The new report for Sure Start on children's transition from the Foundation Stage to Key Stage 1, carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research, will provide welcome ammunition for those in favour of extending play-based learning (News, page 8). If action were taken on the report's recommendations it would be good news for KS1 children, who can find the move to a more formal approach to learning difficult. Many are not ready to sit still listening to a teacher for long periods and need continued opportunities for active, independent learning. It would be wonderful, too, if teachers throughout primary schools received training on the Foundation Stage curriculum and how to integrate elements of it. All too often it seems no-one outside the Foundation Stage has much idea of what it involves!
The new report for Sure Start on children's transition from the Foundation Stage to Key Stage 1, carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research, will provide welcome ammunition for those in favour of extending play-based learning (News, page 8).
If action were taken on the report's recommendations it would be good news for KS1 children, who can find the move to a more formal approach to learning difficult. Many are not ready to sit still listening to a teacher for long periods and need continued opportunities for active, independent learning. It would be wonderful, too, if teachers throughout primary schools received training on the Foundation Stage curriculum and how to integrate elements of it. All too often it seems no-one outside the Foundation Stage has much idea of what it involves!
Such moves would, of course, also be of great benefit within the Foundation Stage, in alleviating downward pressure from SATS and the literacy and numeracy hours.
If your setting hasn't yet entered our children's photo competition, 'My favourite thing about childcare', being run with Daycare Trust for National Childcare Week, then get the children snapping. For details see our website www.nurseryworld.co.uk.
