Our Elementary Curriculum

The Elementary School at NIS is where exploration, curiosity, and thoughtful challenge create a lifelong love of learning in children.

Students are encouraged to ask questions, take risks, and learn through both success and reflection. Guided by experienced, internationally-minded educators, they engage in a structured academic program that develops strong foundations across core subject areas while fostering independence and a deeper understanding of how they learn.

The result is a learning experience that builds both confidence and capability. Students grow as readers, mathematicians, thinkers, and creators, developing the skills and mindset needed to approach new challenges with curiosity and purpose.

We invite you to explore the Elementary curriculum below to see how learning at NIS is intentionally designed to support both academic growth and the development of the whole child.

The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme

Guided by the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP), the curriculum is organized to ensure that students develop strong foundations in core academic disciplines, including language, mathematics, science, and individuals and societies. These subjects are taught with defined learning outcomes and are systematically developed across each grade level.

At the same time, learning is structured to promote the transfer and application of knowledge. Through carefully designed units, students engage with concepts that connect ideas across subjects, enabling them to deepen their understanding and apply their learning in a range of contexts.

Student Assessment in Elementary School

Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning at NIS. It is not simply about measuring what students have learned, but about guiding progress over time. At its core, assessment helps students answer three essential questions:

Where am I now?
Where do I need to be?
How do I get there?

It is a collaborative process that involves students, teachers, and families, ensuring that learning is visible and continuously supported.

DOWNLOAD THE IB PYP ASSESSMENT GUIDE

Welcome from our Primary Years Programme Coordinator

What does learning look like in the Primary Years Programme at NIS?

Hear from PYP Coordinator Erin Gillespie as she shares how inquiry, collaboration, and international-mindedness help students build confidence, curiosity, and a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Discover how our teachers challenge and support each child, helping every learner grow, make progress, and develop a lifelong love of learning.

Understanding the Units of Inquiry in Elementary School

Units of Inquiry (also known as transdisciplinary themes) are the central structure of learning in the Elementary School. Each unit is built around a significant concept and brings together multiple subject areas, including language, mathematics, science, and individuals and societies. This ensures that students continue to develop subject-specific knowledge and skills while also making connections across what they are learning.

Units are designed with clear learning goals and are carefully planned to ensure progression across each grade level. Students explore concepts through structured inquiry, guided by teachers who introduce new knowledge, develop skills, and provide ongoing feedback throughout the learning process.

How the World Works

Grades 1-5

How We Express Ourselves

Grades 1-5

How We Organize Ourselves

Grades 1-5

Sharing the Planet

Grades 1-5

Where We Are in Place and Time

Grades 1-5

Who We Are

Grades 1-5