Elementary students engaged in IB Primary Years Programme inquiry at Inventive Minds Academy in Thornhill

Our Programs

Private Elementary School

Inventive Minds Academy offers JK to Grade 3 programming, with our Grade 1 to 3 curriculum fully aligned with the IB Primary Years Programme.

Overview

An elementary education built on inquiry, agency, and academic excellence.

Inventive Minds Academy is the private elementary school arm of Inventive Minds Academy, offering full-day programming from Junior Kindergarten through Grade 3. Our Grade 1 to 3 curriculum is fully aligned with the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP), the same transdisciplinary, inquiry-based framework used by IB World Schools around the world.

Rather than teaching subjects in isolation, students explore the six PYP subject areas, language, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, and personal, social and physical education, through units of inquiry organized around six transdisciplinary themes of global significance. This approach helps students build conceptual understanding that connects across, between, and beyond traditional subject boundaries.

Agency and self-efficacy sit at the heart of the PYP. Our students are treated as active agents in their own learning, supported by educators who guide inquiry rather than simply deliver content. Before and after school care is available for children aged 6 to 12, and international students are welcome both in-person and through our online elementary program.

What Our Program Covers

  • Units of inquiry organized around the six PYP transdisciplinary themes of global significance.
  • The six PYP subject areas: language, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, and personal, social and physical education.
  • Development of the Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills that support independent, self-motivated learning.
  • Growth across all ten IB learner profile attributes, including inquirers, thinkers, and communicators.
  • Ongoing, integrated assessment that helps students become self-regulated learners who act on feedback.
  • Student agency and action, encouraging children to take individual and collective responsibility.
  • EQAO preparation and academic assessment support for students requiring additional guidance.
  • Field trips integrated into units of inquiry as authentic, experiential learning opportunities.

The IB Programme of Inquiry

Six transdisciplinary themes guide every unit of inquiry.

diversity_3Who We Are

  • Students inquire into identity, beliefs, values, and what it means to be human.
  • Builds self-awareness and an understanding of relationships within the school community.

publicWhere We Are in Place and Time

  • Students explore personal histories, homes, journeys, and humanity's place in time.
  • Connects naturally with social studies and the development of historical thinking.

paletteHow We Express Ourselves

  • Students inquire into creativity, the arts, and the ways people express ideas and emotions.
  • Integrates language, the arts, and personal expression into a single unit of inquiry.

scienceHow the World Works

  • Students inquire into the natural world and the laws governing the physical environment.
  • Builds scientific reasoning, observation, and inquiry-based investigation skills.

groupsHow We Organize Ourselves

  • Students inquire into human systems, organizations, and societal decision-making.
  • Connects to mathematics, economics, and the structures that shape communities.

ecoSharing the Planet

  • Students inquire into rights, responsibilities, and shared access to finite resources.
  • Builds environmental awareness and an understanding of global interdependence.

Why Families Choose Us

What sets Inventive Minds Academy apart.

  • Licensed and regulated by the Ontario Ministry of Education.
  • Grade 1 to 3 curriculum fully aligned with the IB Primary Years Programme.
  • Inquiry-based learning that develops independent thinking, agency, and the IB learner profile.
  • Strong academic foundations across all six PYP subject areas.
  • Free extracurricular activities included: piano, ballet, gymnastics, golf, and visual arts.
  • Before and after school care available for children aged 6 to 12.
  • International students welcomed in-person and through the online elementary program.
  • A not-for-profit organization with a mission to empower students, not maximize profit.

    • Extracurricular Activities

    Included free for all enrolled students.

  • Piano, ukulele, and guitar lessons taught by professional musicians.
  • Ballet instruction led by a certified dance instructor.
  • Gymnastics coaching by certified athletic instructors.
  • Golf program introducing students to the sport in a fun, structured environment.
  • Visual arts programming encouraging creative expression across multiple mediums.
  • All extracurricular activities are included at no additional cost for enrolled students.

    • Getting Started

    How Admissions Works

    01

    Book a Tour

    Visit Inventive Minds Academy to meet our principal, tour the classrooms, and see how the IB Primary Years Programme is brought to life through units of inquiry.

    02

    Admissions Meeting

    Our admissions team meets with your family to understand your child's academic background, learning style, and any specific needs or goals for their elementary education.

    03

    Academic Assessment

    Incoming students may complete a brief academic assessment to help our educators understand their current level and place them in the most appropriate learning environment.

    04

    Enrollment and Orientation

    Once enrolled, families attend an orientation session to meet the teaching team, understand the units of inquiry structure, and prepare their child for their first day.

    05

    Ongoing Family Partnership

    A dedicated Family Coordinator supports every enrolled family throughout the school year, providing regular communication, progress updates, and a direct point of contact for any concerns.

    International Baccalaureate OrganizationIB Primary Years Programme
    Get in Touch

    Let's find the right path forward — together.

    • Book a free, no-obligation tour with our admission team.
    • Located in Thornhill, we welcome families from across the Greater Toronto Area.