The Aistear Síolta Practice Guide has been updated!

Síolta is Ireland’s national quality framework for early childhood education, and Aistear is Ireland’s early childhood curriculum framework for babies, toddlers and young children. Early years educators work with both in their early years’ settings.

Following the update to Aistear, it was important to consider the ongoing relationship between both frameworks. The NCCA Executive and the National Síolta Aistear Initiative Team worked together to update the audit - first carried out by NCCA in 2009 - highlighting their similarities and differences. For those working with both frameworks, whether educators, mentors or other stakeholders, the audit is a helpful resource that supports understanding of how Aistear and Síolta align, and where they differ.

The 2024 audit informed the update of the Aistear Síolta Practice Guide, a professional resource designed to help educators use Síolta and Aistear together effectively. The Practice Guide supports reflection, planning and everyday practice across a range of areas. It aims to support high-quality, rights-based practice underpinned by Síolta and Aistear.

Key features of the Practice Guide include six pillars of practice: Learning Environments, Relationships and Interactions, Play, Partnerships and Connections, Transitions and Planning and Assessing. Each pillar includes self-evaluation tools, educator guides and examples of inspiring practice from early years settings. 

The updated Aistear Síolta Practice Guide is part of the new Nurturing Skills website and you can explore it here.