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Curriculum & Learning: Home

Learning at WAB is a transformative process which is intentional and iterative, challenging and joyful, and serves an authentic purpose. 

WAB Definition of Learning, established 2017-18

 

WAB is an innovative, leading IB-World School, offering the continuum of the Primary Years Programme (PYP, EY-G5), Middle Years Programme (MYP, G6-10) and Diploma Programme (DP, G11-12), alongside personalised learning pathways and an extensive range of extra-curricular opportunities to meet the needs of all of learners. Teaching, learning and assessment are built on these globally-recognised frameworks for international education, leading to high academic success and impressive university acceptances. 

We welcome you to explore Learn.WAB.edu to see some of the amazing units of inquiry, approaches to learning and resources available to our learners across the school. 

WAB Is A Leading IB World School

The PYP, MYP and DP Programmes are internationally-recognised frameworks for teaching and learning that ensure an engaging, reliable and academically-vigorous learning experience for all of our students. Our students are encouraged by expert, globally-experienced teachers to develop concepts, skills and knowledge across a broad, balanced and exciting international curriculum. 

The IB Programme Frameworks, Standards & Practices and Approaches to Teaching & Learning provide secure foundations in: 

  • Curriculum Development and Learning Design.
  • Assessment and Reporting for Growth & Learning, to ensure all of our learners are making good progress. 
  • Teaching and Learning Strategies through Inquiry, Action & Reflection.
  • Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Learning.
  • Development of Learner Independence through the Approaches to Learning. 

WAB's Curriculum Is Informed By International Standards

As an independent, non-profit international school, licensed in China as a 'School for Children of Foreign Nationals', WAB has complete control of our own curriculum, and we are able to design learning for students based on the best of education from around the world.

WAB's Curriculum is based on the IB programme frameworks and a selection of global standards and resources, ensuring progression through the years. Our standards-informed curriculum is adaptable and secure, challenging and joyful, and serves the authentic purpose of developing knowledgeable global citizens. 

In the IB Diploma, course content is clearly outlined in subject guides. Overviews can be found here. In MYP, objectives and conceptual frameworks are provided in subject guides and curriculum documentation. In PYP, objectives and scope-and-sequence outlines are provided in documentation. 

Alongside IB progressions of learning, some of our core reference standards (to help select content) include: 

  • Australian (ACARA) standards for Mathematics, Language & Literature, Individuals & Societies, Sciences and PHE. 
  • The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for European Language Acquisition and HSK for Chinese Language Acquisition. 
  • The CASEL Framework, IB Approaches to Learning and Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum for Social-Emotional Learning & Safeguarding.  

WAB adapts and supplement these standards with other sources and resources from around the world to ensure that students have access to outstanding teaching and learning resources throughout their journey with us.

A Broad and Balanced Curriculum for Global Citizenship

WAB's Curriculum and IB Programmes ensure that all learners maintain broad and balanced learning, with students engaging with these subject areas throughout their learning journey with WAB: 

  • Literacy, Language & Literature
  • Language Acquisition
  • Individuals & Societies (Social Studies)
  • STEM through Science, Design and Mathematics
  • Physical and Health Education (PHE)
  • The Arts, including Music, Theatre, Visual Arts, Film and Dance
  • Social & Emotional Learning & Safeguarding (SEL)

In PYP, Individuals & Societies, Sciences and other subjects are incorporated into trans-disciplinary Units of Inquiry, with extra community and standalone time for SEL, PHE, Languages The Arts, Design and Mathematics. In High School, students make course choices based on their interests and intended destinations, with the expert guidance of their mentors and dedicated, in-house university counseling team. 

Learner Agency & Inquiry

Throughout their education at WAB, students are empowered to have voice, choice and ownership of their learning. Using innovative teaching and learning strategies, our learners are taught to plan, research, take action and reflect on their learning. At all stages, student needs and interests help shape the curriculum and learning, including:

  • Shaping the Units of Inquiry with their questions and interests
  • Choosing and using reliable sources of information in their research
  • Determining how they will demonstrate their learning
  • Designing, taking action on and reflecting on authentic and purposeful actions
  • Working with school leadership on shaping the future of the school

Personalized Learning

WAB's curriculum is personalized to suit the needs and interests of all of our learners in many ways, including: 

  • Dedicated Student Support departments to ensure the success of students with additional learning needs. 
  • Differentiated learning all units of inquiry, which adapt to students' needs and interests. 
  • High-quality extended inquiry through the PYP Exhibition, Community Projects, MYP Personal Project, DP Extended Essay and IB Diploma Internal Assessments. 
  • Making personal and global connections to the concepts, content, skills and examples used in teaching and learning. 
  • Personalized learning pathways for students in the High School, including innovative courses that allow students to deep-dive into areas of interest, and our Capstone programme. 
  • WAB's innovative 'Day 9' in Middle and High School, where students make choices in their own schedule, to allow them to pursue interests, develop projects or spend extended time with expert teachers to better understand their curriculum learning and assessments. 

Learning Beyond The Walls of WAB

Complementing our world-class curriculum delivered on our unique and beautiful campus, experiential learning at WAB challenges our learners, broadens their horizons and makes connections to our host culture of China.

WAB Definition of Learning by Stephen Taylor