IB PYP Curriculum for Primary School Education at GIIS
The IB Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) at GIIS Tokyo is a world-renowned, enquiry-based framework for students in grades 1-5, offering a concept-based, transdisciplinary learning experience that fosters intellectual growth and a global perspective.
Admissions Open for 2026-2027
What is IB PYP (International Baccalaureate - Primary Years Programme)?
As parents, you want the best for your child's education. The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) is designed with your child's future in mind. It offers an enquiry-based, transdisciplinary curriculum that encourages conceptual understanding and critical thinking. Tailored for children aged 5-12, this student-centred approach incorporates leading educational research and practices from top IB World Schools.
The PYP is recognised worldwide for its excellence in preparing students for the challenges of a rapidly changing world. Our dedicated teachers guide your child through this framework, ensuring they develop the skills and knowledge needed to thrive both academically and personally. With the PYP, your child will be nurtured to become an active, caring participant in their lifelong learning journey.
The PYP curriculum covers six subjects: language, social studies, mathematics, arts, science, and personal/social/physical education. Students also engage with specialists to explore language and culture, art, music, and physical education through both work and play.
IBPYP at GIIS Tokyo
An acclaimed IB PYP school, GIIS Tokyo delivers high-quality programmes that promote student ownership, interdisciplinary learning and real-world readiness.
The IB PYP is offered at our Kitakasai and Higashi Kasai campuses.
Why choose IB PYP for Primary School Education?
The IB PYP programme is an excellent curriculum that offers enquiry-based, transdisciplinary learning, enhancing students' knowledge, conceptual understanding, skills, and character traits. As a recognised PYP international school, GIIS enables students to actively participate in developing a wide range of skills beyond academics. We ensure that the curriculum is engaging, relevant, and challenging, thereby fostering critical thinking and self-confidence in our students.
The IB PYP Curriculum
The IB PYP pedagogy recognises the inherent potential of learners and empowers them to take charge of their own learning process. Students are given opportunities to create their own contexts based on their prior learning and experiences, as well as current learning requirements. This kind of transdisciplinary learning boosts students' confidence, develops their knowledge, and enhances their communication and collaboration skills.
Learner Profile
GIIS fosters international standards in learning that help young learners grow socially, emotionally, and intellectually. The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) uses an enquiry-based learning approach, encouraging students to question, inquire, and theorise, thereby reinforcing their knowledge and skills across, between, and beyond subject areas.
By taking ownership of their learning, our PYP students respond to new challenges and opportunities with agility and imagination. By the end of Year 5, our young learners demonstrate their success and achievements through exhibitions, sharing their learnings and experiences with a wider audience.
Teaching And Learning
Our IB PYP Primary education programme is a transformative teaching and learning experience, providing a credible and transdisciplinary learning environment for students. Our learners take responsibility and ownership of their education, enhancing their knowledge, skills, understanding, and collaboration, making an impact in their lives, their communities, and beyond.
The well-structured and proficient transdisciplinary learning system, with relevant subject areas, encourages students to reflect on the significance of their learning and the meaningfulness of their actions. This remarkable learning approach helps them to emerge as efficient and energetic learners, possessing the required attributes to engage in lifelong learning.
Our IB PYP programme students are guided by expert teachers who effectively mould the knowledge and skills of students in a happy and enthusiastic environment. Through organised and regular assignments and projects, students learn the spirit of collaboration with fellow students and respond to the changes of a rapidly evolving world.
The Learning Community
The powerful commitment to uniting a community of learners on one platform makes GIIS the best IB Primary school. Our high-quality learning approach develops the critical and creative thinking capabilities of students. We recognise students, their families, school staff, and all adults involved in learners’ lives as an integral part of the learning community. The PYP education enhances students' skills and knowledge, builds their learning profiles, and shapes them into internationally minded individuals.
Unable to physically visit the campus ?
Few reasons GIIS is apt for your child
English Language Support (ELS)
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Programme Context
“It takes multiple years for English learners to gain a high enough level of language proficiency to perform on par with their native English‐speaking peers. English learners cannot wait until they are fluent in English to learn grade‐level content. Instead, they must continue to develop their math and reading skills as well as their knowledge of social studies and science, even while learning English.”
Source : educationnorthwest
At GIIS Tokyo campuses English proficiency is of the utmost importance. We recognise our students’ efforts and want to make sure they have the support necessary to become fluent global communicators. With that purpose in mind, in the year 2020 we introduced an English Language Support (ELS) programme at GIIS Tokyo.
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Programme Overview
The mission of our ELS programme is clear, to assist our non-native English speakers as well as those students who may require additional support in order to help them acquire the desired level of English language proficiency.
The ELS programme is an value-added service, i.e. free of cost and available in our Higashi Kasai Campus for Grade 6-8 CLSP students.
GIIS has several different curricula (CBSE, CLSP, IGCSE IBPYP and the IBDP) in its campuses across Tokyo and each of these curricula have specific frameworks and pedagogical approaches, the ELS model has been tailored to suit each of those curricula.
What you need to know about second language learning :
1. Children can take up to ten years to become fluent in a second language
2. Children learn second languages like they learn their first -speaking and listening followed by reading and writing
3. While children are diverse and learn in many different ways, there are recognisable steps towards fluency that can be roughly divided into five stages.
4.Children may work in more than one stage depending on the context, and learning is not necessarily a steady acquisition, but rather a dynamic process of ever-changing needs.
5. The role of translanguaging (using the mother tongue to better understand the second language) is vitally important.
6. Children must be supported in the continued growth of their first language in order to better understand their second.
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Programme Structure
GIIS employs a hybrid push-in/consultant model for PYP ELS.
In this model fifty percent of the PYP teacher’s time is utilised towards ELS in the classroom. This is a preset time that’s evaluated every three months in conjunction with the ELS teacher, the homeroom teachers and the PYP Deputy Head.
The second fifty percent is spent as consultant style, where the ELS teacher will work with students and classes in a variety of ways via:
1. Scheduled short periods of intensive vocabulary building/targeted needs of individuals and small groups
2. A biddable schedule where teachers can sign up in advance for further sessions with the ELS teacher
3. Scheduled meeting slots with teachers for planning and preparation purposes
4. Assessments, data collection and data analysis using our robust proprietary data analytics systems.
This second fifty percent will be dynamic, responsive to shifts in need and focus, and respectful of children’s socio-emotional welfare.
04
Identification of Students
Children are identified as in need of ESL support in a number of ways:
1. Identified during admissions
2. Identified by parents
3. Identified during classes
Identification will include the type of ELS support they will likely need and will be part of an ongoing conversation with homeroom teacher, ELS support teacher and families.
Children will be in the programme for differing lengths of time appropriate to their needs. They can also be identified at any time during the school year. Needs can vary and can include beginning,functional, inferential and metaphorical levels of understanding. A tracking system is used by the homeroom and ESL teacher that identifies levels of ability. The belief is that the child will benefit best from being with their peers.
05
Benefits and Outcome
The inclusion of native english speaking students in traditional classroom settings has many benefits for both native English speaking and other lingual background students, as all students benefit from the inclusion of explicit instruction in the development of academic language.
The ELS’ teacher’s planner system reflects the progress of each student indicating different levers of where the student is currently at and Individualised Learning Plans are identified accordingly alongside PYP homeroom teachers.
The Cambridge ELS system is used for a list of expected outcomes in the growth towards fluency and to maintain consistency across the school. Though we use the Cambridge ELS System it does not form our main ELS framework and content as the Cambridge syllabus is not directly relevant for PYP.
Every Child has a unique learning path. Check if IB Primary Years Program is the right fit for your child.
As a Virtual 1:1 Meeting
Scholarships
A wide range of scholarships for students of Grades 1–12 recognise student achievement in academics, sports, arts, science, leadership, and service. These awards make international education in Tokyo more accessible, while encouraging holistic growth and future success.
20th Anniversary Exclusive Scholarship for 50 Exceptional Students
Scholarship Tenure:
Up to March 2028
Scholarship Value:
Applicable Grades:
Grade 1-9
Subjects Offered for IB PYP Curriculum
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IB PYP Grades 1 to 5
- English
- Mathematics
- 2nd language A choice between Japanese or French
- Science
- Social Science
- Personal, Social and Physical Education
Scholarships
What's it like to be part of GIIS family
Extra-curricular and Co-curricular Activities
The holistic approach towards education and the phenomenal facilities make GIIS the ultimate choice among international schools in Japan. We strive for excellence in both academic and non-academic activities. We provide outstanding opportunities to nurture the inherent talent each student possesses and make it mandatory for students to participate in any of our exceptional ECA or CCA activities.
Our wide range of remarkable activities includes indoor and outdoor sports, skill-based education, clubs, jockeying, videography, and more, which develop the social, physical, and team spirit abilities of the students.
Tennis
Soccer
Badminton
Table tennis
Karate
Board Game (Chess and Carrom Board)
Volleyball
Bollywood Dance
Bharatanatyam
Igo
Craft club
Spelling and speeches
Kathak Dance form
Tabla
Carnatic vocal
Spanish club
Science Club
Math Club
Needle Art
Drawing and Painting
Smart Learning & Digital Classrooms
Technology being at the top of our infrastructure and education system, GIIS offers the superlative NextGen facilities at the campus like digital classrooms and collaborative spaces that facilitates students’ active participation and collaboration. The varied learning capabilities add brilliance to the PYP school with Smart learning that equips students with innovative tools and technologies. The well-designed virtual school encourages students to hone their digital skills and be prepared for the future of online learning platforms.
Interested in other Curricula?
IGCSE
Grade 9 - 10
CBSE
Grade 1 - 12
IBDP (DIPLOMA)
Grade 11 - 12
CLSP
Grade 6 - 8
GMP
KG1 - KG2
IBDP (BRIDGE)
Grade 11 - 12
Student Resources
Access the GIIS Tokyo School Calendar and School Brochure to keep track of academic schedules, holidays, events, and key programmes. Ideal for parents exploring an international school in Tokyo, these resources highlight our globally recognised curricula, holistic education approach, modern facilities, and the pathways we provide to help students become confident, future-ready learners.
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International Baccalaureate or IB provides a unique, challenging and diverse education. The major benefits of IB curriculum are:
● Motivates students to think critically and solve complex problems
● Students can drive their own learning
● The curriculum helps students to get into top universities for higher education
● Develop strong academic, social and emotional characteristics
● Ability to communicate with people in an increasingly globalized and fast changing world.
Primary Years Programme or PYP, an international curriculum for children in the age group of 3-12 years nurtures and develops young students as caring, active participants in a lifelong journey of learning. The PYP offers an inquiry-based, transdisciplinary curriculum framework that builds conceptual understanding. This programme consists of 8 key concepts that include:
● Form-Everything has a form and recognizable features that needs to be identified, observed, described and categorized
● Function-Everything has a purpose or a role
● Causation-Every action has certain consequences
● Change – Change is inevitable
● Connection – The actions of individual effects others
● Perspective-Different perspectives lead to different interpretations
● Responsibility-People make choices based on their understanding and actions are taken accordingly that makes a difference
● Reflection-It is important to reflect on our conclusions, to consider our methods of reasoning, and the quality and the reliability of the evidence we have considered.
The 5 essential elements of IB PYP curriculum are:
1. 12 attributes that students need to value and portray
2. Knowledge consisting of 6 interdisciplinary themes students will investigate throughout the year
3. 8 key concepts that drive instructions through inquiry, questions, and investigation
4. 5 transdisciplinary skills students develop as they involve themselves in the learning environment.
5. Students need to take actions that will help their peers, school staff, and the wider community.
IB has two different programmes that include:
●IB PYP or Primary Years Programme caters to students from kindergarten to Fifth grade from age 5-12 years.
● IB MYP or Middle Years Programme for secondary students in the age group of 11-16 years.
● IBDP or Diploma Programme for high school students in the age group of 16-18 years
The IB Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) at GIIS Japan is an enquiry-based, exploration-focused curriculum where students learn through central themes and transdisciplinary units, connecting subjects such as science, language, and social studies around real-world concepts. In contrast, the CBSE curriculum follows a more structured and subject-focused approach, with clearly defined subjects and a strong emphasis on academic fundamentals, concept clarity, and assessments. Both curricula aim to build strong foundational skills but differ in their teaching methodology and learning approach.
The IB PYP curriculum caters to students from grades 1 to 5th who are in the age group of 5 to 12 years.
GIIS offering the best PYP education programme provides three different kind of learning approaches that include:
● Student-centred approach
● Transdisciplinary approach
● Collaborative learning.
The subjects offered in the IB PYP curriculum are:
● English
● Mathematics
● Science
● Social Studies
● Second Language-Japanese/French
● Art and Physical, Social cum Personal Education.
GIIS being a well-known PYP international school offers scholarships for all the curricula. The scholarships available for the IB PYP are:
● 9GEMS Holistic Development Scholarship
● Hideki Yukawa Global Skills Scholarship
● Sadako Ogata Merit cum Means Scholarship.
Transdisciplinary learning is implemented by the IB World Schools, and PYP ensures that the learning is engaging, relevant, challenging and significant across all the subjects and beyond that helps students connect with the real world challenges.
At GIIS you can talk to our counselors online or in person. To talk to our experts you need to take a prior appointment by filling in the details here. Our executives will get in touch with you to check on your and the counselor’s availability.
The exclusive campus tours offered by GIIS can be booked through our website. You can either visit the campus personally or take a virtual tour from your comfort zones. You can book the slots as per the mentioned timings and date. For any changes you can talk to our executives.
We have professional admission counsellors who will guide you on the curricula and their benefits for your child. You need to book a meeting prior to talking with our counselors.
Assessment is a part of our admission process. During the campus visit you need to attend the counselling session and then the assessment which is conducted by our expert admission counselors.
If you are not able to download or access the application form fill in your query and details in the enquiry form or mail us at [email protected].
In the popular Tokyo city, GIIS has three excellent campuses that include:
1. Nishi Kasai Campus
2. Higashi Kasai Campus
3. Seishincho Campus.
Yes, an induction fees is payable as one-time and is non-refundable. The amount to be paid is provided here.
At GIIS, we offer sibling discounts. If your 1st child is studying in our school and you want to enrol:
● 2nd child-Then sibling discount will be 25%
● 3rd child-Then sibling discount will be 50%.
To cancel the bus services, a one month prior notice has to be submitted. If the notice is not furnished, a payment in lieu of notice is payable.
GIIS offers scholarships for existing as well as international students. Scholarships can be availed by students from kindergarten to grade 12. The scholarships in GIIS are given based on the academic performance, sports excellence, skills possessed, merit-cum-means based. Through scholarships we encourage students to pursue the passion and hone their personality.
