Nursery World - Foundation Stage is hindered outdoors

The use of outdoor areas is the most critical issue in implementing the Foundation Stage in England, according to a survey of an education union's members working in primary schools. Sixty per cent of participants surveyed by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) in last week's report, Firm Foundations?, identified the use of outdoor areas as a problem. Asked what was the most important difficulty they faced, 30 per cent picked outdoor areas - nearly double the proportion that chose the next most critical issues, planning and implementing the literacy and numeracy strategies.

Sixty per cent of participants surveyed by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) in last week's report, Firm Foundations?, identified the use of outdoor areas as a problem. Asked what was the most important difficulty they faced, 30 per cent picked outdoor areas - nearly double the proportion that chose the next most critical issues, planning and implementing the literacy and numeracy strategies.

The majority of those surveyed - 96 per cent - were teachers. The other 4 per cent were classroom assistants or nursery nurses. They named outdoor areas as the most important priority for review over the coming year, above staffing levels, development and pay, baseline assessment, and continuity between nursery and reception and between reception and year one.

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