Curriculum

The curriculum standard requires the service provider for every certificated playgroup to:

1. plan for, provide, and review an education programme that is consistent with any curriculum framework prescribed by the Minister that applies to certificated playgroups and

2. provide positive guidance to children attending the playgroup in order to support children's learning.

Criterion

A range of learning opportunities and experiences for children are planned for and provided that:

• are consistent with any prescribed curriculum framework that applies, and

• are reviewed by the group and amended as necessary at least every 12 months.

Documentation required

You will need to provide a plan outlining the variety of learning experiences and play opportunities the playgroup will provide. Examples of planning documentation can be found in Appendix 1.

Appendix 1 – Planning

Rationale/intent

This criterion makes sure what happens at playgroup is in line with the early childhood curriculum Te Whāriki. Reviewing experiences and opportunities is a way of doing this.

Te Whāriki – Tāhūrangi

A documented plan provides playgroups with information about the learning experiences and opportunities available to children during sessions. It is a starting point for playgroups to make sure they are providing a variety of experiences for children to choose from and support children’s particular learning interests. Documented plans will also provide information to help playgroups regularly review what is happening in sessions at least once every 12 months.

This criterion recognises that:

• activities, opportunities, events and experiences provided at playgroup are ways through which children’s learning and development occurs

• learning experiences include those that are thoughtfully planned as well as those that grow out of a child’s interest or a particular situation

• providing a range and variety of opportunities allows children to revisit familiar experiences and learning and engage with new or unfamiliar ones

• the relationships and the environment that children experience have a direct impact on their learning and development. Adults who are involved in children’s learning are part of this.

Guidance

Curriculum framework

The curriculum framework is based on Te Whāriki, which is Aotearoa New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum document. The vision in Te Whāriki is for all children “to grow up as competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging, and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society”. This vision is the foundation for the opportunities, activities, events, experiences and interactions that occur in early childhood settings, including playgroups.

Te Whāriki provides the structure for everything that happens in a playgroup including the way in which it happens. The early childhood curriculum framework consists of the 4 principles | Kaupapa whakahaere and 5 strands | Taumata whakahirahira of Te Whāriki. The framework describes in broad terms what is seen as important learning for children as well as the kinds of environments in which this learning can occur.

Having your playgroup education programme consistent with the curriculum framework means the principles and strands of Te Whāriki can be seen in what is provided, how it is provided, the way adults and children engage with each other and with the experiences, activities, events and routines that happen at playgroup.

The principles of Te Whāriki

Your playgroup curriculum will be based on the 4 principles of Te Whāriki. The 4 principles are:

• Whakamana | Empowerment.

• Kotahitanga | Holistic development.

• Whānau tangata | Family and community.

• Ngā hononga | Relationships.

Whakamana | Empowerment

In this principle, children are empowered to learn and grow by encouraging and allowing them to make choices and take responsibility for their own learning.

Kotahitanga | Holistic development

This principle recognises that all learning is interwoven and occurs within the context of experiences that are relevant and meaningful to children’s everyday lives.

Whānau tangata | Family and community

This principle recognises that children live and grow as members of families and communities and these groups influence their early learning experiences. Family and local community values and aspirations are incorporated into playgroup sessions by respecting differing viewpoints and fostering family and community involvement.

Ngā hononga | Relationships

This principle recognises that children learn through interacting with the people, places and things in their environments. Playgroups can help with this by providing a wide and interesting array of people, places and things for children to interact with.

Criterion

Appropriate rules and behavioural boundaries are consistently and positively applied.

Documentation required

A procedure for providing positive guidance to children that reflects the group’s agreed methods for behaviour management.

Rationale/intent

The criteria ensures that children receive consistent, sound and positive guidance about ways of behaving at playgroup.

Guidance

Getting on with others, managing your own impulses and understanding what are seen as appropriate behaviours are fundamental areas of learning for children. Adults in playgroups have an important role to play in providing children with consistent, sound and positive guidance as they relate to, communicate and interact with the people, places and things in their environments.

Adults may find it difficult to know if they should deal with conflict between other people's children or just deal with their own child. It is a lot easier if the group has talked together about what types of behaviour they want to encourage and how they will respond when they see challenging behaviours and has written something down about what they decide. It is important to remember that any responses and interactions should maintain both an adult’s and a child’s self-respect.

A playgroup’s positive guidance procedure may include statements on:

• appropriate positive guidance strategies which use praise and encouragement and give the child respect and dignity

• inappropriate practices, such as inflicting physical or verbal punishment, isolating children, labelling children with derogatory words or shaming them

• a process for reviewing the positive guidance provided by the group.

The procedure could be displayed at the playgroup and pointed out to new parents and/or included in information packs. It is also a good idea to provide relevant reading material in the playgroup's adult library. Procedures should be reviewed on a regular basis so new families have the opportunity to contribute to their development.

The 4 principles in the curriculum framework provide a strong foundation for the ways in which adults can guide children’s behaviour. Contact the Education Review Office for advice on ways to do this.

Resources

Children’s safety and wellbeing is paramount. This criterion specifically addresses the interactions, responses and relationships that occur during playgroups. Other criteria, such as MA3, all parents sharing responsibility for the safety and supervision of all children attending playgroup, HS9, protecting children from the detrimental behaviour of any persons under the influence of alcohol or other substances, and HS10, protecting children from exposure to inappropriate written, visual or electronic material on sessions are also underpinned by a focus on children’s health, safety and wellbeing.

MA3 Group supervision

HS9 Alcohol and other substances

HS10 Inappropriate material