International Baccalaureate (IB) Learning - the PYP at Scopus

As an accredited World School for the International Baccalaureate Organisation’s Primary Years Programme (PYP), Scopus empowers children to understand how they learn and apply that knowledge to a broad curriculum in both general and Jewish studies. Learning is a lifelong pursuit and therefore modelled by both adults and children. Teaching methods are inclusive and cater for diversity in learnings.

At Scopus, the PYP is implemented from Lower Kinder to Year 6, with a modified age appropriate program delivered to our Little Learners.

The PYP aims to create globally-minded young people who are characterised by the following learner profile attributes:


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 and 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 in 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 our 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 does not impose external testing on the students; rather assessment is done continuously within the school.

Students also assemble a portfolio of work, and in their final year the learning culminates in the Year 6 PYP Exhibition; a sustained personal inquiry into an area of that student’s interest.

Ongoing staff education and development, and sharing of knowledge supports the implementation of the programs. Our teachers are learners who facilitate our students’ learning.

From a Jewish perspective the program fits beautifully as they align with many of our own values. In addition, the programs require that every student undertake a second language, which for us is Hebrew.

Action and community service are integral to the IB’s philosophy, and as such, students become involved in different ways throughout their school years. Action and community service might take the following forms: social entrepreneurship, advocacy, lifestyle choices, participation, and social justice.

In the primary years, learners engage in an exploration of their own identity and begin to explore beyond their immediate community to consider both local and global perspectives.

IB Mission

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 respect.

To this end the organisation works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programs encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

Undertaking the IB programs at Scopus, your child will learn to become an independent, engaged thinker and learner, and a responsible citizen of the world.