Welsh Foundation Phase given extra year to start up
The statutory roll-out of the Foundation Phase for three- to-seven-year-olds in Wales is to take a year longer than originally intended.
Education minister Jane Hutt confirmed last week that it would now be introduced over four years.
The decision follows advice from the Foundation Phase Implementation Group, made up of local government representatives, early years specialists, the teaching unions and Estyn, which held its second meeting last week.
The change means that the roll-out of the curriculum for three- to-five-year-olds will take place over two years, with the Foundation Phase for three- to four-year-olds statutory from September for the 2008-09 school year.
In a written statement Ms Hutt said, 'This arrangement will allow those schools and local authorities which have already made good progress towards the 1:8 adult: child ratio for all their three- to-five-year-olds, to implement the Foundation Phase curriculum on a non-statutory basis for four- to-five-year-olds from this September. It would also allow practitioners in mixed-age classes to do so with all their three- to five-year-olds.'
The ratios of 1:8 for three- to-five-year-olds and 1:15 for five- to seven-year-olds will stay in place.
Last month the Welsh Assembly Government pledged an extra £5m for delivering the Foundation Phase.
The Welsh Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Education in Wales have said that even with the additional funding there will be a £10m funding shortfall (News, 15 May).
