Ceredigion County Council

Foundation Phase nursery (also referred to as early education entitlement and funded early education) is a general term used to describe the time your child spends in the Foundation Phase during the ages of three and four. This is a very important phase in your child’s life as it lays the building blocks for their future learning and is part of the current and future curriculum.

When will my child benefit from funded Foundation Phase nursery?

Your child is entitled to a minimum of 10 hours per week of funded, part‑time, Foundation Phase nursery. This could be in a setting (which can be a nursery or funded playgroup) approved by your local authority, or a school. Your child would start Foundation Phase nursery from the term following their third birthday.

What are the benefits of the Foundation Phase for my child?

The Foundation Phase takes place both indoors and outdoors and allows children to learn through play. The curriculum gives every child the opportunity to be at the centre of their learning. Your child’s interests will be taken into account and they will be encouraged to make choices about their learning. Qualified staff will be observing children, working with individuals, small groups, or at times the whole group to extend and develop the learning. This results in a learning experience which is practical, fun and full of hands-on activities which are known to develop positive attitudes to learning.

Benefits of Foundation Phase

1. Develops self-motivation and independence
2. Ability to make mistakes without fear of failure
3. Develops language and communication skills
4. Develops confidence
5. Develops positive attitude to learning
6. Develops numeracy skills
7. Allows expression through dance, art and music
8. Develops thinking and problem-solving skills

Learning through play

The Foundation Phase is built on the principles of learning through play. Research proves that play is essential to the educational development of all children, and evidence shows that learning through play is a powerful tool which can help children to develop and extend their language and communication skills. It allows children to use initiative, take risks and make mistakes without fear of failure. Play is how young children make sense of the world.

There are many forms of play that support the Foundation Phase curriculum. Examples include role play, construction play, creative play, exploratory play and imaginative play.

Guidance

• Welsh Government - Foundation Phase nursery: a guide for parents and carers

The Foundation Phase is a developmental curriculum for three to seven-year-olds in Wales. It encourages children to be creative, imaginative and to have fun while making learning more effective.

Your child will be given opportunities to explore the world around them and understand how things work by taking part in practical activities relevant to their developmental stage. They will be challenged through practical activities and develop their thinking with open-ended questions. Your child will be encouraged to explore concepts and share ideas for solving problems.

What is my child learning?

The Foundation Phase has seven Areas of Learning (six when Welsh is the primary language of the setting – which can be a nursery, funded playgroup or school) which are delivered through stimulating structured practical activities and active learning experiences both indoors and outdoors.

Seven Areas of Learning

1. Personal and Social Development, Well-Being and Cultural Diversity
2. Language, Literacy and Communication Skills (See Note 1)
3. Mathematical Development
4. Welsh Language Development (See Note 2)
5. Knowledge and Understanding of the World
6. Physical Development
7. Creative Development

Notes
1 This will be in English or Welsh depending on the language policy of the setting or school.
2 This is not a requirement when settings or schools follow the Language, Literacy and Communication Skills Area of Learning through the medium of Welsh

Follow this link for the Guidance Foundation Phase: guide for parents and carers:

• Welsh Government:  Foundation Phase: guide for parents and carers

For more information go to Welsh Government page:

• Foundation Phase

What is Additional Learning Needs?

• Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Additional learning needs within nursery education - Inclusion

Every child has the opportunity to benefit from quality early years experiences and activities in the local community.

Each child, no matter what his/her needs, benefits from the experiences in nursery provisions. In order to identify any additional needs and to ensure early intervention, one member of staff in each provision is responsible for ensuring that the needs of the children are met.

These individuals work closely with their local Referral Scheme Coordinators.

• Mudiad Meithrin - Inclusion

If your child needs additional support, there is a referral scheme which is managed by Mudiad Meithrin across all non-maintained nursery provision on behalf of Ceredigion County Council.

• Mudiad Meithrin - Referral Schemes
• Mudiad Meithrin - Inclusion