What Is a POI? A Guide to the IB PYP Programme of Inquiry

The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) curriculum is built around the Programme of Inquiry (POI), a whole-school framework that organizes transdisciplinary learning through six global themes. The POI ensures teaching is broad, balanced, and connected, with each grade engaging in multiple units of inquiry that promote holistic learning. Schools must design, implement, and regularly review their POI to stay aligned with IB Standards and Practices, while tools like POI calendars and EdTech solutions such as Qridi Core help make the curriculum transparent and manageable. As a living framework, the POI evolves over time to remain relevant, well-articulated, and responsive to student needs.
Author

Dr. Christine Orkisz Lang

What Is a POI? A Guide to the IB PYP Programme of Inquiry

What is the IB PYP Curriculum?

Each IB programme has specific requirements that must be met for a school to achieve or maintain authorization. These begin with the IB Programme Standards and Practices, which guide the development, implementation, and review of all IB programmes.

One of the most central elements is the Programme of Inquiry (POI)—the backbone of teaching and learning in every PYP school.

What Is the Programme of Inquiry in PYP? (What Is a POI?)

When first asking “What is a POI?” in the IB Primary Years Programme, teachers and leaders are often introduced to both new vocabulary and new ways of organizing curriculum.

The Programme of Inquiry in PYP is a whole-school framework that outlines how transdisciplinary learning outcomes are addressed across all grades. It ensures that learning is broad, balanced, and connected to the six transdisciplinary themes.

The IB Standards and Practices related explicitly to the Programme of Inquiry include:

  • Designing a Programme of Inquiry: Schools must create six units of inquiry per grade level (four for ages 3–6, with at least two under Who we are and How we express ourselves).

  • Implementing the Programme of Inquiry: Schools must ensure the schedule provides adequate time for the required transdisciplinary units.

  • Reviewing the Curriculum: Schools must develop, regularly review, and share their POI in ways that engage the entire learning community.

What are the PYP Transdisciplinary Themes?

Most learning in the IB PYP curriculum is organized through six transdisciplinary themes:

  • Who we are

  • Where we are in place and time

  • How we express ourselves

  • How the world works

  • How we organize ourselves

  • Sharing the planet

These themes enable students to make connections across subject areas and explore real-world issues that matter to them.

What is a POI Calendar?

A POI calendar is a practical way of sharing the Programme of Inquiry with the community. It maps out when each grade level engages with specific transdisciplinary themes across the school year, making the curriculum transparent and accessible for teachers, students, and families.

Creating Your First Programme of Inquiry

Creating your first Programme of Inquiry as a PYP school involves collaboration and careful planning. A school’s POI is the collection of all transdisciplinary units of inquiry across grade levels.

The role of the PYP coordinator is to facilitate collaborative planning so that each unit contributes to a balanced and articulated POI. The goal is to ensure that the Programme of Inquiry represents holistic learning while meeting local or national requirements.

Reviewing and Refining Your Curriculum

Even after the POI has been developed, schools must commit to reviewing and refining your curriculum on a regular basis. This ensures continuity, balance, and relevance.

Reviews can take place at multiple levels:

  • Unit reflections after teaching

  • Annual articulation meetings across grade levels

  • Systematic whole-school reviews are conducted every few years

Using EdTech solutions such as Qridi Core makes it easier to review, reflect, and adjust your POI continuously rather than waiting for long gaps between formal reviews.

Key Questions to Guide Your POI Review:

  • Are all aspects of the transdisciplinary themes addressed across the POI?

  • Are Learner Profile Attributes, ATL skills, and key/related concepts represented horizontally and vertically?

  • Is there a clear balance of subjects and themes across grade levels?

👉 Download our POI Checklist to make sure your POI development and review stay on track!

What Questions Might IB Visitors Ask About Our POI?

During consultancy or evaluation visits, IB representatives may ask questions such as:

  • How does your school review the Programme of Inquiry? Who is involved?
  • How is the POI updated between formal reviews?
  • How are teachers, leaders, and the wider community included in the process?

Developing a clear and shared process for reviewing and communicating your POI ensures readiness for evaluation while also supporting stronger teaching and learning.

Final Thoughts

The Programme of Inquiry is never a finished product. It is designed to evolve in response to student needs, teacher reflections, and a deeper understanding of PYP pedagogy. By regularly reviewing and refining your curriculum, schools can ensure their POI remains balanced, articulated, and relevant.

EdTech tools such as Qridi Core can support this ongoing work, helping schools maintain horizontal and vertical articulation while keeping the IB PYP curriculum transparent and manageable.

Further Reading

How the PYP works, IBO Website

A journey through the POI Review, Inquiry into Learning blog post

👉 Download the POI Checklist here

Qridi Core has been developed independently from the International Baccalaureate (IB). Copyright licensure for the reproduction of IB content is pending.