IB Programme

Middle Years Programme

Grades 6–10, Ages 11–16

The IB Middle Years Programme at DISV provides students in Grades 6 to 10 with an academically challenging and balanced framework. The MYP encourages students to make connections between their studies and the real world, developing the critical thinking, communication, and self-management skills that underpin success in the IB Diploma Programme and beyond. Building on the inquiry-based foundation of the PYP, the MYP deepens student agency and interdisciplinary thinking across a broad curriculum.

Eight Subject Groups

MYP students at DISV study across eight subject groups, ensuring breadth of knowledge and multiple perspectives:

  • Language & Literature — English as the primary language of instruction, with literary analysis, creative writing, and media literacy
  • Language Acquisition — German is compulsory from Grade 6; French and Spanish are available as additional options
  • Individuals & Societies — history, geography, economics, and social studies connecting past and present
  • Sciences — biology, chemistry, and physics explored through inquiry and experimentation
  • Mathematics — conceptual and contextual mathematics developing analytical reasoning
  • Arts — visual arts, music, and drama for creative exploration and expression
  • Physical and Health Education (PHE) — sport, movement, and healthy lifestyle development
  • Design — product design and digital design applying the design cycle to solve real problems

Personal Project

At the end of Grade 10, every MYP student undertakes the Personal Project — a self-directed inquiry and creation project that is one of the hallmarks of the MYP. Students identify a topic of personal interest, set their own goals, and produce an original outcome — whether a product, a performance, or an investigation. The Personal Project develops initiative, time-management, and the capacity for deep, sustained independent work — essential preparation for the IB Diploma Programme.

Approaches to Learning

Throughout the MYP, students develop a set of transferable Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills: thinking skills, communication skills, social skills, self-management skills, and research skills. These skills are taught explicitly and practised across all subject areas, ensuring that students leave the MYP not just with knowledge, but with the tools to continue learning effectively throughout their lives.