Teach na bPáistí Childcare

Our mission is to value the ability, individuality, and cultural background of all children by providing each child with the opportunities they need to reach their full potential as active learners within an inclusive ethos/culture.

Mission statement of Teach na bPáistí

At Teach na bPáistí, we achieve care and inclusion in education by continually reviewing an anti-bias approach that is implemented by the early childhood service, and by working in partnership with families, children and the early childhood team, both individually through reflective practice, and in consultation with children and their families, so as to ensure that the education and care provided is fully inclusive of all children, families and agencies that attend and use our service.

Fees Table

Ethos of the service

Teach na bPáistí will ensure an inclusive culture, recognising that every child is an individual and has their own learning style. Teach na bPáistí believe that all children are unique, but share many similarities, thus promoting equality and diversity throughout the early childhood service.

Teach na bPáistí will promote and nurture the identity of each child attending the service and ensure that their emotional and physical well-being is of paramount importance at all times.

Our focus is on play-based learning where exploration is encouraged. We believe that children are active learners and that the concept of active learning comes from the principle that children learn from personal interactions and direct experiences. Our planning and practices focus on Aistear and Síolta to ensure quality experiences are provided for the children through the curriculum and planning.

The needs of parents are taken into consideration and we do our utmost to accommodate parental wishes. Unfortunately, this is not always possible, as we must comply with the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 and the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018. We are registered with Tusla the Early Years Inspectorate as a full day care service provider.

Our facilities include a sleep room and resting area for the children. We have a separate nappy change room and child sized toileting facilities.

All rooms have access to their own outdoor areas adjacent to their classrooms along with a large sensory garden located at the back of the building and a courtyard at the centre of the building. We have an onsite kitchen where the children’s food is prepared fresh daily using local suppliers.

Type of services offered

Creche Full Day and Part-time

Preschool Full Day, Part-time and Sessional (ECCE)

School Age (term time) Part-Time care service up to 5 hours, School Age Sessional day care up to 3.5 hours and School Age Half Sessional care service up to 2 hours 15 minutes

School Age during (non-term time summer school holidays) Full day care service

We cater for the following age ranges, 12 months to 12 years of age. We cater for up to 80 children at any one time, ratios as required by the Early Years Inspectorate. Our opening hours are 8.15am-6.00pm. We are open 46 weeks throughout the year.

Our Curriculum

Here, at Teach na bPáistí Early Learning Centre, we use a play-based approach. Our curriculum and standards are infused with both Aistear https://ncn.ie/aistear/ and Siolta https://www.siolta.ie/, which are our national frameworks for early childhood education and acre in Ireland. We believe that by using these frameworks, we support children’s holistic learning and development.

Our curriculum which is inclusive to all children and families, promotes independence, curiosity, language and social skills. This is done through following each child’s lead and interest, which is developed in partnership with the child, parents and all professionals who support the children in our service. We use daily small group and individual activities to support each child and we use visual aids, as these are an important communication strategy in our service.

Rooms

Our Waddler Room caters for children aged 12 months to 2 years of age. All toys are age appropriate, and the focus is on learning to play. It is in the Waddler Room where the children take their first steps to independence, by feeding themselves and starting to direct their own learning. They also learn to develop their early language skills and how to interact with the other children and staff in the room. Children have access to their own enclosed outdoor playground all year round where they can explore the outdoor environment.
We focus on your child’s physical, intellectual, emotional, social skills and emergent interests. The Toddler Room is divided in sections where play and exploration are encouraged. As the children are still young short ‘work’ periods are encouraged. Tabletop activities such as jigsaws, sorting and matching are introduced to promote motor skills, hand/eye co-ordination and early numerical and literacy skills. Home corner and role-play, music, arts and crafts are also available to promote self-awareness and confidence.
The Preschool is structured around play and education with the influence of Aistear. Our educational approach is an open framework of educational ideas and practices based on the principles of child development. Children are active learners, who learn best from activities they plan, carry out, and reflect upon. The role of the adult is to plan activities based on the children’s interest, facilitate learning through encouragement, and engage in positive adult-child interaction strategies.

Our approach supports active learning through a daily routine largely made up of plan-do -review, in addition to other activities described. During the planning process children use language to make a choice about the materials they are going to work with, which provides for a consistent time to express their choice, build on their own interests, and recognise themselves as individuals who act on decisions. Work time allows the children to carry out those plans with the support of the adults through encouragement, extend those ideas and provide opportunities to solve problems.
The children receive a hot nutritious meal each day as well as fresh fruit that is available daily. We are primarily an afterschool club not a homework club, however we will accommodate homework where we can, by giving children the opportunity of supervised homework time. Parents must ensure that the homework is completed and signed off. The club offers a range of afterschool activities. The activities include art, crafts, Buntús sport activities and free flow time.

ECCE Scheme

The Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE) programme is a universal two-year preschool programme available to all children within the eligible age range.

It provides children with their first formal experience of early learning prior to commencing primary school. The programme is provided for three hours per day, five days per week over 38 weeks per year and the programme year runs from September to June each year.

There is one point of entry at the beginning of the programme year. The programme will be available to all children who have turned 2 years and 8 months of age before August 31st as long they will not turn 5 years and 6 months of age on or before June 30th of the programme year.

ECCE Scheme

Funding Schemes, Additional Services and Fees List

The National Childcare Scheme

The National Childcare Scheme, is a subsidy that is available for families with children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years who are attending any participating Tusla registered childcare service, including any Tusla registered childminder and school age childcare services.

There are two types of subsidies available under the National Childcare Scheme: A Universal subsidy and an Income Assessed subsidy.

Income Assessed subsidies are available to families with children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years. They are means tested and will be calculated based on your individual circumstances. The subsidy rate will vary depending on your level of reckonable family income, your child’s age, and their educational stage. It can be used towards the cost of a Tusla registered childcare place for up to a maximum of 45 hours per week.

NCS Website

AIM - Access & Inclusion Model

The goal of AIM is to create a more inclusive environment in preschools, so all children, regardless of ability, can benefit from quality early learning and care. The model achieves this by providing universal supports to preschool settings, and targeted supports, which focus on the needs of the individual child, without requiring a diagnosis of disability.

AIM commenced in 2016, since then, it has helped tens of thousands of children with a disability to access and meaningfully participate in the ECCE programme in pre-school settings nationwide. The model has been recognised internationally and has won awards for both excellence in practice, and inclusive policy.

AIM Website