Understanding the Te Whariki Approach introduces the reader to an innovative bicultural curriculum developed for early childhood services in New Zealand. It will enable the reader to analyse the essential elements of the Te Whariki Approach to early childhood and its relationship to quality early years practice. Providing students and practitioners with the relevant information about a key pedagogical influence on high quality early years practice in the United Kingdom, the book explores all areas of the curriculum, emphasising: strong curriculum connections to families and the wider community; a view of teaching and learning that focuses on reciprocal and responsive relationships with people places and things; a view of curriculum content as cross-disciplinary and multi-modal; the aspirations for children to grow up as competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body, and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society; a bicultural framework in which indigenous voices have a central place With summaries of key ideas and points for reflection, this is a vital text for students, early years and childcare practitioners, teachers, early years professionals, children’s centre professionals, lecturers, advisory teachers, head teachers and setting managers.