The International Baccalaureate (IB) continues to evolve its guidance to better support schools in delivering high-quality, holistic education. One of the latest developments is the release of updated PYP Strands, Scope, and Sequence. As with all things IB, these updates come with both opportunity and flexibility: schools are encouraged to adapt the framework to their own context, while having until September 2027 to fully transition.
We’re pleased to announce that ManageBac+ supports these new IB updates. Our goal is to provide more customizable, concept-driven teaching and learning in the Primary Years Programme.
Experience a Seamless Transition with ManageBac+
Recognizing that no two schools’ journeys look the same, we’ve designed a solution that balances consistency with autonomy. Schools can access the latest updates without fear of losing their own customizations, and with the freedom to move at a pace that works best for their community. While this does mean some hands-on engagement is required, the outcome is a smooth, tailored transition aligned with each school’s unique needs.
Rather than automatically replacing anything, we’ve made it possible for administrators to add the new strands, scope, and sequence to each subject directly within their ManageBac+ settings. Once added, the new content will become immediately available to teachers within the Unit Planner, allowing them to view and incorporate the updated Overall Expectations, Conceptual Understandings, and Learning Outcomes into their plans. This way, schools are not at risk of losing existing data, and have flexibility in adopting the changes.
Importantly, this does not overwrite any existing curriculum data. Teachers will still have full access to their previous curriculum content, and can compare the old and new, side by side. This gives them time to review their plans and make thoughtful updates without any pressure to rush the process. When they’re ready, they can remove the older strands and update the naming of new strands to accurately reflect the current workflow and structure.
Schools can choose to update their subjects one at a time, allowing for thoughtful planning and collaboration between coordinators and teaching teams. The process supports schools that work in Phases (as per IB recommendations). Once teachers have reviewed and updated their unit plans, administrators can finalize the transition by removing the old strands and renaming the new ones, ensuring consistency in areas like reporting and curriculum mapping.
This release reflects our continued commitment to supporting PYP schools with tools that align with IB standards, while also respecting the autonomy and diversity that makes the Primary Years Programme so impactful. By adopting the new Strands, Scope, and Sequence within ManageBac+, schools can ensure their curriculum remains current, coherent, and ready to support the next generation of global learners.
Prepare for Your IB Changes
This update is ideal for schools who want to move forward with the new IB PYP guidance while retaining the ability to localize and customize their curriculum. It also ensures that schools can transition at their own pace, with full support, until September 2027, when the new guidance becomes fully required. Learn more about Configuring IB PYP Subject Strands.
At this time, the update is available to all schools that set up their PYP programme using Phases. If your school uses Year Levels, please contact your ManageBac+ support representative to begin the transition process.
As always, if you need help or have any questions, our team is just a click away. We’re here to support and guide you through your PYP journey.