Slovenia has established an integrated approach to pre-school education, combining education, play and care in pre-school institutions. Comprehensive care for preschool children involves meals, rest and sleep, as well as various educational programmes. Pre-school education is not compulsory; it admits children from 1 to 6 years of age or to the age when they enter primary schooling. Pre-school education is performed by public and private pre-school institutions (vrtci). Parents have the right to choose pre-school education programmes for their children in a public or private pre-school institution. To this end, pre-school institutions are obliged to present their programmes in a special publication. In case parents want to enrol their child in at least one programme, but there are no available places or no pre-school institutions in the place of residence, the local community is obliged to find other options. Pre-school institutions can also organise their activities in childminder families, as home education or as part-time childcare at home. The aim of pre-school institutions is to support the parents in bringing up the child, to improve the quality of family life and to create good conditions for the development of the child's physical and intellectual abilities.

The concept and the legislation (1996) of education have above all emphasized the rights of children as well as respect for and protection of their individuality - as opposed to the former "same to all" system. The authority over pre-school education was transferred from the then Ministry of Health, Family and Social Security to the Ministry of Education and Sport. Before the general educational reform (1996), which introduced nine years of compulsory schooling instead of the former eight years, the pre-school education period concluded with a one-year programme of compulsory school-preparation, colloquially called "little school". After the reform the enrolment in elementary schools takes place one year earlier (children are 6 years of age instead of 7) and the compulsory school-preparation has been cancelled. A linkage between programmes of pre-school education and the beginning of compulsory education is ensured with a uniform system of education and schooling and with preparation and acceptance of educational or schooling programmes.

In the last decade important changes in the concept of education have been made. While the former concept was based on group routine, activities are nowadays organised in smaller groups which stimulate the child's individuality and respect the child's right to privacy.

In the former educational programme individuality was generally not much desired, it was based on routine activities; new programmes, however, strongly emphasize the right to choose, which is related to the right to play and the right to creative expression. Much attention is paid to the equal progress opportunities, which apply to all - children with special needs, Roma children and children from socially deprived families.

In order to pursue their activities, public pre-school institutions have to ensure that they have practitioners with the required qualifications and suitable facilities and equipment. Private pre-school institutions conducting public programmes have to meet the same requirements. Pre-school institutions that conduct their programmes according to special educational principles (Montessori, Steiner) and those conducting their programmes in foreign languages (international pre-school institution, pre-school institution for employees in foreign-owned companies) have to meet the facility-requirements. The public network of pre-school institutions is organised in such a way that it enables parents and children accessibility and the option to choose the suitable programme for pre-school children.

Public pre-school institutions are founded and financed by local communities. They are also financed from parents' contributions (from 0 to 80%, depending on their income), from the national budget (for specific purposes like transport of pre-school children) and from donations and other sources. The local community budget provides funds for personnel wages, for material costs in accordance with norms and standards, for extraordinary maintenance and for investments in real estate and equipment for public pre-school institutions or pre-school institutions with concessions. Funds are provided from the difference between the cost of the programmes and the parents' contribution. The national budget provides funds for pre-school institution departments in hospitals and in institutes for education and schooling for children with special needs, as well as for the higher costs and investments in Italian, bilingual and Roma departments.

The local community is obliged to initiate the procedure of setting up a pre-school institution if there is sufficient interest of the parents, however it cannot always ensure a sufficient number of admission places. According to the law, in cases where there are not sufficient admission places, children from socially deprived families and children with special needs are given the priority. There are no special admission requirements; the decision regarding children's participation in pre-school education is made by their parents at any time of year. Upon admission of the child to a pre-school institution, parents should enclose the child's health condition certificate confirmed by a paediatrician. Children from socially deprived families and children with special needs are given the priority is admission to pre-school institutions.

Programmes of pre-school education are administered by the Council of the Republic of Slovenia for General Education: it adopts the public programmes and gives its consent or opinion for the programmes of private pre-school institutions. Programmes of pre-school education are part of the system of education and schooling. The principles of pre-school education - i.e. those of democracy, pluralism, autonomy, professional competence and responsibility of the employees, equal opportunities for children and parents, regard to diversity of children, the right of option and distinctiveness and the principles of maintenance of balance of various aspects of the child's physical and intellectual development - are set out in the Pre-school institution Act (1996, amendments 2000, 2003, 2005).

Among the objectives of pre-school education, the following are especially emphasized: development of comprehension skills and skills of acceptance of others and oneself, regard to distinctiveness and cooperation in groups, development of skills of recognition of emotions, stimulation of emotional perception and expression, stimulation of curiosity, exploratory spirit, imagination and of intuition, development of independent thinking, stimulation of communication skills for an effective and creative use of language, at later stages also stimulation of reading and writing, stimulation of perception of artistic works and artistic expression, transmission of knowledge from various fields of science and everyday life, stimulation of physical and locomotive development, and development of self-dependence at hygienic habits and health care.

Pedagogical and pedagogical-educational work in pre-school institutions is conducted in Slovene, except in ethnically mixed areas, where it is conducted in Italian or bilingually - in Slovene and Hungarian. Activities are organized in coeducational groups.

Organisation

The role of the local community is to assign a sufficient number of places in pre-school institutions, to finance pre-school institutions and to grant subsidies for parents. According to the law, the local community is obliged to increase capacities in a public pre-school institution or to issue a concession, if the interest of parents for admission of their children to a pre-school institution is so great that a new department could be set up. Communities are the founders of pre-school institutions and mainly also their fund providers. They also decide on the cost of a pre-school place, considering the national regulations on pricing of pre-school education programmes, the income and property of the parents and the real expenses.

By law, the parents have the right to choose between a public and private pre-school institution and between different programmes. This means that parents are not bound to a pre-school institution in the community of permanent residence, but can chose any pre-school institution in any community. Parents can also choose among different programmes provided by a pre-school institution. In any case, the community of their permanent residence is obliged to provide subsidy for payment, if the parents exercise their right to it.

Pre-school education can be performed by autonomous public pre-school institutions, organisational units of pre-school institutions at elementary schools, private pre-school institutions and private persons. Pre-school institutions can also organize childcare in a childminder family. This form of education and childcare takes place at home and is performed by pre-school teachers and their assistants employed at a pre-school institution, or by private pre-school teachers. The conditions for organising a childminder family are the interest of the parents and an insufficient number of free places at a public pre-school institution. Pre-school institutions can also organise childcare in the home of the child. This is a special service, which can be performed by pre-school teachers employed at a pre-school institution or by external contractors with at least secondary education or with five years of working experience in the field of education and schooling. This service is entirely paid for by the parents.

Pre-school education admits children from 1 to 3 years of age and from 3 to 6 years of age or to the age when they enter compulsory schooling. The size of pre-school institutions is not prescribed. However, the local community is obliged to initiate the procedure for the provision of capacities if the number of candidates is sufficient for one teaching group.

Teaching groups can be homogenous or heterogeneous within one age group, or they can be combined (they include children of both age groups). The normative number of children in teaching groups is defined by the national regulation.

Teaching groups of the first age group should comprise no more than 12 children (10, if they are age-heterogeneous).

Teaching groups of the second age group should comprise no more than 22 children.

Teaching groups are smaller if they are age-heterogeneous (19) or if they include children from 3 to 4 years of age (17).

According to the condition and situation of the pre-school education activities in the local community, the community can raise the prescribed number of children in a teaching group by no more than 2 children. The number of children in a teaching group is smaller if the group includes children with special needs or Roma children.

A day-programme teaching group for children from the first age-group should be monitored for at least 6 hours by two pedagogical workers, and the teaching group for children from the second age-group for at least 4 hours (afternoon programmes less: 3 or 2 hours).

Pre-school institutions can offer programmes of different length. The day-programme includes education, childcare and meals. It last from 6 to 9 hours and can take place in the morning, in the afternoon, throughout the day or in turns. The half-day programme lasts from 4 to 6 hours and can take place in the morning, in the afternoon or in turns. The short programme lasts from 240 to 600 hours a year. It is designed for children from remote or demographically endangered areas from their 3rd year of age to the age when they enter compulsory schooling.

Operating times of the pre-school institution may vary, according to the needs of the parents. Usually operating times are 5 days a week throughout the year from 5.30 am to 4 pm. Larger pre-school institutions also offer afternoon departments, which are open until 8 pm.

Curriculum

The national curriculum for pre-school institutions (1999) is based upon appreciation of individual differences in development and learning, as well as on appreciation of the child's integrative and balanced development. The curriculum is open and enables implementation of various programmes (day, half-day, short). The objectives, contents and activities are designed separately for the first and the second age-group of children. For the sake of better transparency they are divided into various fields; however, the suggested curriculum themes extend over the stringent limits of a single field and are placed into the context of the children's every-day life in a pre-school institution. The following subject fields are included in pre-school institution activities: physical exercise, language, art, society, nature, study, mathematics. Interdisciplinary activities like ethics, health care, safety, traffic education are incorporated into all those fields.

Implementation of different subject fields goes hand in hand with the daily routine. Educational work is important for the child's personality (not only as a preparation for the next educational level), which is why it is based on the ability of children and their activities. Children's play enables the most natural way towards their development and learning.

The curriculum contains the objectives and principles of pre-school education, which importantly affect every-day activities, communication and classroom arrangement. In planning routine activities (eating, resting, sleeping, tidying up), the differences between children must be taken into account (gender, social and cultural origin, philosophy of life...) and such conditions must be created that those differences can be expressed. Children's particularities, the right to choose and their distinctiveness must also be regarded. The importance of communication for social learning is especially emphasized. The classroom should be flexible, diverse, safe and stimulative.

An important element of a quality pre-school institution is cooperation with the parents. The parents have the right to take part in the planning of life and work in a pre-school institution or its teaching group. The parents should consider the professional autonomy of the pre-school institution workers, who - on the other hand - should consider the culture, identity, language, world view, values and convictions, customs and habits of the parents. The parents have the right to gradually introduce their child to the pre-school institution. The pre-school institution is obliged to provide written information about its activities: in publications and on notice boards.

Assessment

In pre-school education in Slovenia the child's achievements are not graded. Pre-school teachers observe, analyse and direct the process of the child's learning through play. The curriculum includes general objectives (e.g. getting acquainted with mathematics in every-day life), specific objectives (e.g. recognizing the relation between cause and consequence) and examples of activities (e.g. the child predicts the result of a person falling into cold water while taking a walk).

Pre-school teachers observe how children recognize the cause and consequence through their experience, they talk to children, show them gladness and praise when they successfully solve a problem, and verbally inform the parents about the child's achievements. Pre-school workers help, direct, stimulate and motivate the children, tell and explain them things, but they do not assess them.

In the calendar year when the children have their 6th birthday the parents are obliged to enrol them to for the first year of compulsory school. They may postpone the beginning of compulsory schooling according to their own judgment, or else according to the recommendation of a health service or a commission for child guidance which establishes whether the child is prepared for elementary schooling.

Pre-school teachers

Education and care staff in pre-school institutions are pre-school teachers, assistants, education counsellors, organizers of health and hygiene regime, meal organizers and pre-school teachers with special pedagogical skills.

Pre-school teachers should hold an advanced (former 2-year studies) or higher education degree (at least 3-year studies) in pre-school education, or a university degree (4-year studies) from some other field (pedagogy, art, humanities, sociology) with a specialization in pre-school education.

Assistants should hold an upper secondary technical qualification (4-year education) and be qualified for the field of pre-school education.

Education counsellors should have a university degree in psychology, pedagogy, social work, social pedagogy or special and rehabilitation pedagogy.

Pre-school institutions in Slovenia mainly employ pre-school teachers who have obtained a higher education degree in the field of pre-school education and have a proper professional qualification. These programmes include theories of education, methodology of teaching pre-school children, didactics, developmental and pedagogical psychology, sociology, philosophy, special pedagogy, health education and practical training in pre-school institutions.

The students - future pre-school teachers - also obtain practical and theoretical knowledge from various fields of education such as languages, social environment, natural science, mathematics, physical education, dance, music and other ways of artistic expression.

This degree also entitles pre-school teachers to teach children in the 1st year of compulsory school; the law on elementary school prescribes that the education in the 1st year of elementary schooling should be carried out by a class teacher as well as by another teacher - pre-school teachers.

The pedagogical staff of pre-school institutions is employed by the headmaster. In agreement with the founder, and in accordance with national regulations on educational work organisation, the headmaster determines the systematization of posts. Based on that, the headmaster offers new posts, chooses the candidates and concludes employment relationships. Working conditions (salaries, working hours etc.) are generally determined by national regulations and are being negotiated in greater detail every year by the Ministry of Education and Sport and the representative trade unions.

Most of the pedagogical staff in pre-school institutions work full time and have employment contracts of indefinite duration as public officials. According to the law they have the right to continuing professional training. Pre-school institutions should enable free days for professional training, at least 5 days per year or 15 every three years, and cover the expenses: salary compensation, possible travel expenses, participant fees, and accommodation expenses. When new reforms that demand additional training of the employees are introduced, such training shall be obligatory.

Professional training is stimulated and rewarded. Some professional training programmes - those assessed by the school authorities and other competent bodies as being of priority - are awarded points; the achieved number of points is taken into account at promotions. Professional training is one of the conditions for promotion of pedagogical workers to titles.

The programmes which have to be accredited by the Minister's Programme Council are mainly carried out by higher education institutions, national education and research institutes and pre-school institutions themselves, as well as by other public and private training organisations.

Statistics

In the school year 2006/07 there were 793 single pre-school institutions in Slovenia, of which 19 were private; 58,127 children were included in 3,484 groups, of which 975 children were included in private pre-school institutions. The number of children with special needs included in mainstream pre-school institutions is on increase. In 2006/07, there were 759 children with special needs, of which two thirds were integrated and one third were placed in separate groups.

In the school year 2006/07, altogether 7,346 pre-school teachers and their assistants were employed in pre-school institutions.  239 educational workers and their assistants were employed in departments for children with special needs. Pre-school institutions also employ 108 education  counsellors and 158 other professional workers, as well as 301 managing officials.

Children participating in pre-school education according to their age; year 2006/07

 Source: Breda Ložar: Predšolska vzgoja in izobraževanje v vrtcih, Slovenija, šolsko leto 2006/2007 . Statistični urad RS, 18. april 2007, Prva objava. URL: http://www.stat.si/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=833

Percentage share of children participating in pre-school education; school years 1995/96 - 2006/07

Percentage share of the four-year-old children participating in pre-school education in the EU and in Slovenia

 Source: Four-year-olds in education  - Participation rate (%) . Eurostat.