eng Начальная школа IB PYP

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About AGIS

What families gain from primary school

ATL Skills (Approaches to Learning)

AI literacy in primary school: foundations of safe and responsible use

Languages of instruction in primary school

Transdisciplinary learning and Project-Based Learning (PBL) as the core of primary school

How learning is structured in AGIS primary school

What is IB PYP and its value for the child

Content

Primary school at Astana Garden International School is a space where children do not learn “subjects in isolation”, but explore big ideas and questions connected to real life: family, society, nature, technology and culture.

The Primary School delivers a curriculum that is built on the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) framework and aligned with national standards, along with distinctive AGIS components.

IB PYP Primary School at AGIS

The PYP is an International Baccalaureate programme for learners aged 3 to 12; it offers a transdisciplinary, inquiry-based and student-centered framework. At its core is inquiry-based learning, where knowledge, skills, and personal development are built as an integrated whole.
Importantly, the PYP does not include “formal external examinations”. Instead, emphasis is placed on: continuous feedback, observation of progress, self-assessment and student reflection

What is IB PYP and its value for the child

In primary school, students build a strong foundation across key subject areas (languages, mathematics, arts, science, social studies, physical and personal development), while learning is structured around authentic student inquiry into “big ideas” of global significance. At the same time, each child is viewed as an active agent of their own learning, with a gradual development of independence and responsibility.

How learning is structured in AGIS primary school

Transdisciplinary learning as the “core” of primary school

In the primary school programme, particular emphasis is placed on a transdisciplinary approach to learning, which enables students to see the world as an interconnected whole and to develop and confidently apply thinking, communication, organizational, research and social skills (ATL skills, Approaches to Learning) that are essential for lifelong learning. The principles of transdisciplinary learning align closely with the Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach.
At its core, Project-Based Learning involves the practical application of knowledge across multiple disciplines through work on meaningful projects, where both ATL skills and a broad range of knowledge are required simultaneously for successful design and implementation.

Primary school offers a bilingual learning environment, with subjects taught in multiple languages:

Kazakh,
Russian,
English + Russian.

From Grade 1, students receive 7 hours of English per week. At AGIS, English is not just an “additional language subject” — it is a learning environment: students learn to think, express ideas and create in two languages, gradually transferring these skills into mathematics, research, projects and creative work. This gradual progression prepares students for increased English-medium learning in Grades 5–8 and a full English-medium instruction starting from Grade 9

Languages of Instruction in Primary School

AI-literacy in primary school:
foundations of safe and responsible use

AI-грамотность сегодня становится базовой компетенцией: она включает умение понимать, критически оценивать и безопасно использовать AI-инструменты.
В начальной школе закладывается «цифровая и AI-культура»:

умение распознавать, где ребёнку помогает технология, а где важно думать самостоятельно;
учиться задавать вопросы,
проверять источники и обсуждать этическую сторону (что «честно» в учебной работе, как защищать личные данные, почему нельзя слепо доверять ответу).

In the IB system, ATL skills (Approaches to Learning) are a core component of the educational process and are integrated across all IB programmes: PYP, MYP and CP.

ATL skills represent the ability to learn effectively and consists of five groups of skills:

cognitive (thinking) skills
research skills
communication skills
social skills
self-management skills

ATL skills are embedded into the academic programme at every stage of student development.

ATL SKILLS (APPROACHES TO LEARNING)

Primary school

In the IB PYP, in grades 1–4, ATL skills are developed daily through lessons, projects and extracurricular activities. Our students learn through inquiry and experience. ATL skills help them to ask questions, explore, collaborate, plan and reflect on their progress.

Students set goals to develop ATL skills and become increasingly independent learners. Most importantly, they understand how they learn and can apply these skills in any life situation. By the end of Grade 4, students demonstrate their ATL skills through the PYP Exhibition.

Middle School

Research skills are developed through the ability to formulate effective research questions, work with sources, and maintain academic integrity.
Thinking in the IB MYP involves the ability to critically evaluate information, form independent judgments, synthesize ideas and find solutions.
Communication and social skills are expressed through academic writing, presentations and collaborative research projects.

Within the MYP, ATL skills become explicit and measurable, fostering students’ academic independence — a key prerequisite for success in high school.

In the IB MYP from 5th to 9th grades, ATL skills become structured. Their development is intentionally planned by teachers within each subject area. ATL skills are integrated into assignments and assessment criteria.

High School

CP students work with real-world cases, analyze risks and develop solutions — ranging from business scenarios to product promotion strategies. In this process, they actively apply communication skills through writing letters, conducting interviews, preparing reports and presentations, while social skills are developed through collaborative projects and interaction with external organizations.
Self-management also becomes one of the key elements: students develop the ability to adapt, psychological resilience, as well as the ability to advocate for their interests and professional position.
Research skills are especially significantwithin the framework of the Reflective Project, in which students analyze anethical dilemma in their chosen field anddevelop their own well-reasoned andsubstantiated position.

In IB CP from 10th to 11th grades, ATL skills are integrated with the CP Core component called “Personal and Professional Skills (PPS)”. Through this component, ATL skills foster students’ readiness for the professional world and future careers.

What do families gain at the end of primary school?

The outcome of primary education within the PYP framework is not only a strong academic foundation, but also essential lifelong skills: asking questions, conducting inquiry, expressing ideas clearly, working collaboratively and understanding connections between disciplines. This is why the PYP framework is built around six transdisciplinary themes, which serve as the foundation for the Programme of Inquiry, connecting learning across and beyond subject areas.

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