Topic 1: School Education: Enhancing basic skills

The objective of this priority is to support EU countries in their efforts to enhancing literacy, maths and science skills by implementing effective teaching, learning and assessment practices, with a specific focus on foundational years (ECEC and primary education).

Based on existing evidence the project should look at teaching, learning and assessment practices (including interdisciplinary approaches) which have been assessed and have a demonstrated impact in foundational years (ECEC and primary education), and see how these can be further scaled-up, in particular in ECEC settings and schools with a high concentration of children from vulnerable groups, including low socio-economic background and children with different home languages.

A strong focus should be placed on involving parents/caregivers, including through support to parenting, home reading programmes, as well as on the involvement of other stakeholders, particularly public libraries, scientific institutions, and NGOs, non-formal learning providers (such as EU STEM Coalition national platforms), businesses, local authorities.

Projects should place a special attention on Initial Teacher Education and Continuing Professional Development programmes and how they can enhance educators’ understanding of young children’s literacy/communication and mathematical and scientific development, and to understand how to assess this development.