The DfES conferences on 'What makes an effective reception class' seems to be causing quite a stir. Professor Tina Bruce has contacted us with her thoughts on their importance (see 'In my view', page 34), while other delegates have told us about some 'forthright' debates . Predictably, it is the incompatibility of the Foundation Stage and literacy hour that has been up for argument. It seems that delegates have been reminded that the literacy hour is not compulsory and that the core document for reception classes must be Curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage.
The DfES conferences on 'What makes an effective reception class' seems to be causing quite a stir. Professor Tina Bruce has contacted us with her thoughts on their importance (see 'In my view', page 34), while other delegates have told us about some 'forthright' debates . Predictably, it is the incompatibility of the Foundation Stage and literacy hour that has been up for argument.
It seems that delegates have been reminded that the literacy hour is not compulsory and that the core document for reception classes must be Curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage.
This still leaves us a long way from the Foundation Stage being implemented as it was intended. Pressure to get very young children reading and writing isn't going to disappear overnight. And there seems to be a worrying number of literacy hour guidance documents and trainers telling reception class teachers that writing exercises in the home corner equates to learning through play!
We hope you'll find 'All about... literacy' (page 15) useful as it offers practical advice on how to plan a developmentally appropriate curriculum, and so implement the Foundation Stage as intended.
