Aistear and Síolta

Aistear

Aistear is the curriculum framework for babies, toddlers and young children from birth to six years in Ireland. It provides information for adults to help them plan for and provide enjoyable and challenging learning experiences, so that all babies, toddlers and young children can grow and develop as competent and confident learners within loving relationships with others. Aistear describes the types of learning (dispositions, values and attitudes, skills, knowledge, and understanding) that are important for babies, toddlers and young children in their early years, and offers ideas and suggestions as to how this learning might be nurtured. The Framework also provides guidelines on supporting babies, toddlers and young children’s learning through partnerships with parents, interactions, play, and assessment.

In supporting babies, toddlers and young children’s early learning and development Aistear

  • Identifies what and how babies, toddlers and young children should learn, and describes the types of experiences that can support this

  • Makes connections in babies, toddlers and young children’s learning throughout the early childhood years and as they move from one setting to another

  • Supports parents as their babies, toddlers and young children’s primary educators during early childhood, and promotes effective partnerships between parents and practitioner

  • Complements and extends existing curriculums and materials

  • Informs practice across a range of settings, disciplines and professions, and encourages interdisciplinary work.

 

An updated version of Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework has been prepared by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and was published this week. You can access the framework here, the guidance document here and the FAQ document here.

The website is available in English and Irish.

Updates include:

  • Aistear retains the similar structure of the original Framework.
  • The Principles of early learning and development have been reduced from 12 to nine.
  • The Themes of Wellbeing, Identity and Belonging, Communicating and Exploring and Thinking have been retained and updated.
  • The number of Learning Goals within each Aim of the Themes has been reduced. They remain broad, but observable statements that support babies, toddlers and young children’s learning and development.
  • Those using the Framework, including parents, childminders and early years educators are referred to as ‘educators’.
  • There is an acknowledgement of Irish cultural and linguistic history and story. Irish words, phrases and proverbs have been embedded throughout the Framework

Manuals

Aistear – the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework.  

Aistear – Guidance for Good Practice

Tip sheet for Parents of Babies

Tip sheet for Parents of Toddlers

Tip sheet for Parents of Young Children

Síolta

Síolta, the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education, was developed by the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. It was published in 2006, following a three-year developmental process, which involved consultation with more than 50 diverse organisations, representing childcare workers, teachers, parents, policy makers, researchers and other interested parties.

Síolta is designed to define, assess and support the improvement of quality across all aspects of practice in early childhood care and education (ECCE) settings where children aged birth to six years are present. These settings include:

  • Full and Part-time Daycare
  • Childminding
  • Sessional services
  • Infant classes in primary schools

Since December 2008, the Early Years Education Policy Unit, in the Department of Education and Skills, has been responsible for the implementation of Síolta.

Core Elements of Síolta

The 12 Principles provide the overall vision of the Framework, while the 16 Standards and 75 Components allow for the practical application of this vision across all aspects of ECCE practice. The Components of Quality are further explained by a set of Signposts for Reflection and ‘Think-abouts’ which are intended to support practitioners in early education settings to become aware of and critical of their practice. These core elements of Síolta are set out in detail in each of the Síolta user manuals. 

Manuals

User manual

Infant classes user manual

National Síolta Aistear Initiative

The National Síolta Aistear Initiative has been developed to provide central support and coordination of Síolta and Aistear implementation across the early childhood sector.

The initiative has two strands. The first will focus on Síolta, including the introduction of Síolta awareness raising workshops and the expansion of the Síolta Quality Assurance Programme (QAP).

The second strand relates to Aistear, and will see the development of workshops and coaching to support practitioners to use Aistear in their setting.