Celebrating a Year of Connection, Collaboration and Growth in the UK MYP Community

As another academic year draws to a close, it provides an opportunity to reflect on the remarkable engagement, collaboration, and commitment demonstrated by the UK MYP community. Throughout the year, educators have come together to share ideas, challenge thinking, and support one another.

This engagement is mirrored in the continued growth of the programme itself. The MYP remains the fastest-growing IB programme in the UK. As more schools join the MYP community, opportunities for collaboration, and shared learning continue to expand, strengthening the network of educators committed to developing internationally minded, knowledgeable, and caring young people.

Whether schools are at the beginning of their MYP journey or have many years of experience implementing the programme, there remains a shared commitment to reflection and continuous improvement. This year has highlighted the strength of that commitment through the many conversations, standardisation activities, and professional learning opportunities that have brought educators together.

Newly authorized and candidate schools have engaged with the principles and practices of the MYP, deepening their understanding of concepts, inquiry, approaches to learning, assessment, and student agency. At the same time, more experienced schools have generously shared their expertise, offering insights gained through years of implementation and reflection.

This exchange of knowledge between schools at different stages of their MYP journey continues to be one of the greatest strengths of the MYP community in the UK.

Regardless of experience, there is always another question to explore, another perspective to consider, and another opportunity to improve outcomes for learners.

Throughout the year, standardization meetings have played an important role in strengthening shared understanding across the programme. While these sessions are essential in ensuring consistency and reliability in assessment practices, they have also served as valuable opportunities for professional dialogue. Educators have come together to examine evidence of learning, discuss interpretations of criteria, and engage in thoughtful conversations about what quality learning looks like in differing contexts.

These discussions have consistently demonstrated the professionalism and expertise that exist throughout the MYP community while reinforcing a shared commitment to fairness, consistency, and high expectations for all learners.

The year has also been characterised by meaningful conversations around some of the most important themes in education. Discussions on inclusion, learner variability, student wellbeing, agency, conceptual understanding, interdisciplinary learning, and the potential impact of the MYP enhancements have taken place across schools and professional learning networks.

As the academic year draws to a close, there is much to celebrate. The strength of the UK MYP community lies not only in its commitment to high-quality teaching and learning but also in its willingness to share, reflect, and grow together. The continued expansion of the programme, now firmly established as the fastest-growing IB programme in the UK, is a testament to the confidence that schools place in the MYP's ability to prepare young people for an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

Dianne Blackburn

MYP Community Lead

IBSCA