Nursery World - Deputy director named as Staggs' successor

Lesley Staggs, outgoing national director of the Foundation Stage, will be succeeded later this month by the current deputy director Ruth Pimentel. Ms Pimentel has played a fundamental role in developing the Foundation Stage since its inception in 2003. National director of the Primary National Strategy Paul Wagstaff said, 'I know that she will provide the vision and leadership to ensure our work continues to make that essential difference we seek to bring to the quality of education and care for our children with the development of the Early Years Foundation Stage.'

Lesley Staggs, outgoing national director of the Foundation Stage, will be succeeded later this month by the current deputy director Ruth Pimentel.

Ms Pimentel has played a fundamental role in developing the Foundation Stage since its inception in 2003. National director of the Primary National Strategy Paul Wagstaff said, 'I know that she will provide the vision and leadership to ensure our work continues to make that essential difference we seek to bring to the quality of education and care for our children with the development of the Early Years Foundation Stage.'

Ms Pimentel takes up her post on 20 February. She said, 'I am keen to optimise the opportunities this provides to build on the excellent progress that has been made in embedding the Foundation Stage through our work with local authorities and to be leading this work at such an exciting time with the development of the Early Years Foundation Stage.'

Since training as a teacher in 1989, Ms Pimentel worked in a variety of schools and settings and inspected nursery provision. She has provided qualified teacher support to Foundation Stage settings, and she co-ordinated the team of early years mentors with Cambridgeshire Care and Education Partnership before joining the Foundation Stage team.

In 2006, the team is focusing on improving children's personal, social and emotional development, and communication language and literacy, and specifically on raising achievement for children from disadvantaged areas.