What Is the PYP Exhibition?

The PYP Exhibition is one of the most exciting — and sometimes nerve-wracking — events in an IB Primary Years Programme school. It is a culminating project undertaken by students in their final year of the PYP (typically Year 5 or Year 6, depending on the school's structure). The Exhibition asks students to identify a real-world issue they care about, conduct a sustained inquiry, and then present their findings and proposed actions to the wider school community.

It is simultaneously an assessment, a celebration, and a rite of passage.

Why Does the Exhibition Exist?

The IB designed the Exhibition to give students an opportunity to demonstrate everything they have learned and developed throughout their years in the PYP. It is meant to showcase:

  • Their ability to conduct independent, transdisciplinary inquiry
  • Their understanding of a significant real-world issue
  • Their attributes as IB Learner Profile students (thinkers, communicators, risk-takers, etc.)
  • Their capacity to take meaningful action in response to what they've learned

The Exhibition is always framed around the final transdisciplinary theme: Sharing the Planet — though some schools choose other themes with IB approval.

How Does the Process Work?

Choosing a Topic

Students — often working in small groups — choose a topic or issue that genuinely matters to them. Past Exhibition topics have ranged from ocean plastic pollution and food waste to mental health awareness and access to clean water. The emphasis is on authentic student agency: the issue should be chosen by the students, not assigned by the teacher.

The Inquiry Phase

Over several weeks (often 6–10), students research their topic deeply. They are supported by a mentor — usually a teacher, but sometimes a parent or community member — who guides their thinking without doing the work for them. Students gather information, conduct interviews, analyse data, and reflect regularly on what they're learning.

Taking Action

A key component of the Exhibition is action. Students are expected not just to learn about their issue, but to do something about it. This might mean organising a fundraiser, creating an awareness campaign, writing to local government, building something for the school community, or creating resources for younger students.

The Public Presentation

The culminating event is a public exhibition — typically held in the school's common areas or gymnasium — where students present their inquiry to an audience of parents, teachers, younger students, and sometimes community members. Students explain their issue, share what they learned, describe the action they took, and reflect on the process.

How Can Parents Support Their Child?

Your role during the Exhibition is to be encouraging without taking over. Here are some practical ways to help:

  • Ask open questions rather than giving answers: "What do you already know about that?" or "Who could you talk to who knows more?"
  • Help with logistics — driving to an interview, helping source materials — without steering the content
  • Be a sounding board: Listen to your child explain their ideas and ask clarifying questions
  • Celebrate the process, not just the final product — the learning happens in the messy middle
  • Attend the exhibition and bring other family members — it means a great deal to students

What If My Child Is Feeling Overwhelmed?

The Exhibition can feel like a big undertaking, and some children — particularly those who are perfectionists or anxious — may struggle with the open-ended nature of the task. If your child is stressed, remind them that their teacher and mentor are there to support them, and encourage them to break the project into small steps. The Exhibition is designed to be challenging — that's the point — but no student is expected to do it alone.

A Memorable Milestone

Most students who have gone through the PYP Exhibition describe it as one of their most memorable primary school experiences. The combination of autonomy, real-world relevance, and public presentation creates a powerful learning moment that many carry with them long after primary school ends.