Educators' and teachers' perception of children's transition from kindergarten to school according to the child-centered competences for early childhood education and care (CCECC) conceptual framework

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The importance of early childhood education and care can be seen in the competences of six-month-old to school-age children, making it necessary to continuously establish connections between the two education systems. A good relationship between kindergarten and schoolteachers results in benefits that empower the child from an emotional, cognitive, and social perspective. In this way, the child is put in a familiar environment, and the teacher is familiar with the child’s overall growth and development. This study, therefore, aims to obtain a full picture of the importance of the transition from kindergarten to primary school from the perspective of kindergarten and schoolteachers. The survey sample is composed of eight kindergarten teachers and eight primary school teachers in Croatia. Two separate focus groups were conducted through the Zoom application. Participants were familiar with the ethical aspects of the research. The questions used were formulated according to the CCECC (Child-Centred Competences for Early Childhood Education and Care) and covered cultural, organizational, and pedagogical areas, as well as the curriculum design that results in children’s well-being. In addition to the above questions, participants had the opportunity to exchange ideas, opinions, and advice on advancing actions that contributed to a smoother transition. The results of the research’s thematic analysis point to the need to strengthen the relationship between the kindergarten system and primary school system through actions and the possible establishment of a model that would be embedded in the components of kindergarten and primary school curricula.