IPC vs IMYC: Primary Curriculum Comparison

What the IPC is

The International Primary Curriculum (IPC) is a thematic, inquiry-led primary curriculum first published by Fieldwork Education in 2000. It was originally designed for the international schools of the Shell oil company and grew into a publicly available curriculum used widely by international and national schools that wanted an inquiry-based primary alternative to traditional subject-based teaching. The IPC is now used in approximately 1,000 schools in more than 90 countries. It is owned by Nord Anglia Education through its acquisition of Fieldwork Education, although it remains available to schools outside the Nord Anglia network.

Structurally, the IPC is organised around a series of thematic units of work, each running for around six weeks. Units carry titles such as "Treasure", "Active Planet", "Mission to Mars" or "The Great, the Bold and the Brave", chosen to be engaging to children and to permit substantial cross-curricular content. Each unit specifies learning goals across subjects (history, geography, science, art, ICT, technology and others) connected to the theme, plus international goals that develop the children's understanding of their place in the world. Mathematics and language are typically taught alongside, sometimes integrated into the unit and sometimes as standalone subjects.

The IPC sits comfortably alongside national curriculums. Schools commonly run it as their main primary framework while supplementing with the English national curriculum for mathematics and language. This dual-use design is one reason the IPC has spread so widely. For wider context see our choosing a primary curriculum internationally piece.

What the IMYC is

The International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC) is the same publisher's middle years framework, designed for ages 11 to 14 (broadly years 7 to 9 in the English system, or grades 6 to 8 in the American system). The IMYC launched in 2011, more than a decade after the IPC, and was designed to address a specific weakness in the international curriculum landscape. Children moving from IPC primary into mainstream secondary often experienced an abrupt shift in teaching style. The IMYC offered a transitional framework that preserved the IPC's inquiry-led, thematic approach while introducing the disciplinary specialisation that secondary education requires.

The IMYC is organised around big ideas rather than thematic titles. Each unit is anchored to a concept such as "tradition", "balance", "consequences" or "structure", which the disciplines (history, geography, sciences, languages, mathematics, arts) explore from their own perspectives. The big idea is examined through multiple lenses during the unit, with personal learning goals that connect the academic content to the child's developing identity. The framework is explicitly informed by adolescent brain research and the developmental concerns of children moving through early adolescence.

The IMYC is used in approximately 700 schools, a smaller network than the IPC but still substantial. It is most commonly delivered as a bridge between IPC primary and IGCSE preparation in year 10, with year 9 sometimes acting as a transition year into the more specialist disciplinary teaching that IGCSE requires. Schools that use IMYC typically also use IPC at primary; the two were designed to work together.

How the two compare on age range and structure

The IPC covers ages 3 to 12, with a small overlap into the early secondary years where some schools extend its use to year 7. The IMYC covers ages 11 to 14, with a similar overlap at the lower end. The two together provide a continuous thematic-inquiry framework from early years through to the start of IGCSE or equivalent national qualifications. Schools that use both typically deliver IPC from class 1 to class 6 (or year 1 to year 7 in the English system) and IMYC from year 7 or year 8 through to year 9.

Structurally, the two share design DNA but operate differently in the classroom. The IPC's thematic unit titles are engaging to younger children and flow naturally into stories, art, drama and project work. The IMYC's big idea format is more abstract: it asks adolescents to think about consequence, structure and tradition through several disciplines and to develop their own positions. The shift in style mirrors the developmental shift in the children. Both frameworks share an emphasis on international understanding, and schools that use both deliver continuous outcomes from age 5 through to age 14.

Thematic units and disciplinary content

The principal difference between IPC and IMYC in practice is the balance between thematic and disciplinary teaching. In the IPC, the unit theme is the primary organising principle. Lessons cluster around the theme, with disciplinary content (geography, science, art and so on) integrated into the thematic flow. A class working on "Treasure" might study the geography of pirate routes, the chemistry of metals, historical accounts of trade, and creative writing built around treasure narratives. The disciplines serve the theme.

In the IMYC, the disciplinary content increasingly takes the lead. The big idea acts as a conceptual frame but each subject is taught with greater independence by a specialist teacher. A unit on "balance" might explore physical equilibrium in physics lessons, balance of power in history, balanced equations in mathematics, and balance of composition in visual art. The disciplines retain their integrity and the big idea connects them. This is more like a mainstream secondary timetable, but with explicit cross-disciplinary connection.

For parents considering these curriculums, the practical implication is that the IPC produces children who are comfortable making links between subjects and who often arrive at IGCSE with strong general knowledge across the curriculum but less depth in any single subject. The IMYC consolidates the disciplinary depth that IGCSE and A-Level pathways then demand. Schools that use both deliver children who are ready to enter mainstream secondary with both the breadth and the depth that the next phase requires. For the comparison with IB's PYP and MYP frameworks see our MYP vs Cambridge Lower Secondary piece.

Assessment, reporting and benchmarking

The IPC uses a framework of learning goals for each unit, mapped at three levels (beginning, developing, mastering). Teachers assess children's progress against these goals through unit work, with end-of-unit summative tasks and ongoing formative assessment. Reports to parents are typically narrative, supplemented by progress indicators against the learning goals. Most IPC schools also use standardised assessments (MAP, ISA or similar) for benchmarking in mathematics and reading, providing externally comparable data alongside the IPC's framework.

The IMYC uses a similar approach with adolescent-appropriate adjustments. Learning goals are mapped against the big idea and the disciplinary content, with each unit closing with a project that integrates the unit's themes. Personal learning goals add a self-reflective dimension that the IPC does not emphasise as strongly. The shift towards more independent assessment, including some examination-format tasks in upper IMYC years, prepares students for the more formal assessment that IGCSE introduces.

Both frameworks require schools to take their assessment seriously to deliver meaningful outcomes. A weak school can use either curriculum and produce limited results. A strong school using either curriculum will produce children who progress well into IGCSE, IB or other secondary pathways. The curriculum is the framework; the school is the delivery. The single most useful piece of due diligence is to ask the school to show you sample assessment reports and progression tracking data, not just the published curriculum framework.

School networks and accreditation

The IPC and IMYC are licensed curriculums, meaning schools subscribe to use them and Fieldwork Education provides resources, teacher training, planning support and quality assurance. Schools using either curriculum can pursue accreditation against the IPC International Mastery or IMYC equivalent frameworks, which provides external validation of the school's delivery quality. The accreditation process involves a self-evaluation, external visit and detailed report against the framework standards.

The IPC is accredited at three levels: developing, mastering, and innovating. Each level represents progressively deeper integration of the framework principles. Schools that have achieved mastering or innovating level have demonstrated sustained, high-quality delivery and are typically the strongest IPC schools in their region. Parents looking at IPC schools can ask about accreditation status; the levels are meaningful indicators of how seriously the school has invested in the curriculum.

IMYC accreditation is younger and less differentiated than the IPC equivalent. Schools that use IMYC as a label without engaging the support structures typically produce weaker outcomes than those that commit to the framework in full.

Choosing between IPC and IMYC schools

For families choosing a primary school, the question rarely comes down to IPC against IMYC because the two cover different age ranges. The more common question is whether a school's use of IPC indicates that it will continue with IMYC and then transition smoothly to IGCSE. The answer to that question depends on the school's broader curriculum design. Schools that use IPC and intend to continue with IMYC, then move to IGCSE or IB, typically have a coherent through-line. Schools that use IPC and then jump abruptly to an unrelated secondary curriculum can produce more difficult transitions for children.

The other key consideration is the alternative options. The main competitors to IPC at primary are the IB PYP and the Cambridge Primary curriculum. The main competitors to IMYC at middle years are the IB MYP and Cambridge Lower Secondary. Schools running IPC and IMYC together provide one coherent continuum; schools running IB PYP and MYP provide another; schools running Cambridge Primary and Lower Secondary provide a third. The three are all defensible choices. The selection between them often depends on the school's later qualifications. If the school exits through IGCSE and A-Levels, IPC and IMYC mesh naturally. If the school exits through IB Diploma, the IB continuum is the cleaner fit.

Visit the school, see the units in action, look at the children's books, and talk to the head about the curriculum journey from age 5 through to 18. A coherent answer is more important than the framework label.

Frequently asked questions

What ages does the IPC cover?

The IPC covers ages 3 to 12, spanning early years, primary and the first year of middle school. It is most commonly delivered in classes 1 to 6 (ages 5 to 12) in international schools, with the early years sometimes following a complementary IEYC (International Early Years Curriculum) framework from the same publisher.

Is the IMYC just the IPC for older children?

The IMYC is the same publisher's middle years curriculum, designed for ages 11 to 14. It uses the same thematic learning approach but is calibrated to the adolescent brain, with bigger ideas, deeper personal exploration and more complex disciplinary content. The two curriculums share design principles but are structured differently.

Is the IPC the same as the PYP?

No. The IPC and the IB PYP are separate curriculums with different publishers and different frameworks. The IPC is published by Fieldwork Education and uses thematic units. The PYP is published by the International Baccalaureate and uses transdisciplinary themes. They share inquiry-based principles but differ in structure, assessment, accreditation and continuity into secondary.

Do universities recognise IPC or IMYC?

Neither IPC nor IMYC is a university entry qualification. Both are primary or middle years curriculums delivered before formal external examinations begin. Schools using IPC or IMYC transition students into IGCSE, MYP, A-Level, IB Diploma or other recognised qualifications for the upper secondary phase that universities use for admission decisions.

Related guides

• Choosing a primary curriculum internationally
• MYP vs Cambridge Lower Secondary compared
• IB curriculum explained: a complete parent's guide