A revised New Zealand Curriculum for compulsory phase education was launched on 6 November 2007. See sections 5.2 and 5.3 of this Archive and http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/ for further information.
Early Childhood Strategic Planning Working Group
New Zealand's Early Childhood Strategic Planning Working Group had considerable input to the Government's ten-year Strategic Plan for Early Childhood Education - Pathways to the Future (Nga Huaraki Arataki). Further details of the up-to-date situation and access to the full version of the Strategic Plan are available via the Ministry of Education's website (http://www.minedu.govt.nz/ - see the 'Early Childhood' section).
There is a national early childhood curriculum in New Zealand (developed by the Ministry of Education), which became a requirement for early childhood education services in August 1998. Te Whariki - the Early Childhood Curriculum - and its supporting documents provide examples of curriculum for all chartered early childhood services.19
The Ministry of Education controls curriculum framework development for pre-compulsory early childhood services. For the Early Childhood Curriculum (Te Whariki), contract curriculum developers undertook wide consultation with practitioners, managers, experts and communities over a period of nearly two years, while preparing draft guidelines. Those draft curriculum guidelines were then trialled for another 18 months, with accompanying professional development support, before being finalised. The official curriculum was released at the end of June 1996. There is a section containing the curriculum for Maori early childhood education, developed by Maori with wide consultation and presented in the Maori language. As the Early Childhood Curriculum guidelines are predicated on practitioners formulating their own curriculum for their service (with input from parents and managers, as appropriate), the development of the curriculum at the classroom level is in their hands. Managers of early childhood services have overall responsibility for the delivery of the curriculum in their centres or home-based schemes. The Education Review Office (ERO) monitors the delivery as part of its responsibilities for undertaking reviews.10
Cook Islands Maori Curriculum
The Cook Islands Maori Curriculum was officially launched in July 2004. This curriculum is designed to assist teachers in the planning and delivery of effective Cook Island Maori language programmes in early childhood education services, primary and secondary schools. It is based on Te Whariki - the Early Childhood Curriculum and the New Zealand Curriculum Framework for compulsory education (see 5.2.1).64
The curriculum framework for pre-compulsory early childhood education is not subject-based and no time allocations are mentioned.10
Te Whariki
Te Whariki, the Early Childhood Curriculum, does, however, set out principles, strands and goals. It became compulsory in August 1998. The principles and strands of Te Whariki identify the major areas comprising the Early Childhood Curriculum.28
Principles
The curriculum guidelines for the Early Childhood Curriculum in New Zealand are based on the following four foundation principles:
Strands
It is also based on the following aims or strands, which are interwoven with the principles:
Goals
These are intended to provide clear direction for learning programmes, based on the principles and strands. The goals set out in Te Whariki describe:
Principles, strands and goals are intended to make up the early childhood curriculum as if woven together like the strands of a woven mat, or 'whariki'. 19
Optional/elective subjects are not applicable during this phase of education in New Zealand.10
Te Whariki, the pre-compulsory Early Childhood Curriculum, is expressed in terms of principles, strands, goals within those strands and outcomes (see above). 10
There are clear learning outcomes against which achievement can be measured.10 Several strands of learning are identified, each with one or more achievement goals, defined to indicate progression.40 Children are encouraged to work at their own rate while being encouraged to strive for higher goals.32
See section 5.1.2 for further information.
Key skills, as such, are not defined for the Early Childhood Curriculum (Te Whariki). Principles, strands and goals are developed (see 5.1.2).
A range of resources for use by early childhood educators is provided by Learning Media Limited (a crown-owned company). These include resources in Pacific Islands and Maori languages.28 For more information on Learning Media, see: http://www.learningmedia.co.nz/.
There is also a Ministry of Education online resource centre. The 'Online Learning Centre is available at http://www.tki.org.nz/. Curriculum materials from state and commercial sources are available in a range of databases via this medium and via the Ministry of Education's website in addition (http://www.minedu.govt.nz/).10
Early childhood and school teachers and heads of departments choose the books/learning materials to be used for each class. 10
In the case of home-schooling or correspondence school education, trained and registered teachers generally work closely with parents to plan home-based early childhood education programmes. Parents receive written materials on play activities and learning experiences, suited to the age level and experience of their children. A wide range of books, games, puzzles and tapes is sent on loan to use with children.28