If you peeked into an Anandi PYP classroom, you would not find silent rows. You would see small groups building on the floor, classmates debating at a whiteboard, and a teacher moving between them, asking questions and nudging thinking forward. 

Parents would ask a simple question: what do children actually do all day? The answer is that they inquire, build, test ideas, and learn how to use what they know.

Most of us grew up in textbook-first, teacher-led classrooms. The PYP at Anandi looks different because it is different. In a world shaped by innovation, we believe school should reflect the skills children really need: collaboration, critical thinking, clear communication, and a love for solving problems. 

Our shift is from “What do you know?” to “What can you do with what you know?”

Learning begins with inquiry

The heart of the PYP is inquiry. Learning starts with a compelling question that taps children’s natural curiosity.

Take healthy lifestyles.

• In a traditional classroom, children might label the food pyramid.

• In an Anandi PYP classroom, children explore the idea “The choices we make affect our wellbeing.” They might interview a doctor or athlete, run a short survey on sleep habits, and cook a simple healthy snack. The class could then design a Wellness Week for peers, using their data to suggest small changes that matter.

Children are not just naming food groups. They are applying biology, analyzing survey results, and practicing persuasive communication. That is deeper, more transferable learning.

Extending Inquiry: the Anandi Field Project (4+1)

At Anandi, inquiry doesn’t stop in the classroom — it extends into the Field Project, part of our 4+1 model. This is where children take what they’ve explored and apply it to challenges that feel real and relevant.

For example, after studying healthy lifestyles, the Field Project might ask: How can we make healthy living easier in our school community?

Teams could:

• Survey peers digitally (using Google Forms or iPads) to track snack and sleep habits, then visualise the results with simple charts.

• Prototype healthier snack alternatives and run taste tests, gathering feedback through QR-code polls.

• Use a basic app or coding platform to create a “Healthy Habits Tracker” where classmates can log sleep, water intake, or activity.

• Design short digital posters or videos to promote their campaign across the school.

Evaluation focuses on three concrete areas:

1. Hard skills and tools – using survey apps, creating charts, safe cooking basics, simple design or coding tools.

2. Problem-solving in action – planning, testing, and improving ideas like snack options, playground games, or apps.

3. Sharing with a real audience – presenting findings to peers and parents, gathering live feedback, and refining solutions for actual use.

For children, this feels like leading a real project that improves their own school life. For us, it’s about blending life skills, practical know-how, and digital fluency in a way that keeps learning joyful and hands-on.

More than academics: the IB Learner Profile

Academics matter, but they are only one piece of the puzzle. The IB Learner Profile weaves through daily work so children grow as caring, principled, open-minded people.

• Trying a bold idea nurtures risk-taking.

• Listening to a teammate builds communication.

• Pausing to ask why a plan failed develops reflection.

This is how children build an inner compass, not only a correct answer.

How we measure learning at Anandi

In the Anandi PYP, assessment is continuous and holistic. We do not rely on time based exams alone. Growth is seen through three lenses:

1. Continuous concept checks: Low-stakes quizzes, exit tickets, quick oral checks, and mini-conferences to ensure core ideas are understood and retained.

2. Portfolios and public sharing: Curated work samples across time, plus presentations or exhibitions that make thinking visible.

3. Field Project milestones: The three practical areas above: hard skills and tools, problem-solving in action, and sharing to a real audience. These also surface life skills such as resilience, empathy, and confidence in authentic contexts.

This approach values what a child knows and how they use it, as well as who they are becoming.

A classroom for life, not just exams

An Anandi PYP classroom is active and student-driven. It prepares children not only for the next test, but for a lifetime of learning and thoughtful engagement with the world. Children leave with knowledge, yes, and also with the confidence, curiosity, and real tools to make ideas happen, while keeping the joy of childhood fully intact.