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Guidance

Early years foundation stage profile handbook

Guidance on completing the early years foundation stage (EYFS) profile assessment.

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Education
Published:
10 December 2018
Last updated:
17 September 2026
Show all updates

  1. Updated the early years foundation stage profile handbook to clarify the 'Purposes and main uses of the EYFS profile' section, including use of data by Ofsted; to introduce a new section on EYFS profile submission errors to support data returns; and to make several other minor clarifications throughout the guidance.

  2. Updated 'Early years foundation stage profile (EYFSP) handbook' to clarify guidance and reflect new uses of the EYFSP data.

  3. Updated 'Early years foundation stage profile handbook'.

  4. Updated the 'early years foundation stage profile handbook' for 2024.

  5. Updated early years foundation stage profile handbook for 2023.

  6. Corrected a date on page 17. Local authorities need to return the EYFS profile data by 29 July 2022.

  7. Updated early years foundation stage profile handbook for 2022, to align with the statutory roll out of the EYFS reforms.

  8. Removed information about the EYFS profile not being mandatory as that applied to the previous academic year and the link to the early years foundation stage coronavirus disapplications as they are no longer in force.

  9. Added information about the early years foundation stage profile no longer being mandatory in 2021.

  10. Updated early years foundation stage profile handbook for 2021.

  11. The Early years foundation stage profile: 2019 handbook has been replaced with the 2020 version.

  12. First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Early years foundation stage profile handbook

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Details

This guidance is for:

  • reception and key stage 1 teachers and teams, or other early years practitioners where relevant
  • headteachers and setting managers
  • local authorities

This handbook will help teachers and other early years practitioners to complete the EYFS profile assessment in line with the statutory requirements in the EYFS framework.

The EYFS profile is a statutory assessment of children’s development at the end of the academic year in which children turn 5. You must complete it for all eligible children registered at the school or early years setting and submit it to your local authority no later than 30 June.

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