Speaking to Nursery World in her first interview since starting the director's job on Monday (20 February), Ruth Pimentel said it was 'hugely exciting' to be driving forward the EYFS agenda.
Ms Pimentel was previously deputy director of the Foundation Stage and has replaced Lesley Staggs, the first-ever Foundation Stage director, who left last week after announcing her resignation in December.
Ms Staggs told Nursery World that she was 'delighted' with the appointment.
'We've worked very closely together over the past two and a half years and I can think of no better person to take on this key role at such an important time for early years.'
Ms Pimentel said, 'I've learned a huge amount from Lesley. I'm really proud that I've been selected to continue her legacy.'
She said that she and her team of regional advisers had spent the past few months holding seminars across the country and meeting with early years practitioners 'to learn what works well' as they develop the EYFS.
'We want to continue the good communication with the sector, making people aware of the EYFS, and working with local authorities,' she said. The team of 13 regional advisers regularly meet with the lead Foundation Stage adviser in each local authority.
She said that agreement had yet to be reached on how the training for the EYFS, which does not come on stream until 2008, will be delivered.
'It's wonderful to have the time to think about how to do it, and we will take what we've learned from the roll-out of training for Birth to Three and the Foundation Stage.'
She added that it was encouraging that the Children's Workforce Strategy, published last week, 'recognised the crucial role of early childhood development' in developing the new role of Early Years Professional.
Ms Pimentel outlined current Foundation Stage project work at National Strategies and said that 20 local authorities had been given 15,000 each to develop ICT training and buy equipment to explore the use of ICT in observation, assessment and children's learning. She said that more than 80 local authorities had bid for the funding.
Commenting on the latest Foundation Stage Profile results, which were published last week, Ms Pimentel said, 'There are big differences between girls and boys, but most children are achieving good levels of achievement at the end of the Foundation Stage.'
She did not anticipate that there would be any changes to the Foundation Stage Profile with the development of the EYFS and said that the early learning goals would stay the same.
'The Profile took years to develop and no changes are expected at this stage,' she said.
She also said that her team would have an input into how the Transformation Fund is distributed. 'Through our discussions with local authorities, we will talk with them about where to target this additional resource, underpinned by driving forward quality.'
Explaining the new management structure, which was brought in when Capita took over the five-year contract for running National Strategies last May, she said, 'Foundation Stage regional advisers continue to take their professional lead from me. Their day-to-day work is managed by senior regional directors.'
