C307 Curriculum responsive

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Criterion C307 Guidance

Criterion C307

The service curriculum is inclusive, and responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning experiences.

Curriculum criteria documentation required

Guidance

A service curriculum that is inclusive ensures all children know that the early childhood service they attend is a place where they belong and where they feel valued for who they are.

The service curriculum treats all children, regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity and abilities, as competent and confident learners who are active participants in their own learning. Supportive, responsive educators guide children to make choices in, and contribute to the planning of, the programme in an early childhood service.

The curriculum will enable children with special health and/or educational needs to be actively engaged in learning with and alongside the other children in the service.

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Practice

Examples of what this might look like in practice:

Children participate in decisions that affect them, choosing their own challenges and learning opportunities from a range of resources and equipment.
Educators respect children’s choices and accept them wherever possible.
The activity room is set up so that children can independently access equipment and resources.
A wide range of learning experiences are offered, from which children can choose familiar activities or try new challenges.
Educators demonstrate in practice that they regard each child as competent and assist children to make choices by giving them the information they need to make informed decisions.
Children with special health and/or educational needs are fully engaged in the programme.
Children interact positively with other children of different ages, backgrounds, gender, abilities and/or ethnic groups.

Things to consider

How do the tools/resources in your service curriculum reflect what parents and whānau value as learning for their children?
How do you explain to others what real choice for children is? Who answers this question?
How do we explain to others our expectations and understanding in relation to children’s learning and development?
How does the way our day is set up influence the experiences for children? How are children empowered to influence how the day is organised?
Where do the notions of child-centred, child-initiated, and child-directed learning fit into all of this?
How do we support and enable children who are non-verbal to make choices within our programme?
How does our service curriculum include strategies to fully include all children?