Learning at St Columba's

What is an IB PYP Evaluation?

Education is a journey of continuous reflection, learning, and growth, not just for our students, but for our entire school community. Over the past year, the teaching staff at St Columba's have been on a deep, meaningful journey reviewing and evaluating our International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) practice.

Together during student-free staff days, weekly planning sessions, and staff meetings, our team has gathered evidence to honestly look at what we are doing well and where we want to move to next. We used the four core pillars of the IB framework as our map:

• Purpose: Ensuring our school’s vision and educational philosophy guide every decision we make.
• Environment: Crafting safe, inspiring, and engaging spaces where children feel empowered to learn.
• Culture: Fostering a caring, inclusive community grounded in mutual respect and global citizenship.
• Learning: Delivering vibrant, student-centred learning that sparks curiosity and deep inquiry.

The Three Stages

• The Preliminary Review: We compiled and submitted documentation to demonstrate our alignment with and compliance with global IB standards.
• The Self-Study: Every member of our staff participated in an in-depth self-study. We took an honest look at our teaching practices, celebrating our strengths while identifying clear, actionable next steps for growth.
• The Visit: This year-long effort culminated over the past two days. We were delighted to welcome IB evaluators and IBEN educators, Michael and Brenda, into our school. They spent two full days immersing themselves in our St Columba's community, meeting with our teaching teams, the School Advisory Council (SAC), our Student Representative Council (SRC), and parents. Michael and Brenda listened to our stories, saw our values in action, and helped us plan for our next steps.

This evaluation is not a destination, but a milestone in our ongoing commitment to educational excellence. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our students, staff, and families for representing St Columba's with such pride, warmth, and openness. We look forward to sharing the next chapter of our learning journey with you.  I encourage you to ask your child whether they met or spoke with the evaluators and what they learned about the process the school just completed.

Nicole Spence

PYP Coordinator