Two-year delay for Foundation Phase
The early years sector in Wales will have to wait two more years for the start-up of its new Foundation Phase. Jane Davidson, minister for Education and Lifelong Learning, said last week that the implementation of the Foundation Phase for three- to seven-year-olds, which was due to be rolled out to three- to five-year-olds across Wales next September, is being put off to September 2008. Ms Davidson announced extra funding to support staff training and potentially bring more settings into the pilot, raising this year's budget of £1.5m to £2.5m in 2006/07 and Pounds 7.5m in 2007/08.
Jane Davidson, minister for Education and Lifelong Learning, said last week that the implementation of the Foundation Phase for three- to seven-year-olds, which was due to be rolled out to three- to five-year-olds across Wales next September, is being put off to September 2008. Ms Davidson announced extra funding to support staff training and potentially bring more settings into the pilot, raising this year's budget of £1.5m to £2.5m in 2006/07 and £7.5m in 2007/08.
She said, 'It's clear the timetable was very ambitious and proposed a rapid rate of change to the curriculum. These are not new issues, but the pilot and first year's evaluation have brought them into sharper focus.'
Ms Davidson is reported to have told headteachers last month that the roll-out would be delayed because 'all the legislative requirements and the right timetable for training up all the necessary staff' must be in place.
Dr Philip Dixon, director of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers Cyrmu, said he was pleased that the minister had taken account of concerns from teachers about the speed of change. We believe that by providing more time to roll out the changes, early years education in Wales will avoid some of the pitfalls encountered in England, where many teachers felt under-prepared.'
Professor Iram Siraj-Blatchford of London's Institute of Education, who has been leading the first evaluation into the effectiveness of the Foundation Phase, said that the decision to extend the evaluation period was an 'extremely positive move'.
'The responsive nature of this evaluation, and the fact the Assembly is keen to work with schools and practitioners to find the best solutions, rather than tell them what to do, indicates the Assembly is serious about improving the quality of education for three-to seven-year-olds,' she said.
