The pre-K and KG programme at Dubai International Academy - Al Barsha follows the International Baccalaureate (IB), Primary Years Programme (PYP). Overall, the IB programme aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring individuals who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
The PYP prescribes a curriculum framework of essential elements – knowledge, concepts, skills, attitudes, and action. The PYP is structured around the Programme of Inquiry, in which a set of transdisciplinary themes determine teaching and learning. Teachers plan a wide variety of inquiry-based activities and the children’s own questions are incorporated into the class programme. Furthermore, our KG students are encouraged to think independently, make choices, become problem-solvers, express themselves creatively and work cooperatively with others.
In addition to the Primary Years Programme (PYP), student progress and attainment is benchmarked using the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. The framework is structured to include standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5 years olds. There are seventeen Early Learning Goals and they are divided into seven learning areas. The learning objectives are categorized into the following learning areas:
- Personal, social and emotional development
- Communication and language
- Literacy
- Mathematical development
- Knowledge and understanding of the world
- Physical development
- Expressive Arts and design
The three areas children develop first are communication and language, physical development and personal, social and emotional development. As children grow, they will also develop in the areas of literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts and design. Reading and Phonics instruction is based on each child’s ability and readiness.
By the end of the KG programme, our students are expected to have become familiar with concepts of print, phonemic awareness, writing, listening and speaking skills. Additionally, our students would have begun to develop their mathematical reasoning, basic geometry and measurement skills.
