Foundation Phase

In 2004 Education and Lifelong Learning Minister Jane Davidson designed a new curriculum to focus on the needs of young children from ages between 3 and 7 years. “It encourages children to be creative, imaginative and to have fun and makes learning more enjoyable and more effective” (WAG 2012). It wasn't till 2008 that the foundation phase was compulsory in every Welsh school, and within England they have their own called the Foundation stage.

The Phase covers seven areas of development that are important towards the growth of the child, which are:

·         Personal and Social Development, Well-Being and Cultural Diversity: the WAG (2008) believe that this area is the heart of the foundation phase, it is where children are able to explore their own true potential and helps them to become aware of life around them. They are introduced to knowing what is right and what is wrong, and taught how to respect others around them.

·         Language, Literacy and Communication Skills: this area explores the importance of the different ways in which children communicate. Within the foundation phase they allow the children to do many group activities and active play to help them develop their communicating skills. For many schools in wales there is the case of communicating through the welsh language and this may give the child a great advantage in the future or hold the child behind.

·         Mathematical Development: this area of development it usually combined within other subject to make it aware to children that maths can be used within everyday situations indoor and outdoor. The foundation phase helps the child to achieve great knowledge and understanding about maths by completing ‘hands-on’ activities, every activity is suited to the child’s needs and by making the activities to suit them makes it easier for them to develop the skill further.

·         Welsh Language Development: similar to the Te Whariki which is used in New Zealand’s Early Childhood Curriculum the Foundation Phase has used the Welsh Language to give the children a sense of belonging and hopefully keep the national language alive.

·         Knowledge and Understanding of the World: allowing the child experience different types of activities indoor, outdoor, active and experiential learning gives them meaningful experiences that then helps them to become more involved and ask questions about the world around them. There are many different skills developed within this area of learning which can have a great impact on the child’s life.

·         Physical Development: many would disagree with Physical Education being important to the development of the child but they would be wrong. The Foundation Phase supports Physical development because they have noticed that children become well more functional within the classroom, as it builds on their self-esteem. It allows poor literate skilled children to excel in a subject which is more ‘hands-on’. The area of learning is combined of gross motor skill and fine manipulative skills. It also encourages children to become aware of the importance of their health and increases the control and coordination of their brain.

·         Creative Development: this area is incorporated into all seven developments throughout the curriculum, it encourages the children to express themselves in different ways and communicate in different styles. This area helps them expand on their thinking skills and pushes them to go beyond the boundaries.

“The impact of the Foundation Phase on the wellbeing of children has been positive”(Estyn 2011)

References

Estyn, 2011. Literacy and the Foundation Phase, http://www.estyn.gov.uk/english/docViewer/228910.5/literacy-and-the-foundation-phase-september-2011/?navmap=30,163

Welsh Assembly Government, 2012. The Foundation Phase
http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/earlyyearshome/foundation_phase/?lang=en 

Welsh Assembly Government, 2008. Personal and Social Development, Well-Being and Cultural Diversity. http://wales.gov.uk/dcells/publications/policy_strategy_and_planning/early-wales/whatisfoundation/page4/sevenareas/personaldiversity/socialdeve.pdf?lang=en

2008. Language, Literacy and Communication skills. http://wales.gov.uk/dcells/publications/policy_strategy_and_planning/early-wales/whatisfoundation/page4/sevenareas/llc/fplanglitcommepdf?lang=en

Mathematical Development. http://wales.gov.uk/dcells/publications/policy_strategy_and_planning/early-wales/whatisfoundation/page4/sevenareas/mathsdevelopment/mathdevelopmentepdf?lang=en

Welsh Language http://wales.gov.uk/dcells/publications/policy_strategy_and_planning/early-wales/whatisfoundation/page4/sevenareas/welshlanguage/welshlangdeve.pdf?lang=en

Knowledge and Understanding of the world http://wales.gov.uk/dcells/publications/policy_strategy_and_planning/early-wales/whatisfoundation/page4/sevenareas/knowledgeunderstanding/knowledgeunderstandinge.pdf?lang=en

Physical Development http://wales.gov.uk/dcells/publications/policy_strategy_and_planning/early-wales/whatisfoundation/page4/sevenareas/physicaldevelopment/physicaldeve.pdf?lang=en

Creative Development  http://wales.gov.uk/dcells/publications/policy_strategy_and_planning/early-wales/whatisfoundation/page4/sevenareas/creativedevelopment/creativedeve.pdf?lang=en