on constructive feedback. 

　　 

Guided by six transdisciplinary themes of global significance, students broaden their learning by developing their conceptual understandings, strengthening their knowledge and skills across, between, and beyond subject areas. 

　　 

　　 

　　 

　　 

MYP overview

 

 

At Beijing Enlighten School our Middle School students follow the Middle Years IB Program from grade 6 to 10. The school follows the Chinese National Curriculum which is taught within the IB Framework. At Beijing Enlighten School we believe that students develop understanding and skills when relating the content of lessons in specific context and when this content is related to real world experiences.

 

Subject are taught within 8 subject groups:

 

1.Language Acquisition 

 

For most students at Beijing Enlighten School this is English, but the school also has nonnative students who take Chinese within this subject group. Other languages are made available in after schools’ program and within our enrichment clusters where required by students.

 

2.Language and Literature

 

For most students at Beijing Enlighten School this is Chinese, but many students are also taking English in Language and literature. As the school grows our aim is to add other language options to this program.

 

3.Individuals and Societies

 

Beijing Enlighten School covers geography and history within this subject group.

 

4.Sciences

 

Students follow the school integrated science program covering Biology, Physics and Chemistry.

 

5.Mathematics

 

All students follow a rigorous mathematics curriculum over the 5 years of the MYP program.

 

6.Arts

 

At Beijing Enlighten School students follow multiple arts programs which include Music, Visual Arts and Drama. We also offer film in our ASA and enrichment programs.

 

7.Physical and Health Education

 

At Beijing Enlighten School students not only develop skills and understanding of a large range of sports, but they also develop an understanding of how the human body works, how to live a healthy lifestyle and be balanced individuals.

 

8.Design

 

At Beijing Enlighten School we offer both Digital design look at how technology impacts our lives and product design focusing on creating products by following the design cycle.

 

Using global contexts, Beijing Enlighten School students develop an understanding of their place in the world and the responsibility they have for the future of their communities and the world as a whole by exploring content within the 6 listed global contexts:

·Identities and relationships

·Personal and cultural expression 

·Orientations in space and time 

·Scientific and technical innovation 

·Fairness and development

·Globalization and sustainability

 

In grade 8 of the middle years program students work in small groups to complete a community project. This is a long-term project in which they explore an issue within their community and take action, through planning and implementing a solution. Students are mentored throughout this project by members of staff and present their findings in an exhibition. Students develop collaboration, research and many other skills during this process.

 

In grade 10 of the middle years program students undertake an individual project called the personal project. This is another long-term project aimed and bringing together all the skills and knowledge they have learned during their middle school journey. Again, students are mentored by a member of staff and present their projects during an exhibition at the end of the process.

 

In every year of the MYP students take part in service action groups in which they work on developing a service that benefits their community. This can be done in large or small groups and encourages students to identify a problem, come up with solutions and act in order to benefit a particular cause with their community.

 

The MYP program is designed to develop independent learners who are prepared to enter grade 11 and 12 and be successful within the DP program.

 

 

 

High School Program Overview

 

At Beijing Enlighten School our high school program (Grades 10 through 12) provides students with multiple paths to cater to their university aspirations. At Beijing Enlighten School we offer both IB and IGCSE/A-Level options for our students. Grade 10 includes the last year of the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the IGCSE examination year. Grades 11 and 12 include the Diploma Programme (DP) and the A-Level Programme. BES staff have developed curricula to meet the needs of our students, the proscribed content from the IBO and IGCSE/A-Level, as well as Chinese national requirements. Students spend their last two years of high school within their chosen program to obtain worldwide recognized qualifications and to develop the skills and knowledge needed to successfully move on to university.