Parents are more aware of what is happening in schools, so the pressure to prepare children for national standards shifts to early childhood teachers. Teachers leave time for children, so the transition to school is suffocating. However, the New Zealand Curriculum (Ministry of Education, 2008) was created to follow Te Whāriki to create curriculum alignment. With the pressure of preparing children for school, we are creating a positive experience for children during this critical transition. “New Zealand assessment expert Terry Crooks fears that national standards have possible downsides that are frightening and could prevent many children from learning” (Hammonds, 2009, p9). If we start children early with direct teaching and learning, we will support their love of learning which will impact their future lives. With the pressure of getting children ready for school, we are adding more work to the workloads of early childhood teachers, which can impact children transitioning into primary school