Teachers of three to seven-year-olds in Pembrokeshire are set to bring a new creativity to the classroom, thanks to the County’s first Foundation Phase conference.
The event at Slebech Park on Tuesday was attended by approximately 140 nursery and reception teachers, together with leaders of registered playgroups which deliver the Foundation Phase to three-year-olds.
Entitled ‘Jewels in the Crown’, the conference aimed to provide everyone with a little ‘gem’ to inspire them to be more creative in their practice, and to develop the area of creative development in their curriculum.
Participants enjoyed workshops and talks with experts in drama, dance, music, art, craft, language, outdoor learning and ICT.
The conference was opened by Councillor Huw George, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People, Learning and the Welsh Language.
He said it was a wonderful opportunity to share good practice and invent new skills based on creativity,
Organised by the Foundation Phase team in Pembrokeshire County Council’s education department, the conference was a fantastic success, with one participant describing it as ‘a ray of sunshine in a busy life’.
The event marked another first in that it brought nursery and reception teachers from across Pembrokeshire together with the leaders of registered playgroups for joint training.
The Foundation Phase is a new approach to learning for children from three to seven years of age, introduced by the Welsh Assembly Government in 2008.
It places great emphasis on children learning by doing. Young children are given more opportunities to gain first hand experiences through play and active involvement rather than by completing exercises in books.
