Children have an innate sense of wonder and a hunger to understand their world. Here in the Primary School at AISS, we seek to foster the natural curiosity that the children bring to our doors.

An accredited International Baccalaureate World School, the Primary School utilises the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) as the main curricular vehicle for our learning. The PYP is a student centred, inquiry based programme. It engages students in the learning process since it acknowledges the understanding and skills that individuals bring and invites them to help shape classroom inquiries. Whilst knowledge is a key component, the focus of our curriculum is on skills, concepts, attitudes and values which are integrated and transferable across curriculum domains. Therefore, our students are better able to link their understandings throughout the Primary School years.

In an Australian context, and in the interest of achieving best practice, the Primary teaching staff refer to curriculum documents, resources, and developments taking place in contemporary Australian education. Whilst the curriculum and standards offered by the New South Wales Board of Studies are an integral resource and benchmark to measure our own curriculum development as a Primary School, our staff also look towards other states in Australia, as well as other national curricula, to understand better educational trends in an increasingly globalised world.

Our highly trained and dedicated teachers provide exciting and stimulating programs that strive to cater for the needs of all children. The children benefit from the expertise of specialist teachers in the curriculum areas of Music, Visual Arts, Information and Computer Technology, Mandarin and Physical Education. In addition, a rich program of extra-curricular activities that caters for a variety of interests in sports, arts, music and culture is offered outside of classroom hours.

The Primary School celebrates community. Parents play an active role in assisting classroom learning in a variety of ways. Volunteer training programmes allow parents to understand the classroom dynamic and develop the necessary skills to contribute meaningfully to learning, both inside and outside the classroom. Regular social events are also organised to help promote the spirit of community.

AISS is a thriving and evolving educational setting. We constantly reflect on our practices, and of those within the educational community abroad. Our goal is to ensure that we provide quality resources, effective and inspiring teaching and learning programmes, and an enriching environment for our children.

I welcome you to the Primary School and the AISS community.