The Case for Inquiry-Based Learning

Ask a class of seven-year-olds 'How does a plant know which way is up?' and you will get twenty minutes of theories, two new vocabulary words and a memory that lasts a year. Ask the same children to copy a definition of phototropism from a textbook and you will get neither. That is the core of inquiry-based learning.

What inquiry-based learning is — and is not

Inquiry-based learning is not 'no teaching'. It is teaching that begins with a question and lets the children build understanding through structured exploration. The teacher is still firmly in charge — she selects the question, frames the materials, prompts when needed and consolidates the learning at the end. What changes is who does the thinking.

Why it works in primary years

• Children at this age are wired to ask why — inquiry uses that, instead of fighting it.
• Active thinking builds stronger memory than passive copying.
• Vocabulary grows naturally because words are introduced when children need them.
• Curiosity is preserved rather than crushed.
• Skills like collaboration, hypothesising and explaining develop alongside content.

Common misconceptions

Parents sometimes worry that inquiry means no facts. The opposite is true. A good inquiry lesson teaches more facts than a textbook lesson — because the facts arrive in response to a question the child already cares about. They stick.

How Yajur uses inquiry

The Oxford International Curriculum at Yajur is built around inquiry. Every unit opens with a 'big question' and a 'hook' — a short demonstration, story or experiment that creates a need to know. Children investigate in small groups, share findings, and the teacher consolidates the learning at the end of the lesson. Assessment includes both written outputs and the quality of the child's questions during the unit.

Inquiry in different subjects

Inquiry looks different across subjects, even within the same school. In English, it might mean opening a unit with a question like 'why do people tell stories?' before exploring a set of texts. In Maths, it might be 'is zero a number?' before working through place value. In Science, it might be 'what would happen if the moon disappeared?' before studying gravity. Each opening unlocks a different kind of curiosity, and the unit ends with the children able to answer the question deeply, not glibly.

Critics of inquiry sometimes argue it is slower than direct teaching. Research is now clear that direct teaching and inquiry are not in opposition. The most effective lessons combine both — a strong direct explanation when needed, and an inquiry frame to give the explanation meaning. The Oxford International Curriculum builds in both elements explicitly.

Signs of weak inquiry

• Children doing 'research' by copying from one source unchecked.
• Group work where one child does all the work.
• Open-ended projects without clear success criteria.
• Teachers reading from a script while calling it inquiry.

What parents see at home

Children from inquiry-led classrooms typically come home with more questions than answers. They notice things in the kitchen, the garden, on a bus ride. They are more comfortable saying 'I don't know yet' and pursuing an answer. This can sometimes look less polished than a child who can recite definitions, but the underlying thinking is deeper and lasts longer.

Parents can support inquiry at home with two simple practices. First, answer 'why' questions seriously when you can, and say 'let's find out' when you cannot. Second, ask your child to teach you something they learnt at school today. The act of explaining cements understanding far more than answering questions about it.

Yajur classroom snapshots

Visit a Class 2 inquiry lesson at Yajur on a typical Tuesday. A teacher poses a question — 'What makes a place feel like home?' Children work in pairs to list ideas, sketch a place they love, share with the group. The lesson moves into a story, a vocabulary build, and finally a short writing task. Forty minutes in, every child has spoken, written and listened. That is the rhythm we aim for.