In this guide
The two frameworks in plain English
The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) is the IB's framework for children aged 3 to 12, normally covering preschool through Year 6 (Grades K to 5 in American grade labels). It is built around six trans-disciplinary themes (Who we are, Where we are in place and time, How we express ourselves, How the world works, How we organise ourselves, Sharing the planet). Subjects (literacy, numeracy, science, social studies, arts, personal social and physical education, an additional language from age 7) are taught through units of inquiry that connect across disciplines under one of those themes. The programme culminates in the Year 6 Exhibition, a substantial collaborative project.
Cambridge Primary, run by Cambridge Assessment International Education, is a framework for children aged 5 to 11, covering Years 1 to 6 (Stages 1 to 6 in Cambridge nomenclature). It sets out subject-based curricula in English (as a first or additional language), mathematics, science, ICT, and global perspectives, with detailed learning objectives by Stage. The framework includes the Cambridge Primary Checkpoint tests at the end of Stage 6, a set of externally marked diagnostic assessments in English, mathematics and science designed to provide feedback on a child's strengths and gaps before secondary entry.
For broader curriculum context, see our IB curriculum guide and British curriculum guide.
Side by side comparison
| IB PYP | Cambridge Primary | |
|---|---|---|
| Age range | 3 to 12 | 5 to 11 |
| Pedagogy | Trans-disciplinary inquiry; units organised around 6 themes | Subject-based with defined learning objectives per Stage |
| Languages | Additional language from Year 3 | English plus often the host country language |
| External assessment | None; teacher-assessed against PYP standards | Optional Cambridge Primary Progression Tests, Checkpoint at end of Stage 6 |
| Independent project | Year 6 Exhibition, collaborative inquiry | None core; some schools add a leavers project |
| Parent visibility | Portfolios, narrative reports, learning journeys | Subject-by-subject grades, Checkpoint reports |
| Natural progression | IB MYP at Year 7 | Cambridge Lower Secondary, then IGCSE |
| Mobility between schools | Strong across IB network; less so to other systems | Strong across Cambridge schools and to UK GCSE/IGCSE schools |
| Best for | Inquiry-loving children, IB-track families | Children who like clear subject structure and parents who like grade visibility |
What a classroom feels like
A PYP classroom is organised around the current unit of inquiry. Walls carry the unit's central idea, lines of inquiry, and key concepts; pupil work tends to be project-based, with sustained writing, models, presentations and a clear thread of how the activity links back to the trans-disciplinary theme. Teachers ask why rather than testing what. The rhythm of the year is units of inquiry rather than terms. Children who like asking questions thrive. Children who want to know exactly what to learn for next week's spelling test can find the inquiry framing nebulous in the early years if the school does not balance it with explicit literacy and numeracy teaching.
A Cambridge Primary classroom is more recognisable to parents who went through the English state or independent system. Subjects sit on the timetable, learning objectives are defined per Stage, and teachers can point to exactly what is being covered each half term. The Cambridge Primary maths framework is rigorous in numeracy progression. The Cambridge Primary English framework is strong on phonics in the early years and on extended writing later. There is room for project work and topic work, but the structure of learning objectives sits visibly behind the timetable. The framework is more legible to parents but slightly less inherently joined-up across subjects.
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Reporting and parent visibility
PYP reporting is normally narrative. Termly reports describe what a child has worked on, what they have understood, where they are growing, and where they need to develop, organised around the PYP Learner Profile (inquirer, knowledgeable, thinker, communicator, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-taker, balanced, reflective). Many PYP schools maintain digital portfolios of pupil work shared continuously with parents. This style of reporting is rich but can frustrate parents used to clearer subject-by-subject grades.
Cambridge Primary reporting is more transactional. Reports typically give a level or a percentage per subject, with comments. The optional Cambridge Primary Checkpoint at the end of Stage 6 provides an externally moderated mark in English, mathematics and science, plus a diagnostic feedback report. Parents who want to know exactly where their child sits on national or international benchmarks find the Cambridge approach more reassuring. Parents who care most about the qualities of their child's thinking find the PYP approach richer.
What each leads to at age 11
The PYP feeds naturally into the IB Middle Years Programme. The inquiry-based habits transfer; the Year 6 Exhibition is a credible warm-up for the MYP Personal Project at Year 11. A PYP child can move into a Cambridge Lower Secondary or English national curriculum Year 7 with little disruption beyond the obvious style change. The reverse is also fine: a Cambridge Primary child moves into IB MYP without difficulty.
Cambridge Primary feeds into Cambridge Lower Secondary and then IGCSE, the most common British international school pathway. It also feeds cleanly into IB MYP at age 11, and into English national curriculum schools whether state or independent. The Cambridge Checkpoint diagnostic at the end of Stage 6 gives a useful evidence base for secondary placements and for setting decisions in Year 7. See also our MYP vs IGCSE guide for the next decision point.
Which to pick if
If your family is settled at an IB school and plans to stay through to the IB Diploma at 18: PYP is the coherent choice.
If your family is committed to British schools and likely to head to A Levels: Cambridge Primary is the coherent choice.
If your child is naturally inquisitive and you value cross-disciplinary thinking: PYP.
If your child likes structure and you want subject-by-subject visibility: Cambridge Primary.
If you anticipate moving cities every 2 to 3 years: the IB network gives you broader continuity; the Cambridge network gives you broader access to British curriculum schools.
If you cannot decide: at primary age, the quality of the school and the teachers matters far more than the framework. Visit, watch a class, ask to see a Year 4 maths book and a Year 6 unit of inquiry. The school will tell you more than the framework will.
Common questions from primary parents
Does the PYP teach phonics and number facts? Yes, when the school is delivering it well. The PYP framework requires explicit literacy and numeracy teaching alongside inquiry. The risk is at schools that have over-interpreted the inquiry brief and let foundational skills drift; this is not a problem with the framework itself but with delivery.
Will my child be behind in maths if we switch from PYP to Cambridge Primary at Year 4? Sometimes, in pure arithmetic fluency, particularly mental maths. The catch up is usually one to two terms of focused practice, often with a tutor for a short period. The reasoning skills built in the PYP carry over and accelerate later progress.
How transferable are PYP and Cambridge Primary back to a UK state school? Both transfer well. UK state primaries place children on internal assessment regardless of prior framework. Children from Cambridge Primary tend to slot in with less recalibration in maths and English; children from PYP often need a half term to adjust to a more subject-based timetable.
Should I worry that PYP has no external assessment? Not at primary age. External testing at primary level is increasingly debated even within the UK system. Where you should pay attention is whether the school has internal benchmarking that tells you honestly where your child sits. Ask to see the school's tracking data at parent evening.