A Parental Guide to Aistear, the National Curriculum Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education in Ireland.

Aistear is the Irish word for journey. It refers to the new national curriculum framework for the education and care of children from birth to six years in Ireland, published by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). 

As the name implies, education is a lifelong journey that can take many different routes.  Therefore, the framework does not prescribe any one programme or curriculum. Rather it establishes the shared principles and themes which must underpin whatever curriculum practitioners and teachers choose to use.  Aistear is designed to support parents, early childhood practitioners and teachers in planning for and providing enriching, challenging and enjoyable learning opportunities for children.

It describes the types of learning that are important for babies, toddlers and young children.   It can be used in different types of settings including children’s homes, child-minding, day care, preschool and school settings

The Aistear toolkit provides lots of information for adults to help them plan for and provide enjoyable and challenging learning experiences, so that all children can grow and develop.

For further information about Aistear, please visit the practitioner’s Aistear page.

You can also download NCCA’s Aistear Leaflet, specifically for Parents.