Navigating the IB PYP Self-Study Process
Embarking on the IB self-study process was a transformative experience for our learning community. This reflective journey allowed us to pause, evaluate, and strengthen our IB programme, through the lens of growth and continuous improvement.
In my role as Elementary Principal and PYPC, I found that a well-structured and thoughtfully facilitated approach allowed us to embrace this process as an opportunity to deepen our understanding and strengthen our application of the standards and practices.
With this step-by-step guide, my goal was to provide clarity, structure, process and intentionality to support others in navigating the IB PYP self-study process with confidence and purpose.
My approach was grounded in the Kath Murdoch inquiry cycle, drawing inspiration from the work of Christopher Frost.
Self-study Overview
Tuning In: Teachers self-selected expert groups based on IB standards and practices.
Finding Out: We defined the descriptors for self-assessing ourselves against the standards and practices.
Sorting Out:
An Exemplary IB School. We reflected on what we would expect to see, hear, and feel at an exemplary IB school.
Evidence at our School: We examined what evidence might exist to show that the IB practices were being implemented in our learning community.
Going Further: We gathered artifacts to demonstrate the development of the standards and practices in our context. We determined what evidence to collect and who would be responsible for collecting it.
Making Conclusions:
Self-Assessment of Practices: We evaluated our development of IB practices using the self-study questionnaire.
Self-Assessment of Standards: We assessed our progress in meeting IB standards through the self-study questionnaire.
Taking Action: We identified steps to further develop and enhance the standards and practices and strengthen our IB programme.
Tuning In: Setting the Stage
We began by defining the purpose of the self-study. This initial phase prepared our learning community to engage meaningfully in the process, using it as an opportunity to reflect on our strengths, recognise areas of growth, and identify aspects that required additional focus.
I guided teachers in understanding that this was an opportunity for growth and reflection, not just an evaluation. By leaning into our norms of collaboration, we maintained a culture where every participant was a valued and active contributor, creating the conditions for meaningful engagement and shared ownership of the process.
Guiding question: How will the self-study process support us to develop and advance our IB Programme/s?
As an Elementary school, we examined and discussed the self-study process agenda.
We created expert groups of teachers and staff, allowing individuals to choose the group that aligned with their interests. Each group then became experts in their chosen framework: Culture, Purpose, Learning, and Environment.
Finding Out: Defining Success
Our next step was to establish a shared understanding of what success looked like within the framework of the IB standards and practices. The IB uses the following descriptors to evaluate these standards and practices: developing, developed, and highly developed.
Guiding Question: How can we establish a shared understanding of the descriptors used to assess the development of practices?
How can we elaborate on and define the terms developing, developed, and highly developed? In expert groups, teachers collaboratively created their own definitions for these descriptors.
We then refined and clarified these definitions by referencing the IB’s official descriptions of developing, developed, and highly developed. This step ensured alignment with IB expectations and fostered a consistent understanding of the descriptors across our learning community.
Guiding Question: How can we build a shared understanding of the practices and their terminology?
The expert groups then explored the language and terminology of the practices, ensuring a clear, shared understanding of each standard and its relevance to our school’s context.
Sorting Out: Collecting Evidence
With a shared understanding of the descriptors in place, the next step was to gather evidence of our school’s current implementation of the frameworks.
We established an efficient system for organizing and storing the collected evidence by using a shared drive with designated framework folders, which allowed teachers to easily submit and access the evidence.
Guiding Question: What would you expect to see, hear, and feel in a high-functioning IB school?
In expert groups:
We began by stepping outside our school context to consider and document what we would expect to see, hear, and feel if the framework were effectively implemented in a high-functioning IB school.
Guiding Question: What evidence can we gather to show that this practice is being implemented at our school?
Teachers then brainstormed what evidence exists in our school context. Teachers collected artifacts of the implementation of their framework from around the school. This evidence took various forms, such as curriculum documents, photographs of the learning environment, guiding documents, handbooks, policies, and student work samples.
Going Further: Expanding Perspectives
At this stage, we recognized the importance of considering additional stakeholder groups—such as parents, students, and the broader community—that could contribute valuable evidence to the self-study process. Our goal was to gather a wide range of perspectives to ensure the self-study accurately reflected the diversity and viewpoints of our school community.
Guiding Question: How can we elicit feedback from the broader learning community to gain a comprehensive understanding of the implementation of the standards and practices?
We organized a gallery walk where staff members could review the collected artifacts from other framework groups and contribute additional evidence to support those groups.
We invited stakeholder groups— parents, students, student council, and community members—to provide their input and feedback, ensuring their voices were heard in the process. We used the following methods to collect data from the community:
Parents: We gathered feedback through an online community survey and an in-person focus group with class representatives from across the school. During the focus group, parents recorded their feedback on continua and sticky notes, as shown below.
Elementary Students: We gathered feedback through an online survey from grades 3 to 5.
Elementary Student Council: We collected in-person feedback from student council representatives who analyzed student data using the thinking routine; See, Think, Act. They then presented their findings to the entire elementary community during an assembly.
Surprise Envelope! At this point, an IB evaluation report was available from a previous visit, which was shared with the staff as a piece of evidence that contributed to the narrative of our IB journey. This artifact was intentionally introduced it at this stage to prevent it from influencing teachers initial perspectives, ensuring greater objectivity throughout the process.
Guiding Question: How might the previous evaluation report provide insights into our implementation of the standards and practices?
Making Conclusions: Rating Your Practices
With the evidence gathered, it was time to conduct the self-assessment. This phase allowed our expert groups to evaluate how well our school was meeting each IB standard and practice within their respective frameworks.
Teachers were reminded that they were making a recommendation for the rating as part of the self-study process, emphasizing that their input was essential for leadership in completing the final evaluation report.
Guiding Question: How do we rate the development of practices at our school?
In expert groups, we evaluated the development of our practices using the self-study questionnaire and the IB descriptors.
Guiding Question: How do we rate the development of our standards at our school?
In expert groups, we evaluated the development of our standards using the self-study questionnaire and the IB descriptors. The ratings of practices helped guide our overall assessment of the standards.
We then recorded the major achievements and challenges related to each standard.
Taking Action: Driving Improvement
The final phase focused on developing an action plan based on the findings from the self-study and the IB programme evaluation report. The insights we gathered through this reflective process informed our Programme Development Plan and guided our school’s growth in the years ahead.
Guiding Question: What actions can we take to develop and enhance our standards and practices?
In mixed groups, we discussed and recorded the actions we believed were necessary to further develop and enhance the standards and practices at our school.
Guiding Question: How might the self-study inform the development of a Programme Development Plan?
We reflected on how the findings from the self-study process could shape the creation of our Programme Development Plan, ensuring that it was aligned with our goals and the areas identified during the evaluation.
Key Insights and Reflections for School Leaders:
Foster a collaborative mindset: The self-study is not just a compliance task; it’s an opportunity to foster deeper collaboration and reflection within your school.
Growth Paradigm: Focus on growth rather than evaluation to make this process truly meaningful for your team’s development.
Emphasize evidence-based reflection: Encourage your teams to gather and critically analyze diverse forms of evidence to ensure a holistic self-assessment.
Connect the process to long-term goals: Use the insights from the self-study to inform your Programme Development Plan, ensuring that the process drives continuous improvement.
By thoughtfully guiding your school through these steps, you can ensure a meaningful self-study process that not only meets IB requirements but also greatly enhances the quality of your IB programme.
If you'd like to discuss your school's self-study process or have any questions, feel free to reach out. I’d be happy to chat!
