Delegates at Early Education's annual general meeting in London resolved that the Foundation Stage could only be effective and successful if 'all inspectors and managers, headteachers, co-ordinators, supervisors and officers-in-charge are given a secure understanding of its philosophy, principles and good practice'.
Pat Wills, national chair of Early Education, said there was 'a lack of clarity' over the relationship between the statutory Foundation Stage and non-statutory numeracy and literacy strategies which preceded it and were only for guidance. She added, 'It's not clear how they come together, therefore this needs clarifying.'
Delegates at the AGM called on the Government to launch a high-profile publicity campaign among parents to spell out the Foundation Stage's role in educating their children. Mrs Wills said, 'I think the Government is missing an opportunity here. It is putting large investment into early years and gives information about places, but does not share with parents the excellent and exciting things their children are learning in high-quality settings.
'A lot of parents are concerned about how their children learn. They are often over-anxious about the formal aspects of learning without appreciating the importance of learning through play. The Government could reassure them about the Foundation Stage through a campaign which explains it carefully.'
The AGM welcomed the Government's growing investment in information and communications technology, and stressed that it should be developmentally-appropriate for children from birth to eight years of age. Delegates called for an overview of ICT provision to cover resources and their application, training for practitioners and parental involvement.
