Nursery World - More play, less work at school

A foundation phase for three-to seven-year olds in Wales which favours a play-based rather than a formal approach to learning is to be introduced by the Welsh Assembly. Announcing the start of formal consultation on the proposals, Jane Davidson, the Welsh Assembly's minister for education and lifelong learning, said the Assembly thought that not enough children in classes in Key Stage 1 (age five to seven) benefited from the best practice in early years education and that formal learning was being introduced too soon.

Announcing the start of formal consultation on the proposals, Jane Davidson, the Welsh Assembly's minister for education and lifelong learning, said the Assembly thought that not enough children in classes in Key Stage 1 (age five to seven) benefited from the best practice in early years education and that formal learning was being introduced too soon.

Ms Davidson said that Estyn, the Welsh inspectorate, had found that children were given too many tasks to do while sitting at tables rather than learning through well-structured play, practical activity and investigation.

Ms Davidson said, 'The stimulation children receive in their early years can affect their abilities and potential throughout life. So we must get it right. That is why we will be working with the experts to develop a curriculum for a new Welsh Foundation Phase from the ages of three to seven which offers a broad range of experiences and has a positive long-term effect on children's social and intellectual development.'

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