ABSTRACT
Internationally, pre-schools and primary schools have developed as separate entities, varying in terms of their objectives and approaches to early childhood education (ECE). This chapter considers the role of context in enacting ECE curriculum change. Ireland operates under a system in which childcare and education sectors function independently. ECE in pre-schools (children between three and four years old) is the responsibility of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, while the responsibility for children in early years primary school (age four to six) years rests with the Department of Education and Science. Key policy documents are discussed. The argument suggests that how a primary school curriculum is implemented within an early childhood curriculum framework depends on our subjective views. Two case studies provide examples of how four teachers understood and incorporated a play-based early childhood framework within an existing school curriculum. It is argued that the introduction of new curriculum policies can be an opportunity to re-think educational praxis.
