Early years insights 2024

Chapter 2 - Early years insights (PDF)

The landscape of early learning and care (ELC) provision in Ireland continued to evolve during 2024. A key development was the update of Aistear: The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework,[1] which provides guidance on supporting children’s learning and development from birth to six years.

Aistear was the first curriculum framework for early learning and care in Ireland, published by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) in 2009. Aistear was updated in 2024 to acknowledge and incorporate the significant societal, policy and educational developments that have occurred since the original version was published. The update also reflects the substantial body of educational research that has emerged since the late 2000s about how babies, toddlers and young children learn and develop and how educators can enrich and encourage this appropriately.

The updated framework strengthens the focus on children’s rights, slow relational pedagogy, diversity and inclusion, outdoor learning, wellbeing and sustainability. Greater emphasis is placed on experiences that support children’s creativity and their engagement with the arts, emergent literacy and numeracy, and STEM education. The framework aligns with First 5[2] and the Primary Curriculum Framework[3] for primary and special schools, launched in 2024. This alignment promotes continuity and progression in children's learning and development.

In addition, in 2024, the then Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth[4] introduced Equal Start, a new initiative designed to ensure that children experiencing disadvantage can access, participate in and benefit fully from early learning and care.

As highlighted in First 5 Annual Implementation Report for 2024,[5] other key developments in the ELC sector during 2024 included:

• a 24% increase for early learning and care and school-age childcare in Budget 2025, bringing funding up by €266 million to over €1.3 billion
• the extension of the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) outside time spent in the ECCE universal two-year, pre-school programme for children enrolled in the programme
• the allocation of €1.3 million to services under the Building Blocks Expansion Scheme for services to undertake renovations or to upgrade existing space to cater for more children
• the introduction of childminder-specific regulations to facilitate childminders to register with Tusla and to take part in the National Childcare Scheme

The Tusla Early Years Inspectorate is the statutory regulator of ELC settings. Of the total 4,045 Tusla-registered ELC settings at the end of 2024, 3,877 were funded by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality (DCDE). The Department of Education and Youth (DEY) Inspectorate evaluates the quality of education provision in DCDE-funded ELC settings under a memorandum of understanding between DEY and DCDE. The DEY Inspectorate focuses on the quality of pedagogy, the opportunities for learning, and the educational experiences and achievements of babies, toddlers and young children.[6]

[1] Available at: https://www.curriculumonline.ie/early-childhood/aistear-2024/

[2] Available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/campaigns/first-5/?referer=https://first5.gov.ie/

[3] Available at: https://curriculumonline.ie/primary/

[4] Now the Department of Children, Disability and Equality (DCDE)

[5] Available at: https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/95557-Department_of_Children-First_5_Annual_Implementation_Report_2025-v4.pdf

[6] While inspections evaluate the quality of education provision and practice across the diverse settings and contexts that babies, toddlers and young children, aged from birth to six, attend, this chapter uses the term ‘children’ to support readability.

The DEY Inspectorate uses two inspection types to assess the quality of education provision in ELC settings. Typically, the inspections have a short notice period of up to two days. Inspections include oral feedback to the early years educators and the leader and manager of the setting about the strengths in education provision in the setting and, as relevant, aspects of provision that need to be improved. In addition, a written inspection report containing the inspection findings is published on https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/education-reports/

In 2024, the Inspectorate conducted a total of 476 EYEIs in ELC settings. This included 440 in settings delivering the ECCE[7] programme and 36 in full day care ELC settings (which involves inspection of education provision for children aged from birth to six years). 11 of the inspections were in Irish-medium ELC settings, both within and outside the Gaeltacht. A total of 70 follow-through inspections were undertaken during the period.

[7] The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme is a free, universal two-year preschool programme available to all children within the eligible age range funded by the DCDE. It provides children with their first formal experience of early learning prior to commencing primary school.

Early years education inspection (EYEI) is based on a quality framework[8] that is informed by the principles of Aistear: The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework[9] and Síolta, the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education,[10] as well as national and international research related to early education and inspection. During EYEIs, inspectors evaluate and describe essential aspects of early years education with reference to the four areas of practice in the quality framework:

• Area 1: The quality of the context to support the children's learning and development
• Area 2: The quality of the processes to support the children's learning and development
• Area 3: The quality of the children's learning experiences and achievements
• Area 4: The quality of management and leadership for learning

Drawing on an analysis of the 476 EYEIs conducted in ELC settings delivering the ECCE Programme and in the 36 full day care settings, findings for each area of the EYEI quality framework are set out below.

Area 1 – The quality of the context to support children's learning and development

This area of the quality framework evaluates the atmosphere, environment and relationships in the ELC setting, focusing on how these promote positive interactions, nurture the children’s sense of identity and belonging, and celebrate cultural backgrounds.

The overall findings regarding the quality of the learning context in the settings inspected were positive, with 98.1% of settings found to be good or better. Notably, 16.8% of settings demonstrated excellent practice in this area, while only 1.9% were assessed as having practice that was less than good.

[8] The EYEI guide is available at: https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/a-guide-to-early-years-education-inspection-eyei-updated-january-2025.pdf

[9] Available at: https://curriculumonline.ie/early-childhood/aistear-2024/

[10] Available at: https://siolta.ie

Inspectors noted many aspects of provision across the settings that led to a high-quality learning context for the children. For example, a key strength of many of the settings was the quality of interactions, with very positive educator-child relationships and warm, nurturing environments evident. The most effective settings had achieved a very good balance between child-initiated and adult-initiated activities. They also used the key person approach to nurture secure attachments between the children and the educators. Families and communities were involved closely in the work of the settings; this fostered the children’s sense of identity and belonging.

A small number of settings overused adult-led routines, thereby limiting the children’s agency in their learning. While settings generally demonstrated good practice in relation to using mealtimes as learning and social development opportunities for the children, some settings did not.

Area 2 – The quality of the processes to support children's learning and development

This area assesses the approaches used by early years educators to create meaningful and enriching learning experiences. It includes curriculum planning and interactions. It also includes how children’s learning is observed, assessed and guided.

The overall findings for this area were also positive. Almost all settings had either good (39.5%) or very good (46.2%) processes in place to support children’s learning and development. Excellent practice in this regard was evident in 7.8% of settings. The quality of the processes in place to support children’s learning and development required improvement in 6.5% of settings.

At the core of the effective practices for supporting children’s learning and development evident in many settings was a recognition of play as central to children’s learning. Children were provided with stimulating learning environments, choice in their play activities, and their emergent language and numeracy development were supported through hands-on experiences. Overall, the inspections point to effective provision informed by Aistear: The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework[11] in the early education sector.

Some settings were advised by inspectors to avoid overuse of formal teaching methods. Recommendations were made in relation to educators developing an emergent, enquiry-based curriculum based on children’s interests and making better use of songs and rhymes for language development. Inspectors also noted that there were inadequate learning resources in some baby and toddler rooms.

Area 3 – The quality of the children's learning experiences and achievements

This area of the quality framework looks at children’s learning experiences in the ELC setting. It evaluates the extent to which children have choice and agency in their learning and their active participation in learning activities. Inspectors assess how children’s engagement, enjoyment and wellbeing are nurtured and how each setting recognises each child’s potential.

The overall quality of the children’s learning experiences and achievements was found to be good or better in 97.3% of settings. Of these, the quality in this area was found to be good in 27.9% of settings, very good in 54.2% of settings and excellent in 15.1% of settings. In just 2.7% of settings, the quality of the children’s learning experiences and achievements required improvement to reach a good standard.

[11] Available at: https://curriculumonline.ie/early-childhood/aistear-2024/

In settings where the children’s learning experiences and achievements were positive, the children demonstrated curiosity, persistence, creativity and resourcefulness. They engaged deeply in play and exploration. Cooperative play and effective conflict resolution were evident. Educators facilitated the children’s creative expression through a rich range of media, such as art materials, construction manipulatives, dramatic play props and open-ended materials. The children’s physical development was well supported through both indoor and outdoor play.

Recommendations were made in some settings in relation to the children’s mathematical learning. In addition to providing the children with access to a greater range of hands-on activities to support their mathematical understanding, educators were advised of the need to better promote children’s agency and voice in mathematical learning. Inspectors also noted that, in some settings, outdoor spaces were underutilised; they advised that the children be provided with greater access to outdoor resources.

Area 4 – The quality of management and leadership for learning

This area of the quality framework assesses how leadership and management support daily activities and foster continuous improvement. It also focuses on the support provided for transitions in children’s learning journeys, into and within the setting and as they move on to primary or special school.

The quality of management and leadership for learning was found to be good in 25.2% of settings, very good in 53.8% of settings and excellent in 16.2% of settings. Inspectors found that this quality area required improvement in 4.8% of settings.

The inspections found that professionalism, teamwork and a shared sense of responsibility among staff for the children’s learning were features of many settings. Staff in settings commonly completed courses in areas such as Leadership for Inclusion in the Early Years (LINC),[12] Hanen[13] and Lámh[14] and they also engaged with the online Aistear Síolta Guide.[15] Many settings had established strong communication with families and faciltated active parental involvement in the setting.

An area for development identified by inspectors in several settings related to self-evaluation practices. Essentially, the inspections point to a need for more systematic embedding of the process of self-evaluation in settings, particularly in relation to implementing decisions arrived at through self-reflection and self-review processes.

[12] Available at: https://lincprogramme.ie/

[13] Available at: https://www.hanen.org

[14] Available at: https://www.lamh.org

[15] Available at: https://www.nurturingskills.ie/aistear-siolta-practice-guide/

The purpose of a follow-through inspection is to evaluate the progress an ELC setting has made in implementing the recommendations or advice from an earlier inspection. This process involves a consultative, professional engagement between the inspector and relevant setting management, leaders, educators and staff. It also involves inspectors observing, at first hand, education provision in the setting. Inspectors also advise the setting on strategies and actions that enable the setting to fully address the recommendations or actions advised in the previous inspection.

As noted above, there were 70 follow-through inspections in ELC settings in 2024. Overall, there was evidence of positive progress by settings in addressing the recommendations arising from previous inspections, particularly in relation to the learning context of the setting, the processes that settings used to support children’s learning and development and the children’s learning experiences and achievements.

Some aspects of provision that featured in inspectors’ recommendations in the follow-through inspections included:

• the need to document children’s interests and to use this information to inform the planning of learning experiences for them
• the need to develop assessment practices to take greater account of children’s learning dispositions and progress
• the need to develop reflective, self-evaluation processes in settings
• the need to enhance the representation of cultural diversity and children’s home languages in the setting environment

The overall findings from the 2024 early years education inspections are positive, with many notable strengths evident across ELC settings in respect of all four areas of the early years education quality framework. The commitment of early years educators to developing nurturing, caring environments in which babies, toddlers and young children can flourish is evident.

The inspection findings suggest a need for further development of an emergent, enquiry-based curriculum informed by children's interests and better self-evaluation processes across ELC settings. The embedding of self-evaluation practices, as envisaged under First 5,[16] will be crucial in ensuring and sustaining high-quality education and learning experiences for our youngest citizens. The findings also highlight the importance of enhancing the learning environments to reflect and celebrate cultural diversity and the linguistic backgrounds of all children.