The Big Shift: From Scope & Sequence to Subject Continuum

The International Baccalaureate has announced a major update in the 2025 PYP Subject Documents, marking a philosophical and practical evolution in how we view learning.

The familiar Scope and Sequence documents,  once our go-to reference for what students should know and be able to do,  are now being replaced with Subject Continuums.

But this isn’t just a terminology update. It represents a fundamental shift from skills-based planning to concept-based understanding.

Where the Scope and Sequence outlined a linear progression of skills, the Subject Continuum invites teachers to view learning as an ongoing, interconnected journey of conceptual growth across disciplines.

Why the Shift Matters

The move to Subject Continuums recognises that skills do not exist in isolation but that they are vehicles for understanding bigger ideas. By embedding conceptual understanding within skills, we move from “What can they do?” to “What do t...

If you're struggling to bring the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) authentically into your IB PYP classroom, know that you’re not alone. Many teachers wonder how to make these 17 global goals relevant and age-appropriate for younger learners.

In this post, my guest blogger is Amber Reynolds from @scribble_satisfaction_ is  an experienced IB PYP teacher, currently working in Albania. She creatively walks us through how to unpack what the Sustainable Development Goals are, how they connect naturally to the IB Primary Years Programme and shares three practical, classroom-ready strategies for bringing them to life through inquiry and authentic action. By the end, you’ll see that teaching the SDGs isn’t “extra” work but rather it’s a meaningful, integrated part of developing international-minded, caring global citizens.

Why It’s Important to Teach the SDGs from a Young Age

PYP Concepts: Connection, Responsibility
ATL Skills: Social, Thinking, and Self-Management Skills...

Learning Walls That Breathe Inquiry: Making ATL Skills Visible in the IB PYP Classroom

Learning walls are living, breathing spaces for inquiry. They go far beyond decoration. They act as a third teacher, shaping thinking, talk, and reflection. Over my years as a PYP teacher, I’ve learned that when the classroom environment becomes a partner in learning, it transforms how children see themselves as thinkers, questioners, and collaborators. Please enjoy the examples of my inquiry boards/learning walls from my classroom over the years. Ive linked the units of inquiry below, if you'd like a closer look. 

• A Science Inquiry into Ocean Life: Ecosystems, Interdependence, Connection
• Adaptations of Living Things
• Who We Are: Identity, Beliefs & Values
• How We Express Ourselves: Arts, Influence, Behaviour

What Makes a Learning Wall Come Alive?

A true learning wall is organic and flexible, evolving as learners’ questions, discoveries, and understandings grow. It’s not a teacher-owned disp...

Unpacking Project-Based Learning for the IB PYP: A Concept-Based, Transdisciplinary Approach

Consider all the benefits of experiential learning and the myriad ways it reaches ALL learners and learning styles. This is why I love authentic inquiry-based projects for ALL disciplines and project-based learning (PBL) is just another powerful way to engage students in the inquiry cycle, enhancing their research skills and connecting their learning to real-world issues. In the IB PYP, inquiry-based math projects offer powerful opportunities for students to explore math in a way that connects to real-world issues Let’s look at how the PBL approach can be adapted for the IB PYP classroom within our concept-based, transdisciplinary approach to teaching. 

I have provided several examples for both upper and lower grades. Read on to find high-engagement ideas for your students' age and ability level. 

 Why Project Based Inquiry?

I create inquiry-based projects and activities for my students b...