Foundation Learning in the Curriculum for Wales: a qualitative study

The Welsh Government has commissioned Arad Research to lead a formative evaluation of Curriculum for Wales. Arad Research is working alongside a number of organisations as part of a wide-ranging programme of research, including Cardiff Metropolitan University, Bangor University, the Open University in Wales, the University of Stirling, the University of Auckland and AlphaPlus Consultancy Ltd. The evaluation adopts a mixed methods approach, including surveys of practitioners, surveys of parents/carers and learners, longitudinal case studies to understand schools’ curriculum realisation journeys and several topic-based qualitative studies exploring specific elements of Curriculum for Wales. This report presents the findings of qualitative research on Foundation Learning, led by Arad Research and with support from Cardiff Metropolitan University. The report is structured as follows: • Chapter 1 provides an overview of the formative evaluation, before focusing on the context and guiding research questions for this study • Chapter 2 sets out the methodology employed during the study, describing the approach to recruiting participants, data collection methods, analysis and the limitations of the research • Chapter 3 provides an overview of research findings and key implications • Chapter 4 presents conclusions and areas for further consideration