A new curriculum for 2- to 5-year olds
The International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC) is a new research-based curriculum recognising global best practice in early childhood education and the developmental needs of 2- to 5-year olds. It supports key areas of learning through holistic enquiry and play-based approaches that cover all curriculum areas including personal, social and emotional development.
Fieldwork Education are developing a wide range of units with titles that will spark children’s imaginations, based on eight guiding principles:
- The earliest years of life are important in their own right.
- Children should be supported to learn and develop at their own unique pace.
- Play is an essential aspect of all children’s learning and development.
- Learning happens when developmentally appropriate teacher scaffolded and child-initiated experiences harness children’s natural curiosity in an enabling environment.
- Independent and interdependent learning experiences create a context for personal development and are the foundation of international mindedness.
- Knowledge and skills development lead to an increasing sense of understanding when children are provided with opportunities to explore and express their ideas in multiple ways.
- Ongoing assessment, in the form of evaluation and reflection, is effective when it involves a learning-link with the home.
- Learning should be motivating, engaging and fun, opening up a world of wonder for children where personal interests can flourish.
The IEYC offer to schools consists of:
- IEYC process of learning, philosophy and pedagogy.
- Learning Strands to describe what students will experience.
- Learning Outcomes to describe the knowledge, skills and increasing understanding children will have as they progress.
- Units of Learning that guide teachers’ planning and provide lesson ideas.
- My-Fieldwork online portal to support planning, sharing, webinars, and resources.
- Self-Review process that provides guidance on effective use of IEYC.
- Accreditation Process (optional) that validates the use of IEYC.
- Full professional learning programme for IEYC (F2F, online and blended).