Evaluating the Foundation Phase

WISERD is undertaking an independent evaluation of the Foundation Phase early years education policy for the Welsh Government.

The Foundation Phase (FP) is an early intervention approach to learning for all children aged three to seven years in Wales. It is based on principles of experiential learning – or ‘learning through doing’ – and marks a radical departure from more assessment-based competency approaches.

The three-year research project (August 2011 to August 2014) will include analysis of educational data and interviews with teachers, parents, local authorities, head-teachers, and the school children themselves. It will evaluate the implementation of the policy and what impact it has had to date. In doing so it will provide advice and guidance to practitioners and stakeholders on its continued development. The research will also assess the value for money of the FP and design a framework to track its outputs and outcomes in the future.

The project brings together a high profile team with considerable experience of research in the areas of early childhood education, policy implementation, school effectiveness and economic analysis. Members of the team have extensive experience of working with Welsh local authorities and schools.

Research Team
The Evaluation
Discussion and Feedback
Reports and Publications
Useful Links

Further information

We will regularly update this website with information and news about the evaluation. The website will also provide a facility for anyone to offer comments and discuss the Foundation Phase and our evaluation.

If you would like to receive news and updates on the research project, please email your contact details to fpevaluation@cardiff.ac.uk

To view this page in Welsh, click here.