Dear Students, Parents and Carers,

It is with great pleasure that I share a pivotal decision for the future of our school. After more than a decade of successfully implementing the IB Diploma Programme, we will gradually introduce the Primary Years Programme (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) commencing in the 2025 school year. This decision is the result of our ongoing development as an international school, committed to providing our students with a holistic, globally minded education.

The initial phase, called the “Candidacy” phase, will commence in 2025, and involve two years of intensive preparation, with full implementation scheduled for 2027. However, the first elements of the PYP will already begin to be integrated into our school culture and teaching approach in the 2025/26 school year. The focus will initially be on the professional development of our faculty, who are actively preparing for the new programme. At the same time, the inspiring concepts of the IB Learner Profile will be integrated into our classes, bringing new energy into the classroom. We aim to further enrich our teaching practices and provide the best possible environment for our students, equipping them to thrive in a globalised world.

It is worth noting that the IB Learner Profile, which shapes the PYP philosophy, closely aligns with our existing teaching and learning approach. Our school is already a place where skills such as critical thinking, creativity, responsibility, and intercultural understanding are nurtured. The PYP will reinforce and expand these approaches institutionally—without fundamentally altering our teaching style. Rather, we will strengthen the qualities that make our school unique and enrich them with the IB's international expertise.

For you as parents, this means that your child will benefit from a programme that is recognised worldwide and helps children and young people develop the skills and attitudes they need in a globalised world. The PYP supports children in becoming learners with open eyes, curious minds, and a sense of social responsibility. It places the joy of discovery at the centre and encourages students to think independently and look beyond familiar horizons.

As part of this transition, beginning in the 2026 school year, the grade structure of our school will be adjusted so that Years 5 and 6 will belong to the primary school, as is common in Australia. This change aligns well with the PYP structure and strengthens the primary school as a space where younger students can build a solid foundation and gain valuable early experiences in the world of international learning.

We are excited to embark on this next stage with you, shaping our school further as a place where students gain the skills for a fulfilling, confident, and globally oriented life.

Thank you very much for your support and trust—let us look forward together to these exciting changes!

With warm regards,

Michael Cordes

GISS Principal

The PYP curriculum framework

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

PYP students use their initiative to take responsibility and ownership of their learning. By learning through inquiry and reflecting on their own 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 emphasises 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 the recognition of the importance of fostering an individual's self-efficacy. Students with a strong sense of self-efficacy are active in their own learning and take action in their learning community.

Learn more about the PYP curriculum framework

Why offer the PYP?

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

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 integrated ongoing assessment they 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.

Find out more