Primary School
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Education shall start at a young age.
Hillside World Academy believes that primary schooling is very important in a child’s development. Thus, providing your child with the best primary education is a task we consider with utmost importance. It is one of the key objectives of Hillside World Academy to fulfill our commitment as an educational institution.
Children often acquire their first learning experiences during their primary school year. There are lots of complexities when it comes to primary education. Since this is your child’s first step to learning, there can be some anxieties and difficulties that may arise. However, we at Hillside World Academy will support your child throughout his/her learning journey. We can assure you that your child will be guided well especially during the initial stages of his/her schooling.
Hillside World Academy is an international school that wants to immerse students in a culture rooted in the values of both the East and the West. As an IB primary school, our primary school program emphasizes world teachings that will better help the student gain an understanding of their place as a global citizen.
A day in their school life. Join us going through a day in the life of a HWA student.
Hillside World Academy Primary School
Hillside World Academy Primary School adopts the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) which offers a holistic and empowering learning experience for children. It nurtures and develops children aged 6 to 11 as caring, active participants in a lifelong journey of learning.
The HWA IB-PYP Academic Programme
At Hillside World Academy, we aim to develop students to be:
As an IB World School, the PYP will follow in continuum into the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and then Diploma Programme (DP). Our school ensures a smooth transition for students from PYP into MYP and DP, and we want our students to embrace values in accordance with the IB Organization’s mission:
“The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.
These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.”
Features Of HWA IB-PYP Academic Programme
Every teacher who works with us is fully qualified and trained in the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme.
Conceptual understanding is the key feature in HWA PYP UoI. Students will explore the concepts through carefully planned lessons so that they will gain deep understanding within and beyond subject areas.
Approaches to learning (ATL) skills are incorporated through meticulous planning to support student learning. The skills are taught and reinforced in every unit with the aim of developing independent learning and encouraging application of what they have learnt in unfamiliar situations.
Every UoI taught in HWA presents to the students the perspectives from the Western and Eastern culture, thereby promoting attitudes contributing to the well-being of the learners and their learning communities. These attitudes promote international-mindedness among the HWA international community.
Action, in the form of a project or service to the learning community, follows naturally from a successful inquiry conducted.
| Programme | Grade | Entry Requirement - Minimum Age |
|---|---|---|
| International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB - PYP) | Grade 1 | 6 |
| Grade 2 | 7 | |
| Grade 3 | 8 | |
| Grade 4 | 9 | |
| Grade 5 | 10 | |
| Grade 6 | 11 |
| Course Title | Mode | Duration | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB - PYP) — Grade 1 | Full-Time | 12 Months | August | July |
| International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB - PYP) — Grade 1 | Full-Time | 12 Months | August | July |
| International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB - PYP) — Grade 2 | Full-Time | 12 Months | August | July |
| International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB - PYP) — Grade 3 | Full-Time | 12 Months | August | July |
| International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB - PYP) — Grade 4 | Full-Time | 12 Months | August | July |
| International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB - PYP) — Grade 5 | Full-Time | 12 Months | August | July |
| International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB - PYP) — Grade 6 | Full-Time | 12 Months | August | July |
| International Baccalaureate Primary Years Immersion Programme (IB - PYP IMMERSION) | Full-Time | 1 Month | September, November, January, March, May | October, December, February, April, June |
The IB-PYP Subjects:
Chinese
English
Unit of Inquiry
Mathematics
Science
Arts (Music & Visual Arts)
Personal, social and physical education
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In HWA, we focus on equipping our students with the mastery of English and Mandarin – two most important languages we believe will give our students a competitive edge. We aim for our PYP students to attain effective bilingualism by the following strategies:
- There are equal opportunities for the students to communicate with bilingual homeroom teachers or subject teachers
- There is bilingual immersion into physical learning environment
- PYP lessons are carefully planned to develop literacy and proficiency
- We focus on developing bi-cultural perspectives in our UoI
- The opportunities to use the Chinese language in the school compound is abundant.
- We further complement the PYP student’s Chinese learning through school celebrations of Chinese festivities and Chinese-centric co-curricular activities (CCA).
The HWA PYP student will need to
- explore transdisciplinary themes in 6 units of inquiry
- study from 6 subject groups, including Chinese
- participate in at least one co-curricular activity
- (for Grade 6 students) participate in the PYP exhibition
The HWA PYP Assessment.
Assessment is an important part of each UoI as it both enhances learning and provides opportunities for students to reflect on what they know, understand, and can do. The teachers give feedback, which in turn guides our students to become more capable and independent learners. The type of certification awarded upon completion of the final year course is a Primary 6 Graduation Certificate.
