Early years curriculum

Early year foundation stage (EYFS): assessment and reporting arrangements, standards for learning, assessing development.

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Services

• Early years employment reference template

  Employee reference template for use by early years providers.

• Early years foundation stage

  The early years foundation stage (EYFS) sets standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5

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Guidance and regulation

• Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework
  • Statutory guidance
  • 1 September 2025
  • Department for Education
• Reception baseline assessment: administration guidance
  • Statutory guidance
  • 1 September 2025
  • Standards and Testing Agency
• Development Matters
  • Guidance
  • 4 September 2023
  • Department for Education
• Reception baseline assessment: IT guidance
  • Detailed guide
  • 2 June 2025
  • Standards and Testing Agency
• Reception baseline assessment: information for parents
  • Promotional
  • 2 June 2025
  • Standards and Testing Agency

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News and communications

• Experienced practitioners vital for educating youngest children
  • 30 April 2025
  • Ofsted
  • Press release
• Early years education too important to be left to chance
  • 8 October 2024
  • Ofsted
  • Press release
• A strong foundation in Reception and key stage 1 sets children up for success
  • 8 October 2024
  • Ofsted
  • Press release
• A strong foundation in the early years is crucial to children’s success
  • 8 September 2023
  • Ofsted
  • Press release
• Early education is vital for children born in lockdown
  • 14 November 2022
  • Ofsted
  • Press release

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Research and statistics

• Getting it right from the start: how early years practitioners work with babies and toddlers
  • 30 April 2025
  • Ofsted
  • Research
• Best start in life: a research review for early years
  • 8 October 2024
  • Ofsted
  • Research
• Strong foundations in the first years of school
  • 8 October 2024
  • Ofsted
  • Research
• Provision for children under 5 in England: January 2023
  • 6 July 2023
  • Department for Education
  • National statistics
• Attitudes to education and children’s services
  • 17 December 2020
  • Department for Education
  • Research

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Policy papers and consultations

• Early years foundation stage (EYFS): regulatory changes
  • 27 October 2023
  • Department for Education
  • Consultation outcome
  • Date closed 26 July 2023
• Early years foundation stage reforms
  • 1 July 2020
  • Department for Education
  • Consultation outcome
  • Date closed 31 January 2020
• Giving every child the best start in life
  • 12 September 2025
  • Department for Education
  • Policy paper
• Childcare regulatory changes 2023: equality impact assessment
  • 12 July 2023
  • Department for Education
  • Impact assessment
• Changes to assessments in primary schools
  • 14 May 2019
  • Department for Education
  • Policy paper

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Transparency and freedom of information releases

• 2024 maladministration report
  • 3 March 2025
  • Standards and Testing Agency
  • Transparency
• National assessments regulation annual report 2019
  • 28 January 2020
  • Ofqual
  • Corporate report
• National assessments regulation annual report 2018
  • 25 October 2018
  • Ofqual
  • Corporate report

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Organisations

• Department for Education
• Standards & Testing Agency

• Ofsted
• Ofqual