Primary Teacher Resource Centre - Forum

silver1 · Joined: 06 Mar 2009 Posts: 6

How can recent developments in foundation stage curriculum impact positively on the curriculum at KS1 and KS2?

Don't need essays (chance would be a fine thing!) although I'd appreciate it if anyone has time to outline the recent changes that would impact positively.

I'm supposing ...

your record keeping and the link to APP

Letters and sounds and how that should be followed up on

Links to creative curriculum... inclusivity

Outdoor environment / learning

Been stuck in a junior school far too long and haven't got a colleague at school to earbash!

It's for an interview so I need to explore the direction to take when I go and visit a school next week for some 'practical' work.

Thank you very much.

tog · Joined: 30 Oct 2008 Posts: 908

Somewhat depends whether FS is being implemented "properly" or not....
Certainly the letters and sounds - if Phase One is fully covered in FS1 then most should whizz through the next 3 phases in FS2 and be ready for Phase 5 in year 1. The FS curriculum places a high priority on child-initiated learning and independence - great if you want motivated and self-sufficient learners in KS1, not so great if you want mass produced clones all neatly wrapped and "levelled"! Transition between FS profile and NC levels is a bumpy ride - stats people want it all to match up and it doesn't, was never meant to. Some schools are continuing the FSP into Y1, with a FS type curriculum. Re assessment - again can be an issue, if the FSP is done properly according to its own guidance the assessment against the profile points should be mainly based on the child's independent play, during child initiated activities (although in reality for some of the points this would be unrealistic) - if done properly (in an ideal world with enough staff etc) then you do get a pretty good picture of the child's development and learning from the observations. Not sure how this would relate to the APPs though, as these seem to have a much more narrow focus.

Can't remember what else you asked - sorry , friday night brain! Although I do recall you didn't want an essay - sorry, just nice to put my FS hat on again for a few minutes (in the murky world of Year 1 at the moment but my natural environment is Foundation!)

silver1 · Joined: 06 Mar 2009 Posts: 6

That's great... thanks very much.

Some meaty points to look into.

You deserve a drink now

Smile

tog · Joined: 30 Oct 2008 Posts: 908

Not sure it's much help. What is the interview for?

silver1 · Joined: 06 Mar 2009 Posts: 6

Dep head

Think they are picking on yr weaknesses for a presentation and then a discussion to lead. Should be fun!

Nothing but admiration for anyone who sees their natural environment as foundation.

tog · Joined: 30 Oct 2008 Posts: 908

Good luck with that! Some schools still pretty formal in Reception and like it that way (not how I would do it, and not how most EY advisors would like either) but you would pick that up when you visited anyway.

Foundation stage is great! Really miss it! All that playing in the rain/mud and never knowing quite what is going to happen next, having the freedom to follow up a child's interest and curiousity right then and there, great priviledge to work with them before they become "institutionalised" - they are such great learners and still believe in themselves. Then they get sucked into the System and have to be "levelled" and so on...

One of our Y6s made a book week poster this week, to promote reading - it said something like "If you want to go up a level, read!" Aaaaarrrggghh!

redredrobin · Joined: 01 Nov 2008 Posts: 1336

There is a lot that we (KS1 and 2 teachers) can learn from foundation stage. Children can learn when they are allowed to explore - they just need prompts and things to explore. Children can be independent. In FS they self-register, choose how to learn, get resources out and put them away. We seem to drum this out of them as they go up through the school. The amount of talk in FS has a great impact on all stages of learning. Role play ensures children have the experiences that will help them with reading, writing and understanding the world around them.
I'm lucky that I work in a school that promotes FS style learning throughout KS1 (becoming gradually more structured). However, using some similar ideas for role-play and independent learning in y4/5 last year led to some fantastic results.