Centre-based
Find out more about Aistear, the national curriculum framework, and Siolta, the national quality framework, and how to bring these policy documents to life in developing quality early childhood practice with the children and adults in your service.
Here you will find links to Aistear and Siolta manuals, along with the Aistear Siolta practice guide. Information on Siolta mentoring which is available from Kilkenny County Childcare Committee development officers, and engaging in the Siolta quality assurance programme. For more supports in developing your quality practice see our Resource section.
To go straight to the Updated Aistear document click HERE
About Aistear & Siolta
Aistear is the curriculum framework for children from birth to six years in Ireland.
Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework was first published by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) in 2009.
Aistear was the first curriculum framework for early childhood education in Ireland. It celebrates early childhood as a time of being, a time for enjoying and learning from experiences as they unfold, and laying important foundations for later learning and for life. Because early childhood marks the beginning of babies, toddlers and young children’s lifelong learning journeys, the Framework is called Aistear, the Irish word for journey.
The Framework can be used by anyone who supports babies, toddlers and young children’s learning and development. In Aistear those using the Framework, including parents, childminders and early years educators are referred to as ‘educators’. Each educator comes to Aistear informed by their relationship with the baby, toddler and young child, the family, their knowledge and experience, as well as knowing the features of the different learning environments.
Aistear presents early childhood through three overlapping age ranges. These reflect the differences in how babies, toddlers and young children progress as their learning and development is unique, complex and holistic. The three overlapping age groupings represent the distinct stages of development in early childhood while acknowledging the individuality of each baby, toddler and young child. Aistear recognises the importance of each distinct stage in its own right.
Aistear is based on 9 principles of early learning and development and discusses children’s learning using four themes.
The four themes:
- Well-being
- Identity and Belonging
- Communicating
- Exploring and Thinking
Each theme contains four aims which are further divided into six learning goals. Sample learning opportunities provide ideas and suggestions to support adults in meeting these learning goals. For further information on Aistear’s learning themes visit the Aistear website.
Siolta is Ireland’s National Quality Framework intended to provide guidance and support for all those concerned with the well-being, learning and development of young children.
It is a quality assurance programme aimed at improving the quality of early childhood experiences for all children aged from birth to six years. The framework is based on 12 Principles of Quality which reflect the values underpinning Siolta and the vision of quality provision it offers. The practical application of these principles are supported through Siolta’s Standards of Quality.
Síolta challenges everyone working in the ECCE sector to think about the quality of the experiences we provide for young children. It is intended that the discussion, reflection and debate on the Principles, Standards, Components and Signposts will enrich both the lives of children and the professional practice of adults.
For more detailed information on Siolta visit the Siolta website.
The Aistear Síolta Practice Guide is intended to help you in your role as an agentic early years educator to build, reflect on and develop your practice to support babies, toddlers and young children’s early learning and development. Most resources on the Practice Guide, like the Frameworks themselves, are relevant across the full early childhood period of birth to six years while a smaller selection of resources focus on a specific age group i.e. babies and toddlers (birth – 3 years) and young children (3 – 6 years).
The Practice Guide draws the two Frameworks together in a practical way and offers suggestions, ideas and examples of how they can be used together to inform the learning and development of babies, toddlers and young children
The National Early Years Quality Development Service – Better Start, use the practice guide as a basis for their work with services.
Curriculum Foundations is the starting point of the Practice Guide. Curriculum Foundations are rooted in the principles, values and attitudes that shape each early years educator’s work with babies, toddlers and young children.
The 6 Interconnected Pillars of Practice are
- Building Partnerships with Parents
- Creating and using the Learning Environment
- Learning Through Play
- Nurturing and Extending Interactions
- Planning and Assessing, using Aistear’s Themes
- Supporting Transitions
Each Pillar is presented in the same format and includes:
An ‘Overview’, ‘Self-Evaluation Tools’ and ‘Supporting and Inspiring Practice’
The Practice Guide includes a range of resources, to help practitioners to critically reflect on their curriculum, and to identify what works well. Additionally, the resources can help practitioners to identify priorities for development and to plan actions for positive change.
For further information visit the Nurturing Skills Website.
