Guidance

Early years foundation stage profile return guide

Updated 13 March 2024

Applies to England

Overview

The early years foundation stage profile (EYFSP) is an assessment of children’s development and learning at the end of the reception year.

This guide explains how local authorities should submit early years foundation stage profile data for 2024 to DfE. You should read it alongside:

• the common basic data set definitions
• the assessment components
• the early years foundation stage profile handbook which includes information about data quality

A technical specification is available for software suppliers and local authorities to help prepare for the 2024 data return.

Changes from previous version

The data item ‘Gender’ has been replaced with ‘Sex’.

Important dates

Dates for the 2024 return:

• collection opens: 3 June 2024
• deadline for submitting data: 12 July 2024
• final date to correct any errors: 31 July 2024

Data you need to submit

Local authorities are required to collect and report the results for all funded children at the end of the early years foundation stage in:

• maintained schools
• academies
• private, voluntary and independent (PVI) settings

We only need data for children in PVI settings where the child is receiving government-funded early years education. They will be eligible for funding if they were born between 1 April 2019 and 31 August 2019.

Do not submit data for unfunded children.

It is important that the data you submit is complete and accurate. We use the data to inform the early years foundation stage profile statistics.

You need to send us:

• your local authority number
• for local authority maintained schools, academies and nursery schools, the 4-digit establishment number
• for PVI settings, the 6-digit early years unique reference number starting with a 5, 6 or 7 as used in the 2024 early years census return
• the academic year, for example, 2023 to 2024
• the child’s surname
• the child’s forename
• the child’s gender
• the child’s date of birth
• the unique pupil number - this is a 13 character identifier
• the child’s home postcode

We need a home postcode for every child, except where there are legal or exceptional reasons why this data is not available (for example, traveller children). In these circumstances:

• leave the postcode field blank
• record a notepad entry in COLLECT explaining the reason

Areas of learning

There are 17 early learning goals. They cover 7 areas of learning. For each funded child, you need to record an assessment judgement for each of the 17 early learning goals.

Early years foundation stage profile judgement	Assessment rating
Emerging	1
Expected	2
An exemption applies	A

You will also need to add the code for each early learning goal.

Organisations we need data from

We’ll give you a list of the schools and PVI settings in your area that we expect results from. We’ll create the list using information from the:

• early years census return
• spring school census
• school level annual school census

The list will not include information on the number of children we expect you to submit results for. We’ll use this information internally to identify any returns with numbers of children significantly different to what we would expect in COLLECT.

We’ll send you the expected list with the readiness bulletin in early May. Email the data operations service desk any amendments to your list as soon as possible.

Pupils we need data for

Schools and PVI settings should complete the early years foundation stage profile during the summer term of the academic year in which a child reached age 5. This is unless:

• an exemption has been granted for the setting (reserved for independent schools or schools with established principles in conflict with the EYFS)
• an exemption has been granted for an individual child (reserved only for cases where a child’s family has religious or philosophical beliefs that contradict the EYFS)
• the child is continuing in early years foundation stage provision beyond the year in which they turn 5

If an exemption has been granted from the profile, use code ‘A’ code for every early learning goal.

In exceptional cases where the child is continuing in EYFS provision beyond the year in which they turn 5, you should complete the EYFS profile only once - at the end of the year before the child moves into key stage 1.

Refer to the EYFS profile handbook for more information. It also provides information on completing the EYFS profile for:

• children with SEND
• children who transfer schools during the academic year
• children who are home schooled or missing in education

We do not need data for children who do not get the early education entitlement funding for eligible 3 and 4 year olds.

Submit your data

You’ll need to:

• register and log in with DfE sign-in
• use COLLECT to submit your data

Contact your local authority approver, if:

• you want to request a DfE sign-in username or password so you can access COLLECT
• EYFSP is not on the list of collections you can see in COLLECT

Guides are available to help schools and local authorities submit data using COLLECT.

Using DfE sign-in

If you do not know who your approver is, use the DfE sign-in request form.

If you’ve forgotten your password, use DfE sign-in to reset it. You’ll need to click ‘start now’ and then the ‘I’ve forgotten my password’ link.

We’ll only be able to change the status of your data submission to ‘authorised’ once you’ve cleared all errors in the data in COLLECT.

Use the service request form if you have any questions about your data.

Getting data from schools

We’re not providing a COLLECT school blade. Instead, schools should transfer the Common Transfer File (CTF) to the local authority.

The school will create a CTF export file that will contain the child’s summary early learning goal judgements.

For settings without access to a secure computer, local authorities can arrange a paper recording system, and then key the data into the centralised local authority system.

Settings without access to an MIS can use the EYFSP 2024 spreadsheet. Local authorities can request the spreadsheet from the data operations service desk and then send it to the school.

You cannot upload the spreadsheet to COLLECT so you’ll need to enter the data into the local authority central software.

How to upload data to COLLECT

1. Your central processing system software should create a single XML file for each school and setting, containing all eligible pupils. Create a zip file with the separate school XML files.

2. Import the zip file into COLLECT. You can then extract the separate school files in the local authority early years foundation stage profile.

3. Data loaded into COLLECT is subjected to validation. The technical specification includes more details of the specific validation rules COLLECT applies. After validation is complete, you’ll be able to view your data return and the validation outcomes. If there are any issues, you may need to query something with a provider and return to COLLECT to make a change to the data.

4. Once all appropriate action has been taken, you’ll need to approve the data. Your return isn’t final until it shows as approved.

Codes for data items

Lists of codes to use when completing your early years foundation stage profile return.

Early learning goal codes

Area of learning	Early learning goal	Code
Communication and language	Listening, attention and understanding	E01
	Speaking	E02
Personal, social and emotional development	Self-regulation	E03
	Managing self	E04
	Building relationships	E05
Physical development	Gross motor skills	E06
	Fine motor skills	E07
Literacy	Comprehension	E08
	Word reading	E09
	Writing	E10
Mathematics	Number	E11
	Numerical patterns	E12
Understanding the world	Past and present	E13
	People, culture and communities	E14
	The natural world	E15
Expressive arts and design	Creating with materials	E16
	Being imaginative and expressive	E17

Statutory requirements

The early years foundation stage profile return is a statutory requirement of providers and local authorities through regulations made under:

• Section 99 of the Childcare Act 2006 (Statutory Instrument 2008 No. 1722)
• The Childcare (Provision of Information about Young Children) Regulations 2009

You do not need to get consent from parents or carers for sharing this information.

Data protection and data sharing

The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018) mandate certain safeguards regarding the use of personal data by organisation, including DfE, local authorities, schools and early years settings. Both give rights to those (known as data subjects) about whom data is processed such as pupils, parents and teachers. These rights include (amongst other information that DfE is obliged to provide) the right to know:

• the types of data being held
• why it is being held
• to whom it may be communicated

As data processors and controllers in their own right, it is important that local authorities, schools and early years settings process all data (not just that collected for the purposes of the data collection) in accordance with the full requirements of the UK GDPR. Further information can be found in the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) overview of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).

Legal duties under the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018; privacy notices

Being transparent and providing accessible information to individuals about how local authorities, schools and early years settings will process their personal data is a key element of UK GDPR and the DPA 2018. The most common way to provide such information is through a privacy notice. See the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) website for further guidance on privacy notices.

DfE provides suggested wording for privacy notices that local authorities, schools and early years settings may wish to use. However, where the suggested wording is used, you must review and amend the wording to reflect local business needs and circumstances. This is especially important, as local authorities, school and early years settings will process data that is not solely for use within data collections.

It is recommended that the privacy notice:

• is included as part of an induction pack for parents and staff
• is made available on the school’s or early years setting’s website for parents
• features on the staff notice board or intranet

Privacy notices do not need to be issued on an annual basis, where:

• new parents and staff are made aware of the notices
• the notices have not been amended
• they are readily available in electronic or paper format

However, it remains best practice to remind parents of the school’s or early years setting’s privacy notices at the start of each term (within any other announcements and correspondence to parents). And it is important that any changes made to the way the school or early years setting processes personal data are highlighted to data subjects.

Legal duties under the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018: data security

Local authorities, schools and early years settings have a legal duty under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 to ensure that any personal data they process is handled and stored securely. Further information on data security is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Where personal data is not properly safeguarded, it could compromise the safety of individuals and damage a school’s or early years setting’s reputation. Your responsibility as a data controller extends to those who have access to your data beyond your organisation where they are working on your behalf – for example, where external IT suppliers can remotely access your information.

It is vital that all staff with access to personal data understand the importance of:

• protecting personal data
• being familiar with your security policy
• putting security procedures into practice

As such, schools and early years settings should provide appropriate initial and refresher training for their staff.