Angela Riggs, assistant Lower School principal at ACS Egham International School, has been selected by the IB (International Baccalaureate organisation) as one of a handful of workshop leaders from the UK to act as the 'face' of the IB Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) across a region spanning the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

The IB PYP is designed for children between the ages of three and 12. In common with all IB programmes – a popular option with relocating families – aims to develop the whole person, set up attitudes which will lead to lifelong learning, and encourage international respect and responsibility.

Ms Riggs, who has taught the IB PYP for the past 12 years in the UK and in Singapore, will spend around five days per year running workshops for teachers new to the IB PYP programme. Schools that are considering adopting the programme will be able to visit ACS Egham to meet her and her fellow teachers and learn more about the programme from an established and authorised IB PYP school.

The IB PYP focuses on getting children interested in their own learning by helping them to investigate subjects that they are curious about. It encourages them to make connections between different pieces of information, and, in doing so, increase their understanding of how the world works.

This enquiry-based approach enables children to build on their individual knowledge through an emphasis on learning how to learn and how to find out. The curriculum is designed to ensure that children also receive a sound grounding in the traditional basics of literacy and numeracy, whilst placing emphasis on broad communication skills, problem-solving skills, teamwork, and the ability to apply learning to new situations.

For information about ACS International Schools, go to www.acs-england.co.uk

For information about the IB PYP, see www.acs-england.co.uk/schools/egham/curriculum/lower_school.htm and www.ibo.org/pyp