The IB Advantage (PYP)
The International Baccalaureate (IB) is one of the most respected educational frameworks in the world. Sacred Heart Preschool leverages an IB framework and curriculum to teach children not just the facts, but also how to learn. As an IB World School, Sacred Heart Preschool is proud to offer the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). SHP achieved authorization for the PYP in 2020 and is the only preschool in Kentucky with this honor.
For toddlers, we thoughtfully introduce early elements of the IB approach through age-appropriate exploration, conversation, and purposeful play. Beginning at age 3, SHP students officially participate in the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), encouraging curiosity, reflection, and a love of learning.
Inquiry in Action: Asking questions. Exploring ideas. Making connections.
From their earliest years, children are naturally curious. At SHP, we nurture that curiosity through inquiry-based experiences that help them make sense of the world. Our students learn to ask questions, explore new ideas, and reflect on what they’ve discovered. Teachers model how to think, listen, and grow through intentional, responsive instruction. Pre-K students (ages 3–5) engage in the full IB PYP cycle of inquiry, action, and reflection, which fosters ownership of learning and builds confidence that lasts.
The IB Approaches to Learning
As part of the IB framework, preschool students at SHP begin developing five essential skill areas known as the Approaches to Learning. These foundational habits are gently woven into classroom routines, purposeful play, and reflection throughout the day:
Thinking
Children learn to make connections, solve problems, and think creatively as they explore new ideas through hands-on activities and guided conversations.
Communication
Through storytelling, show-and-tell, and group discussions, students practice expressing themselves clearly and listening with care.
Social
Collaborative play helps children build empathy, take turns, and learn how to work together with respect and kindness.
Self-Management
Daily routines, classroom jobs, and mindfulness activities help students develop focus, independence, and the ability to manage emotions and transitions.
Research
Even our youngest learners practice observing, asking questions, and investigating answers in ways that feel natural and fun.
Children who begin their IB journey at SHP benefit from a seamless experience that continues across Sacred Heart Schools. As students grow, so do their skills — from asking simple questions to exploring big ideas with confidence and purpose.
Only schools authorized by the International Baccalaureate can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme or the IB Career-related Certificate (IBCC).
For further information about the IB and its programmes, visit www.ibo.org.
Inquirers
Students nurture their natural curiosity and develop a life-long love for learning.
Knowledgable
Students explore knowledge across a range of disciplines and engage with issues of local, national and global significance.
Thinkers
Students learn to think critically and creatively in order to tackle complex problems.
Communicators
Students understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively, including a second language. They work in collaboration with others.
Principled
Students are honest, fair and act with integrity. They take responsibility for their actions.
Open-Minded
Students embrace other cultures, seeking to understand and appreciate the personal histories, values and traditions of others.
Caring
Students have a commitment to service and act with empathy, compassion and respect.
Risk-Takers
Students are brave when faced with challenges. They explore new ideas and innovative strategies and understand that failure is part of the learning.
Balanced
Students understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being.
Reflective
Students give thoughtful consideration to our own learning and experiences and are able to assess their strengths and limitations for greater personal development.
The idea of being in service to the world aligns with our Ursuline values of Community, Reverence, Service and Leadership. As IB Learners rooted in the legacy of a long Ursuline history of Catholic education, we are ready to change the world.
The Primary Years Programme (PYP) is designed for students aged 3-12. It focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and the world beyond. It is a framework guided by six themes of global significance: Who We Are, Where We Are in Place and Time, How We Express Ourselves, How the World Works, How We Organize Ourselves, and Sharing the Planet.
The child is at the center of everything we do in a PYP classroom. Our goal is to foster lifelong learners who demonstrate the attributes of the Learner Profile, and who will contribute to a better world. Teachers plan with the end in mind and work backward, asking the question, “What is the big idea that the student needs to understand?” This highly collaborative process begins with creating a conceptual central idea that is meant to be broad enough to allow students to individually create their own meaning. Within this framework, students begin to develop their own inquiries, increasing their engagement in the learning.