Calamvale: a premier institution for young minds

Calamvale Community College is pleased to announce its authorisation as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, accredited to offer the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for students in Prep to Year 6.

Calamvale is only the second state school in Queensland to offer PYP. The authorisation process involved a two-year candidacy period, during which the College implemented a broad range of IB standards and practices.

PYP is a framework for organising curriculum; as such, the College maps the Australian Curriculum across six transdisciplinary themes, ensuring a progression of skills and knowledge across the programme. The PYP values an inquiry based approach to teaching and learning which is student-centred – it values and develops students’ questions and curiosity, and allows our young learners to meaningfully connect their lives to the experiences of those around the world. Similarly, structured and purposeful PYP units of inquiry allow students to consolidate their prior knowledge, actively engage with new experiences, and reflect on their learning journey.

The IB advocates for education without borders; this ethos is embedded within the PYP curriculum to stimulate international sensitivity and consideration. The IB Learner Profile allow us to concretely foster transdisciplinary approaches to learning, develop students’ international mindedness, and target the attributes of learners that are valued in our College, in the community, nationally, and globally.

Calamvale has chosen to implement PYP because it provides a relevant, engaging, and indispensably global education; it values the prior knowledge, experiences, and curiosity of students and develops their capacity to contribute as global citizens. A comprehensive study conducted by Deakin University found that PYP students performed significantly better than the national average in science literacy and aptitude. ACER research also shows that IB students outperform non-IB students in key areas such as mathematics, reading, and writing.

IB PYP Co-ordinator at Calamvale, Mr Mark Smith, says the implementation of the Primary Years Programme is one of many ways that the College is investing in its young learners.

“Our teachers and students have all reported that moving towards a more inquiry-based approach has reinvigorated teaching and learning at the College. Our students are highly engaged, curious and seek to learn new skills and find the information to answer their own questions. We have a high proportion of students who have taken action in response to their learning, which already indicates to us that they are becoming more independent and can envision their roles as active learners.”