The Foundation Phase will be introduced for all children aged three to five in schools and funded settings in the non-maintained sector between September 2008 and July 2009. It will be extended to six- and seven-year-olds by July 2010 and July 2011 respectively. The FP contains seven areas of learning, with an emphasis on building on children's previous experience, skills, knowledge and understanding.
But Branwen Llewellyn-Jones, a prominent consultant on the FP, said that while practitioners were 'relieved at last to have something on paper', there was 'still an expectation that children will learn very early on to do formal things'.
She added, 'It is a rehash of the former national curriculum and the desirable outcomes. In terms of content, there is nothing new. It is outcome-dominated and focused on behavioural rather than expressive objectives.'
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