Evaluation of Foundation Phase flexibility Pilots

Descriptions

All local authorities have a statutory duty in Part 5 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 to ensure there is sufficient nursery education in their area. Nursery education is defined as education that is suitable for children below compulsory school age. Local authorities in Wales meet this duty by making a free part-time (minimum 10 hours) Foundation Phase place available for all children from the term following their third birthday.The Foundation Phase statutory guidance for local authorities allows for provision to be organised flexibly based on their assessment of local need. In most local authorities the hours are offered in equal amounts, either morning or afternoon sessions, over 4 or 5 days. Current figures suggest that take-up in the maintained sector is at 95%; figures for the non-maintained sector are not available at a national level.Parents/carers are reporting that they are not able to take up a Foundation Phase place for many reasons. These include the way the hours are allocated and the number of sessions/days the Foundation Phase is offered. These do not fit well with work commitments and often the availability of wrap-around childcare is limited. Some parents do not want to move their child between different providers, where their day care setting is not funded to provide the Foundation Phase.In response to these issues, the Welsh Government has agreed to pilot options to explore ways in which flexibility of access to Foundation Phase provision might be increased. The pilots include a cross section of different types of schools and settings, including non-maintained settings, Welsh medium settings through Mudiad Meithrin, play groups, private daycare providers, nursery schools, infant schools and primary schools. The pilots are taking place across Newport, Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire and Conwy,Welsh Government is looking for an organisation to undertake these pilots.