CURRICULUM
The Childcare Service is committed to developing a curriculum that creates a child centred, play-based environment, which empowers young children to actively pursue their own learning. Adults will provide appropriate, timely, balanced intervention as well as support, continuity and progression to encourage positive attitudes towards learning. The Childcare Service recognises that the establishment of daily routines is essential for all young children in our care. We strive to provide a programme of activities, which encourage the physical, social, emotional, intellectual, creative and linguistic development of the children who attend the service. Ballyglass Community Childcare Service works with the Siolta and Aistear curriculum and staff regularly attend training.
A) Aistear is the curriculum framework for 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 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 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 children’s learning through partnerships with parents, interactions, play and assessment.
B) Síolta is a Framework for Early Childhood Education in Ireland. Síolta is a quality framework for all services working with children 0 – 6 years of age in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) sector in Ireland. Published by the CECDE in 2006, it provides a framework to guide the reflection and enhancement of quality in our service.
Standards of Síolta:
1. Rights of the child
2. Environments
3. Parents and families
4. Consultation
5. Interactions
6. Play
7. Curriculum
8. Planning and evaluation
9. Health and welfare
10. Organisation
11. Professional practice
12. Communication
13. Transitions
14. Identity and belonging
15. Legislation and regulation
16. Community involvement
Procedures:
Guidelines for Curriculum
1. Is based on clearly defined aims and objectives
2. Is flexible and open to new approaches and ideas on how to promote and meet the development needs of children
3. Recognises that children are learning all the time and that children learn best when they are actively involved and interested
4. Includes a variety of activities that promote each area of a child’s development.
Activities include:
* Imaginative play/home corner
* Arts & Crafts
* Reading
* Play dough
* Musical activities
* Jigsaws
* Creative play
* Sand and water play
* Constructive and manipulative activities and energetic play
5. Children participate in the activities that are appropriate to their stage of development
6. Includes stimulating sensory experiences (touch, taste, sight, sound and smell) appropriate to the child’s stage of development
7. Encourages children to think for themselves, helping them to make their own decisions and find their own answers to questions
8. Provides an atmosphere that offers the children suitable challenges and stimulates problem solving
9. Encourages feelings of safety, trust and emotional security to the children in our care
10. Helps children to develop self-esteem by giving them the opportunity to be actively involved in their own learning
11. Recognises the rights of children by taking into account the needs and interests of each individual
12. Provides for a range of stimulating and age-appropriate activities that assist children in understanding the needs of others, resolving conflicts and developing their communication skills
13. Encourages at all times, sociability, friendship and co-operation with others through the provision of co-operative play and the opportunity for children to mix with siblings, same-age peers and younger and older children
14. Aims to match all tasks with each child’s level of ability and attention span
15. The staff meet regularly to plan and review activities within each area of the facility and to consider the needs of individual children
The Childcare Service is committed to developing a curriculum that creates a child centred, play-based environment, which empowers young children to actively pursue their own learning. Adults will provide appropriate, timely, balanced intervention as well as support, continuity and progression to encourage positive attitudes towards learning. The Childcare Service recognises that the establishment of daily routines is essential for all young children in our care. We strive to provide a programme of activities, which encourage the physical, social, emotional, intellectual, creative and linguistic development of the children who attend the service. Ballyglass Community Childcare Service works with the Siolta and Aistear curriculum and staff regularly attend training.
A) Aistear is the curriculum framework for 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 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 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 children’s learning through partnerships with parents, interactions, play and assessment.
B) Síolta is a Framework for Early Childhood Education in Ireland. Síolta is a quality framework for all services working with children 0 – 6 years of age in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) sector in Ireland. Published by the CECDE in 2006, it provides a framework to guide the reflection and enhancement of quality in our service.
Standards of Síolta:
1. Rights of the child
2. Environments
3. Parents and families
4. Consultation
5. Interactions
6. Play
7. Curriculum
8. Planning and evaluation
9. Health and welfare
10. Organisation
11. Professional practice
12. Communication
13. Transitions
14. Identity and belonging
15. Legislation and regulation
16. Community involvement
Procedures:
Guidelines for Curriculum
1. Is based on clearly defined aims and objectives
2. Is flexible and open to new approaches and ideas on how to promote and meet the development needs of children
3. Recognises that children are learning all the time and that children learn best when they are actively involved and interested
4. Includes a variety of activities that promote each area of a child’s development.
Activities include:
* Imaginative play/home corner
* Arts & Crafts
* Reading
* Play dough
* Musical activities
* Jigsaws
* Creative play
* Sand and water play
* Constructive and manipulative activities and energetic play
5. Children participate in the activities that are appropriate to their stage of development
6. Includes stimulating sensory experiences (touch, taste, sight, sound and smell) appropriate to the child’s stage of development
7. Encourages children to think for themselves, helping them to make their own decisions and find their own answers to questions
8. Provides an atmosphere that offers the children suitable challenges and stimulates problem solving
9. Encourages feelings of safety, trust and emotional security to the children in our care
10. Helps children to develop self-esteem by giving them the opportunity to be actively involved in their own learning
11. Recognises the rights of children by taking into account the needs and interests of each individual
12. Provides for a range of stimulating and age-appropriate activities that assist children in understanding the needs of others, resolving conflicts and developing their communication skills
13. Encourages at all times, sociability, friendship and co-operation with others through the provision of co-operative play and the opportunity for children to mix with siblings, same-age peers and younger and older children
14. Aims to match all tasks with each child’s level of ability and attention span
15. The staff meet regularly to plan and review activities within each area of the facility and to consider the needs of individual children
