Ireland : Curricula (age 3-19)
Last updated: 12-Nov-2009
5.1 First phase: Pre-compulsory, up to 4/5
5.1.1 Control
5.1.2 Compulsory subjects
5.1.3 Optional/elective subjects
5.1.4 Formulation of curriculum
5.1.5 Key skills
5.1.6 Curriculum materials
5.1 First phase: Pre-compulsory, up to 4/5
Although children in Ireland are not obliged to attend school until the age of 6, well over half of all 4-year-olds and almost all 5-year-olds are enrolled in early childhood education in infant classes provided by state-funded primary schools. Provision for children aged 4-6 is consequently described in the sections of this Archive referring to second phase, primary education (see 5.2 below).
5.1.1Control
Although there is no compulsory pre-school curriculum, in October 2009, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) published Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework. The framework is for all children receiving pre-school education and care from birth to six years. It can be used in the range of early childhood settings including children's own homes, childminding settings, full and part-time daycare settings, sessional services and infant classes in primary schools 75. The framework makes both implicit and explicit links with the Primary School Curriculum, (see 5.2) and aims to support continuity and progression in children's learning.
5.1.2 Compulsory subjects
There is no compulsory pre-school curriculum, but the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has produced Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework 75. This framework uses four interconnected themes to describe the content of children's learning and development: Well-being, Identity and Belonging, Communicating, and Exploring and Thinking. Each of these themes is divided into four aims, and each aim has six learning goals:
Theme: Well-being
- Aim 1 - Children will be strong psychologically and socially. Learning goals include: handling transitions and changes well; respecting themselves, others and the environment.
- Aim 2 - Children will be as fit and healthy as they can be. Learning goals include: gaining increasing control and co-ordination of body movements; making healthy choices and demonstrating positive attitudes to nutrition, hygiene, exercise and routine.
- Aim 3 - Children will be creative and spiritual. Learning goals include: expressing themselves creatively and experiencing the arts; expressing themselves through a variety of types of play.
- Aim 4 - Children will have positive outlooks on learning and life. Learning goals include: showing increasing independence and being able to make choices and decisions; thinking positively, taking learning risks and becoming resilient when things go wrong.
Theme: Identity and belonging
- Aim 1 - Children will have strong self-identities and will feel respected and affirmed as unique individuals with their own life stories. Learning goals include: appreciating the features that make a person special and unique (name, size, hair, hand and footprint, gender, birthday); having a sense of who they are and being able to describe their background, strength and abilities.
- Aim 2 - Children will have a sense of group identity where links with their family and community are acknowledged and extended. Learning goals include: understanding and taking part in routines, customs, festivals and celebrations; understanding the different roles of people in the community;
- Aim 3 - Children will be able to express their rights and show an understanding and a regard for the identity, rights and view of others. Learning goals include: interacting, working co-operatively and helping others; having a sense of social justice and recognising and dealing with unfair behaviour.
- Aim 4 - Children will see themselves as capable learners. Learning goals include: experiencing learning opportunities that are based on personal interests, and linked to home community and culture; being motivated to think aout and recognise their own progress and achievements.
Theme: Communicating
- Aim 1 - Children will use non-verbal and communication skills. Learning goals include: understanding and using non-verbal communication rules such as turn-taking and making eye contact; interpreting and responding to non-verbal communication by others.
- Aim 2 - Children will use language. Learning goals include: exploring sound, pattern, rhythm and repetition in language; using an expanding vocabulary of words and phrases and showing a growing understanding of syntax and meaning.
- Aim 3 - Children will broaden their understanding of the world by making sense of experience through language. Learning goals include: using books and ICT for fun, to gain information and broaden their understanding of the world; becoming familiar with and using a variety of print in an enjoyable and meaningful way.
- Aim 4 - Children will express themselves creatively and imaginatively. Learning goals include: sharing their feelings, thoughts, ideas by story-telling, making art, moving to music, role-playing, problem-solving, responding to these experiences; expressing themselves through visual arts using skills such as cutting, drawing, gluing, sticking, painting, building, printing, sculpting and sewing.
Theme: Exploring and thinking
- Aim 1 - Children will learn about and make sense of the world around them. Learning goals include: learning about the natural environment and its features, materials, animals and plants, and their own responsibility as carers; developing a sense of time, shape, space and place.
- Aim 2 - Children will develop and use skills and strategies for observing, questioning, investigating, understanding, negotiating and problem-solving. Learning goals include: gathering and using information from different sources using their increasing cognitive, physical and social skills; demonstrating their ability to reason, negotiate and think logically.
- Aim 3 - Children will explore ways to represent ideas, feelings, thoughts, objects and actions through symbols. Learning goals include: becoming familiar with and associating symbols (pictures, numbers, letters and words) with the things they represent; expressing feelings, thoughts and ideas through improving, moving, playing, talking, writing, story-telling, music and art.
- Aim 4 - Children will have positive attitudes towards learning and develop dispositions like curiosity, playfulness, perserverance, confidence, resourcefulness and risk-taking. Learning goals include: demonstrating growing confidence in being able to do things for themselves; addressing challenges and coping with frustrations.
5.1.3 Optional/elective subjects
Not applicable at this phase, see 5.1.1 and 5.1.2.
Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework is the outcome of extensive, research, consultation, planning and development by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) in partnership with the early childhood sector 75. It highlights the critical role of play, relationships and language for young children's learning and is based on 12 principles of early learning and development which are presented in three groups:
The first group concerns children and their lives in early childhood:
- The child's uniqueness
- Equality and diversity
- Children as citizens
The second group concerns children's connections with others:
- Relationships
- Parents, family and community
- The adult's role
The third group concerns how children learn and develop:
- Holistic learning and development
- Active learning
- Play and hands-on experiences
- Relevant and meaningful experiences
- Communication and language
- The learning environment
5.1.5 Key skills
Not applicable at this phase, see 5.1.1 and 5.1.2.
5.1.6 Curriculum materials
Not applicable at this phase, see 5.1.1 and 5.1.2.