IB Curriculum

NIS is proud to be China's most established International Baccalaureate (IB) World School and Continuum School. We have offered all of the IB Programmes since 1998.

The IB is a world leader in future-focused education and has a hard-earned reputation for the highest standards of teaching, instructional leadership, and student achievement. They work with schools, governments, and international organizations to develop challenging international education programs and rigorous assessment.

The Primary Years Programme (PYP) is for students from Pre-K to Grade 5, focuses on the development of the whole child in the classroom and in the world outside.

This curriculum framework is transdisciplinary and seeks to approach learning in consideration of the whole child through constructive inquiry. We closely attend to the school’s mission and strategy by developing students’ talents in the areas of their academic, social and emotional well-being.  

We care deeply about considering our perspectives through the lens of international-mindedness and making connections with our own personal values. Through our Reggio-inspired approach to learning in the Early Years all the way to the Grade 5 Exhibition, we believe in fostering student agency in order to help students develop meaning and personal connections to the purpose of their learning. This takes place within our school’s local, national, and global context. 

The Middle Years Programme (MYP) is for students from Grade 6-10 and provides a framework of academic challenge and life skills, achieved through embracing and transcending traditional school subjects.

Our Grade 6-10 curriculum is based on a combination of clearly defined Student Learning Outcomes and the inquiry-infused International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme. 

Grade Level Overviews provide a detailed breakdown of what is studied at each grade level. These and other school documents can be viewed via the links below. 

All students in MYP are involved in Service Learning which raise awareness of community needs and builds confidence in their ability to bring about change.

The Diploma Programme (DP) is for students in Grades 11-12. It is a demanding two-year curriculum leading to final examinations and a prestigious qualification that is respected by leading universities around the world.

The Diploma Programme is widely regarded as the most rigorous pre-university curriculum and it is accepted by over 2500 universities worldwide, including leading universities in Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, United Kingdom and the United States.

The DP is an excellent form of preparation for adult life, enabling students to be successful with their university studies and future careers.

The programme lasts for two years at NIS. At our school, students choosing the DP benefit from a highly experienced international faculty with a wealth of IB Diploma experience, many of whom are IB examiners.

A 21st Century Education

Our three IB programmes foster international mindedness in our students. To do this, we believe that students must first develop an understanding of their own cultural and national identity. All students learn a second language and the skills to live and work with others internationally—essential for life in the 21st century. 

The IB instills a positive attitude to learning by encouraging students to ask challenging questions, to reflect critically, to develop research skills, and to learn how to learn. We encourage community service because we believe that there is more to learning than academic studies alone. As an IB international school in Nanjing, the NIS IB program also fosters positive attitudes such as respect, tolerance and responsibility, and provides opportunities for meaningful action and service.