The Foundation Phase

The Foundation Phase is the curriculum for children aged 3 to 7 years in Wales in non-maintained settings and maintained settings. 

It stimulates children to have fun whilst learning, make education enjoyable for them and to be creative in what they do.

The Foundation Phase has a great emphasis on children 'doing' whilst learning and gaining at education. This makes learning more interesting for children, and also makes them want to learn.

This phase is made to set frameworks for children to work towards and ensures that children are learning and developing their knowledge and education levels. 

It gives children the appropriate knowledge they need to succeed for future education and for later life.

This link of a document by Helen Phillips, explains the Foundation Phase in more depth and outlines what it involves and what it's about. 

It discusses the challenges the Foundation Phase gives and what opportunities are outlined for children. 

http://www.trinitysaintdavid.ac.uk/en/media/uniweb/content/documents/departments/lrc/thestudentresearcher/Helen%20Phillips,%20The%20Foundation%20Phase.pdf

Schools in Wales need to ensure that children are learning cognitively in order to build their knowledge and give them a good understanding of topics and subjects.

It's important that schools keep following the Foundation Phase to provide children with the right education.

Not only is it important to keep the educated by following the Foundation Phase, but it's crucial that children are enjoying learning and are participating all the time because they are involved in activities and are taking a real interest into what they are learning. 

Some schools use 'tracking' whilst following The Foundation Phase. This is because they can keep an eye on every single pupil and see how they are progressing.

One school in particular, 'Ysgol Emmanual' in Derbyshire have used this technique, as their standards were falling, but since doing this, they have achieved their goals in their pupils and by keeping up to track with their progress they have been able to recognise where they have gone wrong in teaching and where more training was needed about how to help their pupils be successful and thrive in their learning. 

This is a video clip that shows this schools' improvements and how they managed to track their progress and make changes for the better..

 

To sum up, children learn best by 'doing' activities and by having first hand experience when learning, and The Foundation Phase encourages this in schools in Wales. 

It's a fantastic way in getting children involved in gaining an education and a great way to prepare children for what they need to know to succeed at the next level.

The Foundation Phase offers an achievable education for young children, and brings out the fun and enjoyment to learning at school. 

References

1. The Welsh Government, 'Foundation Phase'.

Retrieved in April from:

(http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/earlyyearshome/foundation_phase/?lang=en)

2. Early Years Foundation Phase

Retrieved on 17th April, from :

(http://www.education.gov.uk)

3. Department for Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills, 'Foundation Phase: Framework for Children’s Learning' Consultation Document. January (2007).