The holistic approach of the Primary Years Programme (PYP) provides teachers with meaningful opportunities for authentic assessment while encouraging students to engage in ongoing reflection and self-assessment throughout their learning journey.
In the Early Years, assessment is a dynamic, continuous, and holistic process that focuses not only on what children know, but, more importantly, on how they learn and develop across the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive domains. Its purpose is to gain a deeper understanding of each child's learning journey and to provide meaningful feedback that supports their ongoing growth and development.
Assessment is informed through teachers' observations and documentation. These records provide valuable insights into what children know, understand, and are able to do. They enable teachers to provide timely and meaningful feedback, plan purposeful learning experiences, and adapt teaching to meet each child's individual needs.
IB Programmes Director: Eleni Vasileiou
Vice Principal / PYP Coordinator: Zoe Lousidou
Assessment may be:
Formative: Conducted continuously throughout everyday classroom life and used to guide the learning process
Holistic and Child-Centered: Takes into account the child as a whole by integrating their social, emotional, physical, and cognitive needs
Inquiry-Based: Recognizes what children already know, what they want to learn, and how they can be guided towards new understandings
Focused on the Learning Process: Places value not only on the final outcome, but also on the process and the steps that each child follows throughout their learning
From the beginning of the school year (Pre-assessment), teachers document each child's prior knowledge, experiences, and interests in order to design personalized learning experiences. Throughout the year, they monitor and support each child's progress, while at the end of each Unit of Inquiry, or at regular intervals, Summative Assessment is carried out to provide an overall understanding of the Central Idea, the specified concepts, and the Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills that have been developed.
Finally, through opportunities for self-assessment, students are encouraged to recognize their own progress, set personal learning goals, and develop responsibility for their own learning journey.