Do you want to enhance the quality of education in your Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) center? Discover the new tool developed by SCIREARLY, designed to provide personalized, data-driven advice for those working in childcare services or pre-schools. In just a few minutes, you can obtain a detailed assessment and practical suggestions to optimize your educational practices and improve children’s experiences.
Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) plays a crucial role in children’s future academic performance. Studies show that high-quality early education can prevent early leaving of education and training and promote the development of fundamental skills necessary for academic success. Investing in quality ECEC means creating a solid foundation for future learning and ensuring that all children have the same opportunities for success.
Based on a Europe-wide analysis of effective educational programs, the Self-Assessment Quality ECEC Instrument (SAQE) has been developed to improve early childhood education in Europe, offering personalized guidance for centers aimed at enhancing children’s basic skills.
The SAQE Instrument comprises several sections, including:
- General information,
- Leadership of the center,
- Professional support for staff,
- Collaboration between staff and parents or guardians,
- Interactions between staff and children,
- Peer interactions among children.
Responses in each section are analysed using scientifically validated scales, adapted for the specific context of preschool years.
A preliminary version of the SAQE Instrument was reviewed and tested by groups of early childhood educators in various European countries, including Finland, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Italy, Malta, Belgium, and the United Kingdom, to gather feedback from end-users on the SAQE Instrument’s utility. Suggestions for improvements led to modifications in the final version to ensure the Instrument is applicable and relevant in diverse educational contexts.
During the review and testing phase, educators provided positive feedback, highlighting the Instrument’s usefulness in supporting and guiding both personal and collective reflection on educational practices, offering advice to align them with the highest quality standards. Therefore, it is essential to view the SAQE Instrument as a reflection tool rather than a performance evaluation tool.
The SAQE Instrument is now available online, free of charge, and accessible to all educators through a user-friendly platform. Access here: https://eu-submit.jotform.com/232950904692058 . It will take no more than 20 minutes to complete. No personal information is required, and all data will be stored confidentially. Please note that the feedback functionality is currently under development.
To learn more about what’s new in the project, contact Alessia Valenti: alessia.valenti@cesie.org.
About the project
SCIREARLY – Policies and Practices based on Scientific Research for Reducing Underachievement and Early School Leaving in Europe is a project funded by the Horizon Europe program, Call Inclusiveness in times of change, Research and Innovation Action.
Partners
- UNIVERSIDAD DE LA IGLESIA DE DEUSTO (Spain, Coordinator)
- KENTRO MERIMNAS OIKOGENEIAS KAI PAIDIOU (Greece)
- MINISTERIO DA EDUCACAO E CIENCIA (Portugal)
- DUBLIN CITY UNIVERSITY (Ireland)
- RED BARNET (Denmark)
- UNIVERSIDADE DO PORTO (Portugal)
- UNIVERSITA TA MALTA (Malta)
- EUROPEAN PARENTS ASSOCIATION (Belgium)
- HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO (Finland)
- UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE (United Kingdom)
- CESIE ETS (Italy)
For further information
Read more about SCIREARLY, follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, X (Twitter) e Instagram, and visit the web site https://scirearly.eu/.
Contact Alessia Valenti: alessia.valenti@cesie.org.
