What Does Primary School Learning Look Like?

Learning in Primary is a crucial foundation for a child's educational journey. At Nanjing International School, we believe that learning is a personal process that leads to the development of new skills and understandings that can be applied creatively in the world beyond the classroom. In this way, our Primary School focuses on the unique learning characteristics and dispositions of every student, allowing for a personalised, inclusive learning experience in a safe and caring environment. It might be programming Bee-Bots in Design class or putting together tricycles in Early Years. It could look like hands-on maths or a student-led history project. It could be in a Mandarin or Swimming class, or part of our expansive extracurricular programme. Or it could just be the student-centred interaction between teacher and learner.

Our faculty work to encourage the development of skills that are essential for lifelong learning. Students are given agency over their learning and are encouraged to make meaningful choices about their own learning. They are provided with inquiry-based learning opportunities that allow them to develop skills for making personal connections with learning content and collaborate with others. NIS places an emphasis on creating an inclusive learning community where students feel a strong sense of belonging and inclusion. This helps the youngest students to understand and think objectively about different people, cultures, and perspectives.

The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) provides our Primary School with an exceptional academic framework for structured inquiry to take place in relevant, real-world contexts. This programme ensures that students are exposed to a diverse range of learning experiences that are designed to challenge and support them appropriately. Through experience and discovery, NIS students have countless opportunities to grow and develop into global citizens, problem-solvers, and leaders in a dynamic and ever-changing world.