Windhoek International School currently offers two programmes from the International Baccalaureate: the IB Diploma at secondary school level and the IB Primary Years Programme (or PYP) in the primary school. This programme is recognised worldwide as an excellent educational package, especially for international schools, which need to prepare children from a wide range of backgrounds to go on to secondary schools around the world. As of the end of January 2006 there were 245 authorised PYP schools in 61 countries. Windhoek International School was first authorised in 1998 and completed a successful re-authorisation process in 2002.

The PYP is based on sound educational principles and up-to-date research into the way children learn. One of the great strengths of the PYP is that it enables children to make meaningful connections in their lives, both in and out of school. This is partly because it is a concept-based programme, which means that it is organised around 'big ideas' about the world. The subject-specific skills are brought in as they become relevant, together with appropriate knowledge, concepts and attitudes. The PYP also promotes an 'inquiry approach' which puts the student at the heart of their own learning. This is why a good deal of a child's learning experience in the primary school at WIS revolves around a set of six 'units of inquiry'. These are transdisciplinary units, incorporating a range of subject areas, from Mathematics and Language to Science, Social Studies and the Arts.

Here are some examples of the kinds of units we offer at present: In Year 1, a favourite arts-based unit is 'Dress Up' in which the children explore how we can express ourselves through the clothing we wear. In Year 4, a popular unit is 'Ew Gross!' which looks at how germs affect our health and involves children in lots of hands-on science. All our students graduate from the Programme through the PYP Exhibition at the end of their sixth year. This unit enables them to apply their learning through the PYP to a real-life issue or problem of their choice. The children then stage an exhibition of their work to the school community and wider public in celebration of their achievements.

As a PYP school, we are committed to ongoing professional development and curriculum review to ensure that we continue to offer the best possible programme. Teachers plan collaboratively to match students' interests and abilities with year level expectations in all the subjects. We aim to give every child a positive learning experience through challenging, engaging, significant and relevant activities with a solid educational purpose. Using the PYP guidelines, we operate an individualised system of continuous assessment. We assess against subject-specific criteria as well as the PYP Student Profile, which expresses the overall goals of the Programme for every child.

WIS kids are:
*Inquirers
*Thinkers
*Communicators
*Risk-takers
*Knowledgeable
*Principled
*Caring
*Open-minded
*Well-balanced
*Reflective

For more information, please look into the IB public website: www.ibo.org.