The International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC), International Primary Curriculum (IPC) and International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC) are designed to introduce students to a world of opportunity. Your child will learn important themes that will help them to develop subject knowledge and a sense of the world around them.
These strong and adaptable curricula set students personal and subject goals, combining subject teaching with a focus on values and resilience. As well as languages, arts, sports and STEAM subjects, your child will explore traits such as morality, communication, enquiry and respect.
On this page, we will discuss each curriculum in more detail and explore how gaining an IEYC, IPC and IMYC education with Nord Anglia Education will help your child secure a place at a world-leading university.
Quote: The curriculum covered by the school is modern and teaches thinking and problem-solving. Serena, parent at the British School Warsaw
International Early Years Curriculum (Ages 2-5)
The International Early Years Curriculum uses international best practices, holistic enquiry and play-based approaches that cover all curriculum areas including personal, social and emotional development. Informed by new research and feedback from schools around the world, the IEYC was developed to meet the needs of children at this crucial stage of their development.
IEYC themes
The IEYC has set themes for schools, which consist of:
- IEYC process of learning, philosophy and pedagogy.
- Learning Strands to describe what students will experience.
- Learning Outcomes to describe the knowledge, skills and increasing understanding children will have as they progress.
- Units of Learning that guide teachers’ planning and provide lesson ideas.
- The My-Fieldwork online portal to support planning, sharing, webinars, and resources.
- A Self-Review process that provides guidance on the effective use of IEYC.
- An Accreditation Process (optional) that validates the use of IEYC.
- Full professional learning programme for IEYC (F2F, online and blended).
IEYC learning outcomes
The IEYC suggests that by the end of the curriculum, children will have an increased understanding of learning and development and will have developed skills that will help them demonstrate this in practical ways. Children are supported to learn and develop at their own unique pace, following the IEYC Learning Principles.
What we offer
We believe that studying the IEYC at our schools helps young children grow into truly global citizens, learning about different cultures and building the foundations necessary for a successful multilingual education. We are unique because each school adapts the curricula to embrace local customs and traditions, for example, our schools in China provide opportunities for students to learn about local culture and linguistics as part of their studies. Your child will learn under the expert tutorship of leading educational thinkers, with access to state-of-the-art facilities.
International Primary Curriculum (Ages 5-11)
The IPC takes a holistic approach to learning, developing knowledge and awareness by exploring overarching themes. Students are assessed at the end of each milestone at 7, 9 and 11-years-old. They are tested on their knowledge of several core subjects including Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Art, Society, Geography, History, Technology, Music and Physical Education.
Students are given international learning goals to foster a global mindset. An international aspect is included in each themed IPC unit, and guides students toward a sophisticated, multicultural perspective. The IPC is now used by over 2,000 schools in over 90 countries worldwide, and the course helps children develop international mindedness and encourages individual learning paths.
IPC themes
The International Primary Curriculum has a number of advantages over other primary school curricula, and here are themes of the course that help children thrive in early education:
- The IPC is flexible and can be adapted to each child’s individual learning path, based on their interests and level of understanding.
- It can be integrated with other curricula in a creative and engaging way.
- It offers a structured curriculum focused on subject, personal and international learning goals.
- Studying the IPC at a Nord Anglia Education school places you in an international community of schools, teachers and learners with access to our Global Campus, an online space for sharing information.
- The IPC helps parents understand the relevance of learning in the classroom and at home.
- Assessment is done by teachers and children to help them understand their levels of skills and knowledge, and better engage with learning.
- The IPC encourages collaboration at all levels of education, not just between teachers and pupils, but amongst teachers within the school and worldwide.
IPC learning outcomes
The IPC have eight specific learning goals or qualities young children will have developed after studying this prestigious curriculum. They are listed as:
Resilience – learning to stay focused and persevere until a task is completed.
Adaptability – learning to understand and respect the views, cultures and opinions of others.
Enquiry – developing their research skills and learning about wider global issues.
Communication – learning to communicate efficiently to a range of audiences.
Thoughtfulness – learning to use a range of thinking and problem-solving skills.
Morality – learning to do the right thing and understand more about moral issues.
Co-operation – learning about the different roles different people play in groups.
Respect – developing an understanding of how to respect and look after all living things.
What we offer
Our talented teachers nurture all the qualities listed above, while providing a challenging and rewarding education for young students. Children who study the IPC go on to be successful at higher education and find their place in an increasingly globalised world. Our adapted strategy accommodates local cultures and customs, helping your child open the door to opportunities around the world. In order for our students to make a real connection to the IPC unit, they attend field trips throughout the year to build knowledge, skills and understanding of their studies in class.
International Middle Years Curriculum (Ages 11-14)
The IMYC focuses on building skills that students will need as they move toward adulthood. This curriculum enables them to make sense of what they are learning, as well as to connect and collaborate with others. Each unit has a theme, which helps students to engage with subjects from adaptability to identity, curiosity, tradition and discovery. These Big Idea challenges push students to think more broadly and to connect subjects and themes together in new ways.
The IMYC is taught in 140 schools in over 50 countries worldwide. It is based on neuroscientific research of what the adolescent brain requires by following a specific process of learning that helps your child to become a better organiser and planner. Your child will be set learning goals that will develop knowledge, skills and understanding, personal goals that help them connect and grow, and international learning goals that give students a clearer sense of their place in a global community.
IMYC themes
Below are the key themes and advantages that come with studying at an International Middle Years Curriculum school:
- The IMYC responds to individual learning paths and the specific requirements of 11-14-year-olds, providing the structure and support that the adolescent brain needs.
- The IMYC uses current media platforms and active skills-based learning to promote self-reflection and gives students the opportunity to make sense of learning.
- The IMYC is a relevant and engaging curriculum that is centred around individual and shared learning experiences.
- The IMYC uses a Big Idea concept to link all subject learning to a conceptual theme.
- The IMYC allows for single subject teaching and learning, while facilitating collaboration.
- The IMYC offers a student-led learning structure, allowing them to select key themes and develop a sense of their place in the world.
IMYC learning outcomes
The goals and focus of the IMYC are to outline the knowledge, skills and understanding required across all subjects. It helps children become more internationally-minded, learning about different cultures and beginning a multilingual education. These learning outcomes were informed by eight curricula from around the world, making them easy to adapt to local national curriculum standards, which is exactly what we do at our schools.
What we offer
Our bespoke IMYC provides your child with a global education passport, equipping them to study anywhere in the world. We follow the IMYC themes throughout and use our Global Campus to connect students and teachers across our network of schools. Gaining an internationally recognised education will help your child secure their place at a world’s leading universities. Developing an understanding of different cultures and customs sets them up for a bright and successful future in a world where international knowledge is becoming increasingly valuable.
Nord Anglia Education is a global family of premium private schools found in many countries around the world. At our IEYC, IPC and IMYC schools, your child will have access to some of the finest international schoolteachers and state-of-the-art facilities in the world, offering them the support they need to thrive throughout their education. Find more information about our schools on our website.