Foundation Phase

The Foundation Phase is a well-devised curricular stage that was introduced in September 2008 for children aged 3-7 years old by the Welsh Assembly government. It is tailored to meet all the development stages that a child is believed to need in order to progress efficiently.


The Foundation Phase aims to cover the following aspects;

• Mathematical Development
• Language, literacy and communication skills
• Welsh language development
• Physical and creative development
• Knowledge and understanding of the World
• Personal and social development, well-being and cultural Diversity

The Foundation Phase encourages natural development, giving children enough freedom to learn for themselves. Observations and evaluations are regularly conducted to monitor progress of the children. The Foundation Phase intends on heightening the learning experiences of the children by allowing them to be more creative and imaginative with their learning; all with the involvement of fun. 

The Phase has been introduced to create the best possible basis for growth and development; allowing access to play, leisure and sporting activities. Children are treated with respect and are listened to. All cultural diversity and pupil race is recognised, in an environment that is safe and supports physical and emotional well-being. One main aspect of this context for learning that I favour, is that children are at no disadvantage regardless of their financial state.

The Foundation Phase is full of practical, 'hands-on' tasks that are relevant to the child's development stage. This provides the opportunity to explore and understand things independently. Children involved with play gain first-hand experience in comparison to those that remain in the classroom doing written work. Within a Foundation Phase setting, children are given lots of opportunity to share ideas, problem solve and are challenged with open-ended questions. Confidence is key, and this can be improved with developing better speaking and listening skills.



https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21U4KYpYHcJMtK3SNZs9e4_MXtLSJhdlyKZYJGjnG1jUDO43cRbWCxNuzquvChdhCAzjqo92ZOwPUwrvQMwR4s0pCdFVlK-q3m2q6IOYfZBP0kNC8GxCfZqUEZLCzIuAxIwjkfOEouso/s1600/P9130013.JPG

Learners are encouraged to discover facts and relationships for themselves.
 -Jerome Bruner

The main role for a Foundation Phase practitioner is to simply observe the development of the children and measure the child's attained knowledge. They are present to challenge and encourage children to try new things, and to allow children to experiment for themselves. Practitioners only get involved when a child is seen to be experiencing difficulty, not to jeopardise self-learning.

Here is a recent news report on the review of the Foundation Phase: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-27284983

 

I think this phase is excellent for encouraging curiosity and imagination. I believe both assets are essential for stages of learning and development; especially through the early years. I believe it is well structured and allows children to progress through the natural process of play and experimentation. Each child is individual and I think this method of learning facilitates that.

Bibliography:

Welsh Government. 2014. Foundation Phase. [ONLINE] Available at: http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/earlyyearshome/foundation_phase/?lang=en. [Accessed 02 September 14].

PACEY. 2009. Foundation Phase. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.pacey.org.uk/childminders/in_wales/foundation_phase.aspx. [Accessed 02 September 14].

BBC news. 2014. Foundation Phase 'varies' but has 'positive impact'. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-27284983. [Accessed 02 September 14].