# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Becoming an Ofsted Registered Childminder Audit

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Audit for Childminders registered with an agency

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
PVI - EYFS Statutory Framework Audit-2026

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Childminder - EYFS Statutory Framework Audit-2026 -

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We have created a series of bilingual quick tips, in 19 different languages, for parents and early years practitioners to help children develop good talking and listening skills.

If the language you need isn't listed below, we have created a blank template for each topic so that you can adapt it to the desired language. Please do send any new translations of the quick tips to talktoyourbaby@literacytrust.org.uk so that we can share them more widely with families, nurseries and schools.

If you are working with multilingual families, our Time Together booklet has been translated in to 22 different languages and is packed with fun and simple activities that support language development.

Don't forget - we have lots more free early years resources created by literacy and communication experts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bilingual quick tips | National Literacy Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Our bilingual quick tips cover topics including playing with your baby, sharing books with your baby and talking to your baby in your own language.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Help for early years providers : Safeguarding

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Westmorland and Furness Council sent this bulletin at 17-06-2026 10:59 AM BST

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Westmorland and Furness Council sent this bulletin at 01-07-2026 10:14 AM BST

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What should I do if I have concerns about my child's development?

If you're worried about your child's progress, talk to your childminder/nursery/pre-school team, health visitor, local children's centre or Family Hub.

If your child has developmental delays or SEND (suspected or confirmed), speak to their nursery, childminder, or health visitor/nursery/pre-school team well before they start Reception and discuss their needs when you are selecting schools.

You can work with your child's early years setting to help your child with self-care, managing emotions, social skills and communication in a way that suits their stage of development.

​You might want to share details about: their development, needs, what motivates them, what might trigger difficulties, how they learn best, and what strategies work well.

Make sure you share important information with everyone supporting your child, including their new Reception teacher.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Your child's journey to school starts at home. We understand that all children develop at their own pace, and that we're all learning from birth. When it's time to start school, some children will need more help than others.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Westmorland and Furness Council sent this bulletin at 13-05-2026 10:56 AM BST

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Welcome to Growing Healthy 0-19 years services in Westmorland & Furness
Click to view our clinics

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust is responsible for providing 0-19 services in Westmorland & Furness.

Single Point of contact telephone number: 0300 304 9039

The role of the 0-5 Service is to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of children under five and their families. The 5-19 team promotes and protects the health and wellbeing of all children and young people aged 5 to 19.

0-5 Children's Service

All families with a child under five in Westmorland & Furness have access to a Growing Healthy 0-5 Team consisting of health visitors, Screeners, early years practitioners and infant feeding specialists. They provide expert health assessments, advice, support and interventions for babies, children and families.

The team encourages and supports parents and carers to develop life-long skills to enable them to make informed choices that affect their family's future health and wellbeing.

The team is community-based and is accessible at a range of different venues including the family home, Family centres and community venues. The service works in partnership with other agencies to ensure all families receive individualised and appropriate support.

Health Visitors

Health visitors are registered nurses or midwives who have an additional qualification in specialist community public health nursing. They are highly skilled in the assessment and co-ordination of support tailored to individual and family needs.

The team aims to help build parents' confidence in their ability to give their child the best start in life and listen carefully and support when parents have concerns. It identifies and builds on what is going well, and provides information to help parents find their own solutions to problems where possible.

The Westmorland & Furness Growing Healthy 0-5 Service offers a programme of:

Immunisation advice

Developmental reviews

Maternal and Infant Mental Health Support

Information and guidance to support parenting and healthy lifestyle choices

Healthy Child Programme (HCP)

The Healthy Child Programme (HCP) is a public health programme for children, young people and families which focuses on early intervention and prevention. The HCP offers a programme of screening tests, immunisations, developmental reviews, information and guidance to support parenting and healthy lifestyle choices.

The Healthy Child Programme contacts include:

Antenatal contact

New birth visit at 10-14 days

Contact at 6-8 weeks

Contact at 3-4 months

Contact at 6-9 months

A child health review/development assessment by one year of age

Contact at 18 months

A child health review/development assessment by two and a half years of age

A child health review/development assessment may be offered between 3-5 years

Some common areas of information and support:

Pregnancy and transition into parenthood

Infant feeding/ specialist breast feeding support

Growth and nutrition

Healthy eating

Dental health

Development

Behaviour

Accident prevention

Safe sleeping

Speech and language development

Immunisations

Common childhood illness/infection

Safeguarding

Postnatal depression and emotional wellbeing

Parenting

Our service is delivered in partnership with a range of health, social and education organisations and teams including:

CAMHS

Early Help

Early Years Education providers

GPs/paediatricians

Voluntary sector

Sexual Health Services

Child health clinics

Child health and infant feeding clinics are held across Westmorland & Furness, see clinic tab at the top of the page. Clinic appointments can be booked via the Children's Health Services App or by calling 0300 304 9039

Referral

The service accepts referrals from:

Midwifery services

GPs and other professionals

Self-referral from parents/carers

Other statutory and voluntary agencies

Westmorland & Furness

SEND Local Offer

Click Here

5-19 Healthy Child Service

We work with children, young people and families to empower and enable them to make informed decisions about health and to support them in transitioning safely and happily into adult life. The Westmorland & Furness Growing Healthy 5-19 Team works in the home and community settings to deliver universal and targeted interventions designed to meet public health outcomes. We ensure the emotional and physical health and wellbeing of families, children and young people across Westmorland & Furness.

We provide a service to all children and young people of school age, and their families, whether or not they are attending school. The service is based on the Healthy Child Programme from 5-19 years old. We offer advice and information and assess health needs on children entering school and on transfer to secondary schools. We are the first point of contact for schools when there are concerns about a child's health and wellbeing.

We are also responsible for:

Measuring and weighing children in reception and year 6 as part of the National Child Measurement Programme

Universal screening for vision and audiology for reception children

Providing first level enuresis (involuntary urination) advice and support

Providing emotional health and wellbeing support

Supporting children and families with additional health needs or disability

Parenting and behavioural problems

Risk taking behaviour including drugs and alcohol

Stop smoking advice

Relationships, sexual health and pregnancy

Promoting healthy lifestyles in schools and communities through health education

Specialist advice and support will also be offered to:

Children in need of protection and their families; children and families in need; foster carers and children who are in care.

Growing HealthyWestmorland & Furness 5-19 Team

The team comprises specialist community public health nurses , community staff nurses , Public Health Practitioner, school screeners and health administrators.

We work closely with Health Visitors so that children and families with complex health and social care needs are identified early. We support the development and implementation of health management plans to promote the child's health and wellbeing, school attendance, education and attainment.

When young people and families require targeted interventions, these may be provided solely by the School Nursing Team.

Service Manager - Diane Chew

Contact Us

Need Support?

Call us or send us a message below

Used one of our services?

Give us your feedback!

Westmorland & Furness - Children & Young People Survey

Westmorland & Furness - Health Visiting Survey

Speak to a health visitor on our live chat

Download our app to get started

Download Our App

x

What would you like to search for?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Growing Healthy 0-19 Westmorland & Furness | HDFT Childrens Health Service

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Harrogate & District NHS Foundation Trust is responsible for providing 0-19 services in Westmorland & Furness through a Section 75 Agreement.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Audit to support establishing new baby room provision (2026)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
29714 Stories and Books to Support Bereavement

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Information for childminders and adults working in a nursery, preschool, playgroup, day-care, childcare, kindergarten, foundation stage or reception.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A Shelter for Sadness Anne Booth A small boy creates a shelter for his sadness, a safe space where Sadness is welcome, where it can curl up small, or be as big as it can be, where it can be noisy or quiet, or anything in between. The boy can visit the shelter whenever he needs to, every day, sometimes every hour, and the two of them will cry and talk or just sit, saying nothing. A poignant and heart-warming picture book exploring the importance of making space and time for our own griefs, small or large. Buy from Amazon About Hedgehog Dani Seatter Whether children have experienced the death of a beloved pet, a family member or a significant bereavement with a parent or sibling, this book is the perfect way to help young children explore their feelings by creating a safe environment from which to do so. Buy from Eco-Able Always and Forever Alan Durant When Fox dies the rest of his ‘family’ are absolutely distraught. How will Mole, Otter and Hare go on without their beloved friend? But, months later, Squirrel reminds them all of how funny Fox used to be, and they realise that Fox is still there in their hearts and memories. Buy from Amazon Badger’s Parting Gifts Susan Varley Badger is so old that he knows he will soon die. He tries to prepare his friends for this event, but when he does die, they are still grief-stricken. Gradually they come to terms with their grief by remembering all the practical things Badger taught them, and so Badger lives on in his friends’ memories of him. The book also features a reading guide from Child Bereavement UK that provides tips for reading Badger’s Parting Gifts with children and helping them better understand grief. Download our online information sheet Talking With and Supporting Bereaved Children with further notes and guidance, using examples and illustrations from the book. Buy from Amazon Feeling All My Grief: A secular grief book for young children about death, loss, and healing Kim TS This book reassures kids that it’s okay to feel sad, angry, scared, worried, confused, or a mix of feelings when someone we care about dies. When we give ourselves time to heal, we can soon make space for gratitude, happiness, and love as well. Buy from Amazon Gone Michel Streich “My fluttering, chirping, hopping bird was gone. Its body was still there, a silent, feathery shape, but all life had left it.”  Long or short, every life on earth comes to an end some day. But what happens when we die? Michel Streich’s book is an honest and beautiful guide for curious children about life’s biggest mystery. Buy from Thames & Hudson Goodbye Mousie Robie H Harris The story of a young boy dealing with the death of his pet mouse is handled with the sure touch of an author familiar with children’s tender emotions. Simply told by the boy, in a matter of fact tone with a dash of humour, he recounts his reactions to the death of his pet mouse. Buy from Amazon Hamza attends a Janaza Shabana Hussain Hamza’s usual fun Saturday is cancelled when his family receives the sad news that Uncle Sameer has died. Follow Hamza through the day as he learns about the various aspects of a janaza. This story is a gentle introduction to attending an Islamic funeral, told from a child’s perspective. It familiarises children with the etiquettes and some of the rituals surrounding a funeral and provides an opportunity for important discussions around death and the afterlife in an age-appropriate manner. Buy from Kube Publishing I Miss You: A First Look at Death Pat Thomas This book helps children understand that death is a natural complement to life, and that grief and a sense of loss are normal feelings for them to have. For pre-school and early years. Buy from Amazon Life is Like the Wind Shona Innes and Írisz Agócs Introducing the concept of death, Like is Like the Wind offers a gentle and direct approach to the emotional issues children face. Written by clinical child psychologist, Shona Innes, the book encourages young children to talk about their feelings with others. Recommended for ages 3 to 7 years. Buy from Amazon Michael Rosen’s Sad Book Michael Rosen A very personal story that speaks to adults as well as children. The author describes feeling sad after the death of his son and what he does to try to cope with it. Buy from Amazon Muddles, Puddles and Sunshine: Your Activity Book to Help When Someone Has Died Winston’s Wish Offering practical and sensitive support for bereaved children, this book suggests a helpful series of activities and exercises accompanied by the friendly characters of Bee and Bear. It aims to help children make sense of their experience by reflecting on different aspects of their grief. Buy from our shop No Matter What Debi Gliori ‘I’m a grim and grumpy little Small and nobody loves me at all,’ said a small fox. But that’s not true and Small’s mother is determined to prove that her love is limitless - no matter what! With sparkly foil stars and a small, sturdy board format, this is the perfect story to share with the very young. A beautiful, lyrical, loving book about setting big worries to rest. Buy from Amazon Rabbityness Jo Empson This is the story of a very special rabbit. He enjoys doing rabbit things, but he also loves – well, un-rabbity things. His boundless creative talent is a source of joy and inspiration to the other rabbits. When Rabbit suddenly disappears, no one knows where he has gone. His friends are desolate. But, as it turns out, Rabbit left behind some very special gifts for them, to help them discover their own un-rabbity talents! Buy from Amazon Someone has died in a road crash Mary Williams OBE and Caroline Chisholm    Two young characters, who have been bereaved by a road crash, narrate the colourful book by giving caring and helpful tips. Tackling all the tough questions that children may want to ask, the book deals with the crash itself, funerals, police investigation and the possible emotions a child may experience. There is also an additional download with tips for adults on how to use the book with young children. Download from Brake The Boy Who Built a Wall Around Himself Ali Redford    Boy built a wall to keep himself safe. Behind it he felt strong and more protected. Then Someone Kind came along. She bounced a ball, sang and painted on the other side of the wall, and Boy began to wonder if life on the other side might be better after all. Written for children aged 4 to 9, this gentle full-colour picture book uses a simple metaphor to explain how children who have had painful or traumatic experiences can build barriers between themselves and other people. It will help children explore their feelings and encourage communication. Buy from Amazon The Copper Tree: Helping a Child Cope with Death and Loss Hilary Robinson When Olivia’s teacher, Miss Evans, dies, the children at her school are encouraged to think of everything that reminds them of her. The Copper Tree is about love and legacy and will help children understand that while sadness is an inevitable part of grief, death is not necessarily the end for what is left behind can be everlasting. Buy from Amazon The Invisible String Patricie Karst This story that teaches of the tie that really binds. Mums and Dads feel the tug whenever kids give it; and kids feel the tug that comes right back: the Invisible String reaches from heart to heart. Does everybody have an Invisible String? How far does it reach anyway? Whether it is a loved one who has died, or a parent who is just in the next room, this book illustrates a new way to cope with a child’s fear of loneliness and separation. Here is a warm and delightful lesson teaching young and old that we are never really alone. Buy from Amazon The Kissing Hand Audrey Penn This heart warming children’s classic helps children manage separation anxiety, which young children who are grieving often experience. Recommended for children aged 3 to 5 years. Buy from Amazon The Lonely Tree Nicholas Halliday This beautiful and moving story follows the first year in the life of a lone evergreen tree growing in the heart of the ancient oak woodland of the New Forest. The evergreen is befriended by the oldest oak who has lived for hundreds of years. When winter arrives all the oak trees must go to sleep, but of course evergreens never sleep. Finally, after a long, cold and lonely winter, spring brings both sadness and joy to the little tree. ­There is also a colouring book that accompanies this story, which you can also buy from Amazon. Buy from Amazon The Memory Tree  Britta Teckentrup Fox has lived a long and happy life in the forest. One day, he lies down in his favourite clearing, takes a deep breath, and falls asleep for ever. One by one, Fox’s friends tell stories of the special moments that they shared with Fox.  This gentle and comforting tale celebrates life and the memories that are left behind when a loved one dies. Buy from Amazon The Rabbit Listened Cori Doerrfeld When something terrible happens, Taylor doesn’t know where to turn. All the animals are sure they have the answer. The chicken wants to talk it out, but Taylor doesn’t feel like chatting. The bear thinks Taylor should get angry, but that’s not quite right either. One by one, the animals try to tell Taylor how to process this loss, and one by one they fail. Then the rabbit arrives. All the rabbit does is listen, which is just what Taylor needs. Buy from Amazon also available in Polish and Welsh Waterbugs and Dragonflies: Explaining Death to Young children Doris Stickney    Written from a Christian perspective, this acclaimed book can be used to help explain the concept of death to young children. The story illustrates that death is inevitable, irreversible but natural. Buy from Amazon What Does Dead Mean? A Book for Young Children to Help Explain Death and Dying Caroline Jay and Jenni Thomas, OBE A book for young children to help explain death and dying, based on the many questions that children ask. This book looks at questions such as why ‘Why can’t doctors and nurses make people better?’, and offers practical help for children, as well as guidance for parents and carers when a child is bereaved. Buy from Amazon When Dinosaurs Die – A Guide to Understanding Death Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown A comprehensive, sensitive guide for families dealing with the loss of loved ones, ‘When Dinosaurs Die’ helps primary aged children understand what death means, and how best to cope with their feelings. Buy from Amazon   When someone special dies | For children under 7 Child Bereavement UK This PDF leaflet has been prepared with the help of bereaved families. It aims to help children when they have been bereaved. Also essential for A&E, Intensive care units and professionals who support families. Free to download from Child Bereavement UK When someone special dies | For children aged 7 to 11 Child Bereavement UK This PDF leaflet has been prepared with the help of bereaved families. It aims to help children when they have been bereaved. Also essential for A&E, Intensive care units and professionals who support families. Free to download from Child Bereavement UK When the Sun Fell Out of the Sky: A Short Tale of Bereavement and Loss Hollie Rankin This beautifully illustrated, therapeutic picture book tells the story of Stan the Giraffe. Stan loves the sun and to feel its warmth on his long back; but one day it suddenly and unexpectedly falls from the sky and disappears from his life. Stan experiences many different and difficult emotions throughout the story, reflecting the different ways in which people grieve.  The story aims to normalise these feelings, which for children and those around them, can be frightening. This storybook has been written to support key adults in helping bereaved children to find a way to cope, manage and make it through their grief. The resource Supporting Children through Bereavement and Loss has been written to accompany the storybook, providing information, guidance and ideas for anyone supporting a grieving child, in school or at home.  Buy at Waterstones When Something Terrible Happens: Children Can Learn to Cope with Grief Marge Heegaard Terrible things can happen to children. Traumatic events in the lives of their families, their friends or in the world leave then feeling confused, insecure and frightened. There are floods, earthquakes, and sometimes people cause violence and trauma. This is a workbook designed to help children understand and deal with overwhelming feelings from loss and change. Buy from Amazon Where is Uncle Al? Eva Hibbs This book focuses on death before a child has been born with the story following six-year-old Lily as she embarks on a journey to know the uncle she never knew. Recommended for ages 4 to 8 years. Buy from Waterstones Why do things die?  Kate Danes This lift the flap, first questions and answers book is a beautiful and gentle look at the circle of life, using Christine Pym’s gorgeous animals characters to explore the emotions and facts around death, with questions such as ‘Is it ok to talk about dying?’, ‘What happens when someone dies?’, ‘Can I shout and cry and hide away?‘, and ‘How can I stop feeling sad?’.  Buy from Amazon

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
29480 WFC Best Start Family Hubs Vision v3

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Summary

This guidance has been produced by the Department for Education ( DfE) to help teachers to complete the early years foundation stage ( EYFS) profile assessment.

The EYFS profile must be completed for each child in the final term of the academic year in which they reach age 5. Therefore, it is usually undertaken by reception teachers.

On rare occasions, other early years settings will need to complete the profile, if it is not being done in reception year at school.

For the purposes of this guidance, 'teacher' should be understood to refer to any early years practitioner (including childminders) working with the child and completing the EYFS profile assessment.

Who this publication is for

This guidance is for all those in England who are involved in EYFS profile assessments, including:

reception and key stage 1 teachers and teams, or other early years practitioners where relevant

headteachers and managers

local authorities

Statutory requirements

The main purpose of this handbook is to provide guidance for schools when completing the EYFS profile assessment for children, usually in the final term of the academic year in which they turn 5.

For the purposes of this guidance, 'school' is inclusive of all providers who are required by the EYFS to complete the profile. If a child attends more than one setting, the EYFS profile assessment must be completed by the provider where the child spends the majority of their time between 8am and 6pm. For most children, this will be a reception class in a school or specialist provision.

This handbook provides non-statutory guidance to explain the EYFS profile assessment arrangements for schools and local authorities.

This guidance uses the word 'must' where the provision is a legal requirement.

30 June

Deadline for schools to complete the EYFS profile for each child and submit the data to their local authority.

31 July

Deadline for local authorities to return final approved EYFS profile data to DfE.

EYFS profile purposes

The EYFS profile

The EYFS profile is a statutory assessment of children's development at the end of the EYFS, usually the end of the academic year in which the child turns 5 (reception year).

Each child's level of development is assessed against 17 early learning goals ( ELGs) across all 7 areas of learning in the EYFS statutory framework. For each ELG, teachers must assess whether a child is meeting the level of development expected at the end of the EYFS, or if they are not yet reaching this level and should be assessed as 'emerging'.

The profile is intended to provide a reliable and accurate summative assessment of each child's development at the end of the EYFS, in order to support children's successful transitions to year 1.

Children are defined as having reached a good level of development ( GLD) at the end of the EYFS, if they have achieved the expected level for the ELGs in the prime areas of learning, which are:

communication and language

personal, social and emotional development

physical development

Plus the specific areas of:

This helps to understand broadly what a child can do in relation to national expectations.

Teachers are expected to use their professional judgement to make EYFS profile assessments, using their knowledge and understanding of what a child knows, understands, and can do.

When to complete the EYFS profile

The EYFS framework requires the EYFS profile assessment to be carried out in the final term of the year in which a child reaches age 5, or, in exceptional cases, the final term of the year before the child moves into year 1 if the child remains in EYFS provision beyond age 5.

The EYFS profile must be completed for each child and submitted to the local authority, no later than 30 June of that academic year.

Purposes and main uses of the profile

The main purpose of the EYFS profile assessment is to support children in a successful transition to key stage 1 by informing the professional dialogue between EYFS and key stage 1 teachers. It should inform these teachers about each child's stage of development and learning needs and help them to plan the key stage 1 curriculum to meet the needs of all children. The EYFS profile is also used to inform parents and carers about their child's development.

DfE publishes national, regional and local authority level EYFSP statistics on an annual basis on explore education statistics. DfE does not publish school level EYFSP statistics on this platform. EYFSP data submitted from the summer term in 2026 onwards will be available in Analyse School Performance ( ASP) a secure web-based platform accessible via Department for Education Sign-in from the end of the 2026 autumn term.

Schools will be able to view their own school-level data within this platform, including the percentage of children reaching a good level of development and the percentage of children at the expected level for each early learning goal.

Ofsted will also have access to the same school level EYFSP data that is available in ASP. As stated above, this will apply to EYFSP data submitted from the summer term in 2026 onwards and therefore will feature in Ofsted's inspection data summary report (IDSR) from the end of the 2026 autumn term. EYFSP data will be used as a starting point for conversations during inspection, including how schools use the data to support transitions from reception into key stage 1. Ofsted will not make gradings solely using EYFSP data.

From September 2025, using EYFSP data from the 2021 to 2022 academic year onwards, the DfE will also share school-level EYFSP data on the view your education data (VYED) platform, as part of plans to give all schools, local authorities and trusts better insight to inform improvements in early years. Responsible bodies (trusts and local authorities) will also have access to school-level and aggregated data for their schools. The data, analysis and insight available on this platform will continue to improve through 2025 to 2026 and beyond. Ofsted will not have access to the EYFSP data in the VYED platform.

DfE uses EYFS profile data to monitor changes in levels of children's learning and development nationally, regionally, at local authority level and at school level, and to compare the development outcomes of different groups of children according to characteristics such as sex and eligibility for free school meals. Data may be used by DfE to inform future policy and direct support and resource where it is needed, for example through our regional improvement for standards and excellence ( RISE) support offers.

Other organisations also make use of the data to support good outcomes for children. For example, the draft Local Government Outcomes Framework by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government ( MHCLG) includes the proportion of children with a good level of development at the end of reception as an outcome measure. Giving every child the best start in life confirmed that we will also set a statutory numerical target for each local authority to raise the proportion of children achieving a good level of development in their local area by 2028.

The EYFS profile is not intended to be used for ongoing assessment or for entry-level assessment for early years settings or reception classes. It is important not to use the ELGs as the basis for a curriculum, as this would narrow the curriculum. For support with developing or enhancing a curriculum, schools may refer to the non-statutory curriculum guidance Development Matters.

Through day-to-day interactions with children, teachers will notice and observe what they are learning. This will inform teaching and learning on an ongoing basis throughout the final year of the EYFS. This will include identifying areas where children may be at risk of falling behind, so that teachers can provide effective support where needed.

EYFS profile principles

Principles of EYFS profile assessments

Reliable and accurate assessment at the end of the EYFS is based on the following factors.

The teacher's knowledge of each child

Assessment is based primarily on the teacher's professional knowledge of what the child knows, remembers and can do day-to-day. It is a means of checking whether a child has learnt what has been taught. It can take place during routine interactions with children and does not need to be planned or documented.

The teacher may simply reflect on the knowledge, skills and understanding that the child demonstrates in the course of everyday learning to plan what to teach next.

Teachers should quickly identify children who need additional learning support, so that the appropriate additional support can be put in place. Where something has been well taught, a child's learning is embedded and secured. The child is likely to demonstrate what they know and can do consistently in a range of situations.

The teacher's use of summative assessment

Over the course of the reception year, teachers should plan what they want children to learn and build their knowledge of what each child knows, understands and can do. They should draw on this knowledge and their own expert professional judgement to make an accurate summative assessment at the end of the year.

Summative assessment is based on a holistic view of what the child can demonstrate against each ELG at the end of the EYFS. When assessing children against the ELGs, teachers should look at the whole description for each goal to determine whether this best-fits their professional knowledge of the child.

The ELGs are interconnected, meaning children can demonstrate development in more than one area of learning when engaging in a particular activity. Teachers should consider the child's development across the areas of learning, and whether the levels of development in relation to each of the goals make sense when taken together.

Ensuring assessment is informed by a range of perspectives

Assessment is predominantly based on the teacher's professional judgement but should also take account of contributions from a range of perspectives including the child, their parents and carers, and other relevant adults. This will provide a rounded picture of the child's development.

A teacher's relationship with parents and carers is especially crucial when working with children from different cultural backgrounds as they can help teachers understand the values that explain their child's responses to the environment and social situations.

Ensuring assessment is inclusive

Teachers need to be alert to the general diversity of children's interests, needs and backgrounds to accurately assess their development and outcomes against the ELGs.

This includes children with a special educational need or disability ( SEND), whose development may be identified by teachers in different ways.

Children whose home language is not English should have opportunities to engage in activities in the security of their home language. Children will demonstrate their development not only through what they have been taught but also when activities are linked to their cultural experience, such as:

Ensuring assessment is underpinned by a broad curriculum and effective pedagogy

Teaching should enable each child to demonstrate their learning and development fully.

Effective assessment takes place when teachers use their knowledge of the child to identify what they know, understand and can do in order to shape teaching and learning experiences for the child reflecting that knowledge.

The ELGs represent a narrow measure of what is assessed at the end of the EYFS and should not restrict the breadth of what is taught in the final year of the EYFS. It is for schools to determine their curriculum (having regard for the 'Educational Programmes' set out in the EYFS framework) and pedagogical approach to support children's learning and development.

Ensuring assessment does not include burdensome evidence gathering

Schools should not include burdensome evidence gathering requirements against any of the areas of learning in their assessment policies so that teachers can spend as much time as possible interacting with children and directly supporting their learning and development.

However, teachers may find it helpful to record, in a simple way, particularly noteworthy achievements, such as what phonemes and numbers a child has learned, in order to determine what to teach next.

This is sufficient to make a judgement. Sources of written or photographic evidence are not required, and teachers are not required to record evidence.

Completing the EYFS profile

Exemptions

The EYFS profile must be completed for all children attending a school on or before 30 June in the academic year in which the child turns 5, including children with SEND and those who have not spent a long time in the school (for example due to illness, arriving from abroad or not starting at the school until a substantial part of the year has gone by), 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)

You can get more information on exemptions in:

In some cases, teachers may have a more limited knowledge and understanding of what a child knows, understands, and can do and it may be more difficult for an accurate EYFS profile assessment to be made. However, if teachers judge that a child has not met an ELG, for whatever reason, it is important that they report the child as 'emerging' and then communicate to the year 1 teacher why the assessment has been made. This will ensure that all children are supported as much as possible in their transition to year 1.

The A code (the assessment rating for a child who has an exemption) should only be used for children who have an individual exemption on grounds of religious or philosophical beliefs. Schools who submit it for any other reason would not be meeting the statutory requirements of the EYFS. Information on how to record an exempt child can be found in data collection and submission.

Assessing children against the early learning goals

Each child must be assessed against the 17 ELGs and teachers may choose to provide a commentary on the 3 characteristics of effective teaching and learning.

For each ELG, teachers must judge whether a child is either:

meeting the level of development expected at the end of the EYFS (and should be assessed as 'expected')

not yet reaching this level (and should be assessed as 'emerging')

The ELGs are based on typical child development at the age of 5, so most children are likely to meet the 'expected' level of development. Teachers should use their professional knowledge of the child to decide whether each ELG description best-fits the child's learning and development.

The best-fit model requires teachers to consider the whole of each ELG description when making these judgements - best-fit does not mean that the child has equal mastery of all aspects of the ELG.

Each ELG descriptor is written in bullet point form, but this is for presentation purposes only to aid clarity. Teachers should not tick off these bullet points one-by-one, they should use their professional judgement to determine whether each ELG in its totality best-fits the child's learning and development. The most accurate picture of the child's overall embedded learning will come from a holistic view of the descriptor.

Teachers should only make judgements based on the criteria that are set out in the ELGs themselves and should not add any additional criteria. The profile recognises and values linguistic diversity and is inclusive of children whose home language is not English. The ELGs for the Communication and Language, and Literacy areas of learning, must be assessed in relation to the child's competency in English, or competency in British Sign Language ( BSL). However, the remaining ELGs may be assessed in the context of any language.

In cases where a child is using BSL or another language, teachers will need to observe the child over time and seek input from the parents and bilingual support assistants to be confident about what the child knows and understands. Teachers should use their professional judgement to consider whether the accounts provided are consistent with their professional knowledge of the child. Other teachers as well as parents or carers should be consulted to aid with this.

For all ELGs, including Speaking, a child's established or preferred mode of communication can be used. This includes non-speaking communication, such as signing.

In order to be judged as expected, the child must demonstrate the criteria of the ELG.

The mode of communication is the way a child chooses to communicate, not the language a child communicates in. Therefore, when using any mode of communication, the ELGs for the Communication and Language and Literacy areas of learning must still be assessed in relation to the child's competency in English, or competency in BSL.

You can find details of the ELGs and what children will be able to do at the expected level of development in the EYFS statutory framework.

Completing the profile for children with an outcome at the 'emerging' level

Where children have an outcome of 'emerging' for an ELG, this judgement alone will not provide a complete picture of their learning and development at the end of the EYFS.

For some children this may be because they are born late in the academic year or missed a considerable amount of the final year of the EYFS. For others, this may be related to potential or identified SEND. The teacher is likely to know the detail behind this outcome as a result of their knowledge of the child built up over time.

Where a child has an outcome of 'emerging' for one or more of the ELGs, things to be passed on to the year 1 teacher are:

EYFS profile judgements

additional information about the barriers to learning that have been identified

any successful strategies to help the child overcome these barriers

See more information on reporting the EYFS profile to the year 1 teacher.

Completing the profile for children with SEND

SEND covers different types of need, including:

communication and interaction

cognition and learning

social, emotional, and mental health

sensory and physical needs

Children in the early years may have a range of needs which cut across some or all of these broad areas. Ongoing assessment should help teachers discover in more detail the factors influencing the child's learning and development. Children develop and learn at different rates.

A delay in learning and development may or may not indicate that a child has SEND.

With extra support to make progress, many children can catch up with their peers. Therefore, it is important to identify any delays early so that a targeted plan to support the child's future learning and development can be implemented and the appropriate support can be put in place.

When completing the profile for a child with SEND, it is important to consider what further information will need to be shared with the child's year 1 teacher during transition. Teachers must have regard to the SEND code of practice when supporting children with SEND and teachers in school settings should speak to the school SENCo for advice and guidance in the first instance.

Children are not exempt from the profile on the basis of SEND. Completion of the EYFS profile is a useful opportunity to help the year 1 teacher to plan the curriculum to meet the needs of all children. This will ensure children with SEND are supported as much as possible in their transition to year 1.

Children will have differing levels of knowledge, skills and abilities across the profile. It is important that there is a full assessment of all areas of their development. Some children with SEND may be at the 'expected' level of development for some ELGs, and at an 'emerging' level for ELGs where their specific condition has an impact on their learning and development. Other children with SEND may, with the right support, reach the expected level in the ELGs, even where their specific condition has an impact.

Where a child has SEND, teachers should take care to ensure the child is able to demonstrate their level of development. Children must be assessed on the basis of what they can do when using the adaptations and reasonable adjustments they normally use to carry out daily activities.

Examples of adaptations include:

mobility aids

magnification

adapted information and communication technology (ICT) and equipment

Reasonable adjustments can be any of those ordinarily available in the school's provision including:

If, when using reasonable adjustments and adaptations, a child is still unable to meet the criteria of an ELG they should be judged as 'emerging' and additional information should be provided to the year 1 teacher to support the child's transition into year 1.

Where a child has SEND, teachers should be alert to identifying the child's level of development in a variety of ways, including eye pointing, use of symbols, or signs. In this case, teachers should give additional detail about the child's understanding and preferred means of communication in their EYFS profile record.

Actively involving children, their parents or carers, and other professionals such as the SEN coordinator ( SENCo) or health professionals in the assessment process is especially crucial when working with children with SEND. This will enable teachers to get a clear picture of the child's learning and development and ensure parents or carers have a clear understanding of their child's development and any additional support which will be offered.

When communicating the EYFS profile data to the year 1 teacher, additional information should also be passed on alongside the data for children with SEND. Teachers should also share any other records from within or outside the setting with year 1 teachers and use these records to inform transition conversations and processes. Wherever possible, other professionals working with the child should be invited to contribute to transition conversations.

The DfE early years SEND assessment guidance and resources support a child-centred, strengths-based approach to assessing children's needs on an ongoing basis.

Moderation

Moderation of EYFS profile assessments should be a collaborative process with colleagues.

This supports the quality assurance of assessment judgements and provides a valuable opportunity for professional development.

Within each school, teachers can informally agree assessment judgements with others, for example, discussing knowledge and understanding about a child's development with other EYFS teachers or a year 1 teacher. This does not require collecting or recording unnecessary evidence.

Any internal or peer-to-peer moderation conversations should, as far as possible, be based on the teacher's own knowledge of their children.

It is important for teachers to build a shared understanding of the ELGs and the EYFS framework. Schools may wish to work together so that teachers can share experiences and develop their assessment skills.

Reporting the EYFS profile assessment

Reporting to the year 1 teacher

The main purpose of the EYFS profile assessment is to support a successful transition from the EYFS to year 1.

At the end of reception year, teachers must give year 1 teachers a copy of each child's EYFS profile, including a record of the child's outcomes against the 17 ELGs, stating for each ELG whether the child is:

meeting 'expected' levels

not yet reaching expected levels ('emerging')

They may also choose to provide a short commentary on how the child demonstrates the 3 characteristics of effective learning.

Teachers are not required or expected to produce any written reports for year 1 teachers beyond these basic requirements. It is, however, crucial that teachers and year 1 teachers are given sufficient time to discuss and expand on all the information presented in the EYFS profile, in order to give the year 1 teacher a fully rounded picture of the development of each child. This can help them to plan the year 1 curriculum to meet the needs of all children.

Establishing an ongoing dialogue before the summer term will allow processes to be built on a shared understanding and planned and implemented in good time.

In cases where children have an outcome at the 'emerging' level, teachers should provide additional information to help the year 1 teacher plan an effective curriculum. This should include:

information about the barriers to learning that have been identified

any successful strategies to help the child overcome these barriers

details of any specific assessment and provision in place for children with SEND

Reporting to parents or carers

Parents or carers should be involved in the assessment process and encouraged to take part in their child's learning and development. At the end of the EYFS, teachers must provide parents or carers with their child's EYFS profile results and offer them the opportunity to discuss this with the teacher.

When a child has an outcome of 'emerging' for one or more ELGs, teachers should sensitively explain that this is a description of the child's level of development and does not mean the child has 'failed'. Teachers may choose to describe the activities and strategies that will support the child's future learning and development as they transition into year 1, as well as how parents or carers can support their learning and development at home.

Schools must be aware of their responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the General Data Protection Regulation.

EYFS profile data collection and submission

Overview

The EYFS profile is a statutory data collection. Each child's records are combined at local authority and national level to produce an Accredited Official Statistics publication.

Responsibilities

Headteacher responsibilities

Registered providers, governing bodies and proprietors of schools exempt from the requirement to register as early years providers with Ofsted have a duty to implement the EYFS.

In schools, this duty is often delegated to headteachers. This means that headteachers must ensure their school or provision complies with the learning and development requirements and are responsible for the reliability of their EYFS profile outcomes. They must check to ensure that the data accurately reflects the outcomes of the current cohort of children.

Headteachers must:

ensure an EYFS profile is completed for all eligible children and data is quality assured

ensure that reasonable adjustments are made to the assessment process for children with SEND

take responsibility for the reliability of their EYFS profile outcomes and ensure that the data accurately reflects the level of development of the current cohort of children

ensure EYFS profile data is returned to their local authority in accordance with the section on data collection and submission

provide EYFS profile assessments to their school's governing body to enable it to comply with national data submission requirements and report to parents or carers

ensure the statutory requirements for the transfer of records between schools are fulfilled, including the completion of the common transfer file (CTF)

ensure parents or carers are provided with the results and the opportunity to discuss the EYFS profile

Local authority responsibilities

In terms of data collection, local authorities must make provision to ensure the accuracy and consistency of the assessments made by early years providers in their area and return data to DfE as part of the The Early Years Foundation Stage (Learning and Development Requirements) Order 2007.

Local authorities should ensure schools have a secure electronic system to submit EYFS profile data and understand how the data should be formatted

Quality assurance of the data means ensuring that a full and complete set of data is submitted to the department for the schools in each area (for example, following up any missing records either at school or child level or querying any errors or inconsistencies). It does not mean ensuring accuracy of teachers' professional judgement.

Data collection and submission

Schools will submit data to local authorities by transferring a common transfer file (CTF) export file. Schools do not submit data directly to DfE.

For educational 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.

Maintained schools should contact their local authority for support.

Non-maintained schools, or schools without access to a management information system, can request an input spreadsheet via DfE's data collections service request form.

Local authorities should submit the data to DfE using the COLLECT data collection system. Access to COLLECT is through the department's DfE sign-in. A range of validation checks are applied to the data by DfE using COLLECT and the data must pass these checks in order to be accepted by DfE.

Data specification

All schools must participate in the assessment arrangements outlined, unless an exemption has been granted for the setting or an individual child. If an exemption is granted for an individual child, 'A' should be recorded for the ELGs the child is exempt from. Information on exemptions from the profile can be found in the exemptions section.

1

Indicates a child who is at the 'emerging' level at the end of the EYFS

2

Indicates a child who is at the 'expected' level at the end of the EYFS

A

Indicates a child who has an exemption

All schools must report EYFS profile results to their local authority upon request as outlined in The Childcare (Provision of Information About Young Children) (England) Regulations 2009, unless the Secretary of State for Education has granted the school an exemption from the EYFS learning and development requirements.

Local authorities are required to return the requested EYFS profile data to DfE by 31 July each year. The following table sets out the requirements for submission of EYFS profile data and contextual child data to local authorities and DfE.

Status of child and provision

Submission of data to local authority

Local authority submission to DfE

Child in EYFS provision in receipt of government funding in the summer term

Yes, where requested by local authority

Yes

Child in EYFS provision not in receipt of government funding in the summer term

Yes, where requested by local authority

No

Child with a registered childminder (for the majority of the time they spend within EYFS provision between 8am and 6pm)

Yes, where requested by local authority, or if the childminder is in receipt of government funding in the summer term

No, unless the childminder is in receipt of government funding in the summer term

Child in an EYFS provision where the school has an exemption from the learning and development requirements of the EYFS

On a voluntary basis only

No

Children transferring schools

The EYFS profile must be completed for all eligible children attending a school. For dual-registered children attending more than one school during their final year in the EYFS, the profile must be completed by the school where the child spends most time during the year. The school that does not complete the profile for the child does not need to submit any data to the local authority.

If a child moves schools during the summer term (half-terms 5 and 6), the schools must agree which of them will complete the profile. When deciding this, it is important to consider what would best benefit the child's education and their transition into year 1. In general, if a child starts at a new school on the first day of the second half of the summer term (or any time after that), then the previous school should submit the data.

If a child moves school at any time before the summer term, then the new school should submit the data. Where half-term dates differ between local authority areas, it is the school where a child attends (or will attend) for the longest period of time across the academic year that submits the data.

Where the previous school is not in England and therefore does not follow the EYFS, the new school must submit the data.

If a child moves to a new school during the academic year, the original school must send their assessment of the child's development against the ELGs to the new school within 15 days of receiving the request, if the profile has been completed.

The governing body or academy trust must arrange to have the child's educational record and the defined items of data that comprise the CTF sent to the child's new school. This task is often delegated to headteachers by governing bodies or academy trusts.

The information must be sent within 15 school days of the child ceasing to be registered at their previous school unless the new school is not known. In this case it should be sent within 15 school days of receiving a request from the child's new school. If the new school is unknown, DfE recommends that the school should still complete the CTF and load it onto the school to school (S2S) secure transfer system.

If schools do not receive a CTF for a new child, they can ask their local authority to search for the file on S2S.

Where both the old and new schools have the necessary facilities, the CTF must be sent to the new school either through S2S, or over a secure network that can only be accessed by the local authority, the governing body, multi-academy trust or a teacher at any school within that local authority.

The basic requirement is that the old school will send the educational records and CTF to the new school by one of these methods. If either school does not have the facilities to send or receive information in this format, the local authority may provide the file where there are agreed and secure local arrangements to that effect.

Children who remain in EYFS provision beyond the age of 5

The expectation is that children will move with their peers so they will be assessed against the EYFS profile once. In exceptional circumstances, after discussion and only in agreement with parents or carers, a child might remain in EYFS provision beyond the end of the academic year in which they reach age 5. Schools should take care to make sure this decision does not prejudice the child's personal, social, and emotional development.

In these exceptional cases, assessment should continue throughout the child's time within EYFS provision, and the profile should be completed once only, at the end of the year before the child moves into year 1. If the child is only continuing in EYFS provision for part of the following year, the profile should be completed at the end of the child's time in the EYFS before they move into year 1. The data should then be submitted at the end of that academic year with the rest of the cohort.

We recommend the decision for the child to remain in the EYFS is made before starting the profile for the cohort. However, if the decision is made after the profile has already been completed, then a new assessment will need to be made and submitted the following year with the new cohort. This is required as the child's stage of development and learning needs will likely be different in the new year compared to the last. It is therefore important a new EYFS profile assessment is made so that the child can be supported as much as possible in their upcoming transition to year 1.

The school should discuss their intention to defer the child's statutory assessment with their local authority. This will ensure the child's data is not considered missing when the school submits profile outcomes for the current cohort. Care should be taken when entering the child's profile assessment into any electronic recording system.

The child's date of birth may now be outside the expected range for the cohort - local authorities should give schools instructions in such cases. DfE will consider the child to be part of this new cohort and will accept data submitted in this way if the local authority has provided the information to DfE.

DfE may check the accuracy of the dates of birth of individual children with the relevant local authority.

Children who are home-educated

The profile assessment and reporting arrangements do not apply to children who are being home-educated and have not attended a school at all during the academic year they turned 5.

However, where a child has been home-educated for part of the academic year they turned 5, then joined a school, or vice versa, the school must complete the EYFS profile for the child.

Children who are missing education

The profile assessment and reporting arrangements do not apply to children, who at the time of completing the assessment, are missing education.

Children missing education are children of compulsory school age who are not registered at a school and are not receiving suitable education otherwise than at a school.

Where the child was previously registered at the school but is taken off school roll because they have become a child missing education, (including for example, moving abroad), then the profile does not need to be completed for the child. The school should contact the local authority to ensure the child is removed from their data collection roll.

How the requirements apply to different types of school

Academies and free schools in England

Academies must implement the requirements of the EYFS by virtue of Section 40 of the Childcare Act 2006. All references to academies in the guidance include free schools as, in law, they are academies.

Ministry of Defence (MoD) schools

MoD schools are required to participate in the assessment and reporting arrangements for the EYFS profile in line with the administration in England.

Overseas schools

Overseas schools, which are not MoD schools, cannot participate in the EYFS profile assessment and reporting arrangements.

Hospital schools

Hospital schools may be required to complete the EYFS profile depending on the type of school and whether it is required to comply with the EYFS.

Home-educated children

The EYFS requirements including the EYFS profile assessment and reporting arrangements do not apply to children who are being educated at home unless they have attended a school for part of the academic year they turn 5.

Independent schools and EYFS providers registered with Ofsted

All independent schools and registered EYFS providers must comply with the assessment and reporting arrangements unless they have an exemption from the EYFS learning and development requirements for children 3 and over. This includes specialist provision.

Providers with children not in receipt of government funding

Under regulations made under section 99 of the Childcare Act 2006, local authorities are allowed to collect specified data for children not in receipt of government funding in the summer term. EYFS providers are required to comply with local authorities' requests for this data. Local authorities are required to submit data to DfE. The local authority can request data including:

the judgement of 'expected' or 'emerging' for each ELG

the child's date of birth

the home address where the child normally resides

the child's ethnic group

the child's sex

whether the child has SEND

if the child has English as an additional language

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Early years foundation stage profile handbook

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This guidance has been produced by the Department for Education ( DfE) to help teachers to complete the early years foundation stage ( EYFS) profile assessment. The EYFS profile must be completed for each child in the final term of the academic year in which they reach age 5.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SALT A&S Session (Recording Links) March26

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Welcome to WellComm - registration information in preparation for training sessions

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome to WellComm - registration information in preparation for training sessions

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
29583 WFC WellComm Early Years Screening – Quick Reference

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Invitation to Furness Early Years Cluster Meeting Summer 2026

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
28781 WFC Free Childcare Entitlements Parental Declaration Form Aug25

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Practical Benefits of Forest School for Children with SEN

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore the practical benefits of Forest School for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN). This article details how nature-based, child-led learning supports sensory development, social skills, and emotional regulation, providing a vital alternative to traditional classroom settings.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is School Readiness — GrowingTogether

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Our first blog post in our new series, exploring school readiness. That looks at defining what is school readiness. Find out more here.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
EHC Needs Assessments and EHCPs - resources for schools and settings | Westmorland and Furness Council

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Resources and guidance for schools and settings on EHC Needs Assessments and Education, Health and Care Plan annual review documents.

# data[].attributes.body
A leaflet to share with families.

# data[].attributes.body
Please share with your parents and families

# data[].attributes.body
The statutory guidance requires local authorities to ensure this is in place for all providers (see below for the specific points in the guidance)

We have updated our Family Information Service web-based system to collect and publish this information.

Providers can do this in one of the following ways:

Provide us with your charges by completing the chargeable extras section on the Early Years Provider Portal Self Update and we will publish the charges on the Family Information Service Directory

Attached is guidance for adding your charges on the Early Years Provider Portal Self Update

Provide us with a link to your website where the charges are published, and we will publish the link on the Family Information Service Directory

Request to be exempt as you are caring for 10 or fewer children at any one time.

Can you please complete the short survey by 4pm on Tuesday 31st March 2026, to confirm which you wish to do:

Early Years Provider Charges Confirmation Form

Early Years and Childcare Statutory Guidance

Transparency

A1.39 Local authorities should ensure that providers publish their admissions criteria (if relevant) and any fees for consumables, additional hours and services and make these easily available to parents to enable parents to understand the entitlements hours are available free of charge and to make an informed choice of provider. Providers should also make parents aware of what types of alternative arrangements (see A1.35) are available for those parents who do not wish to purchase these chargeable extras.

A1.40 The costs of chargeable extras should be published on provider websites or, where they do not have any website, on local authority Family Information Services. These should be clear, up to date and easily accessible to parents, to enable parents to make an informed choice of provider. They should set out, for each setting, the amounts charged for the chargeable extras listed, as well as the pattern of hours that parents can take the entitlements. Local authorities should ensure providers illustrate a breakdown of costs, as detailed in DfE’s Chargeable extras: template.

A1.41 Local authorities may exempt all childminders and any other providers who are caring for 10 or fewer children at any one time (regardless of whether those children are using entitlement hours or not) from publishing their charges online, as well as exempting them from using the Department’s templates or local authority alternatives. If the local authority decides to exempt these providers, they should still be allowed to publish their charges through the local authority’s Family Information Services, if they wish to do so.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Easily create surveys and polls to collect customer feedback, measure employee satisfaction, and organize team events.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Summary

This guidance has been produced by the Department for Education ( DfE) to help teachers to complete the early years foundation stage ( EYFS) profile assessment.

The EYFS profile must be completed for each child in the final term of the academic year in which they reach age 5. Therefore, it is usually undertaken by reception teachers.

On rare occasions, other early years settings will need to complete the profile, if it is not being done in reception year at school.

For the purposes of this guidance, 'teacher' should be understood to refer to any early years practitioner (including childminders) working with the child and completing the EYFS profile assessment.

Who this publication is for

This guidance is for all those in England who are involved in EYFS profile assessments, including:

reception and key stage 1 teachers and teams, or other early years practitioners where relevant

headteachers and managers

local authorities

Statutory requirements

The main purpose of this handbook is to provide guidance for schools when completing the EYFS profile assessment for children, usually in the final term of the academic year in which they turn 5.

For the purposes of this guidance, 'school' is inclusive of all providers who are required by the EYFS to complete the profile. If a child attends more than one setting, the EYFS profile assessment must be completed by the provider where the child spends the majority of their time between 8am and 6pm. For most children, this will be a reception class in a school or specialist provision.

This handbook provides non-statutory guidance to explain the EYFS profile assessment arrangements for schools and local authorities.

This guidance uses the word 'must' where the provision is a legal requirement.

30 June

Deadline for schools to complete the EYFS profile for each child and submit the data to their local authority.

31 July

Deadline for local authorities to return final approved EYFS profile data to DfE.

EYFS profile purposes

The EYFS profile

The EYFS profile is a statutory assessment of children's development at the end of the EYFS, usually the end of the academic year in which the child turns 5 (reception year).

Each child's level of development is assessed against 17 early learning goals ( ELGs) across all 7 areas of learning in the EYFS statutory framework. For each ELG, teachers must assess whether a child is meeting the level of development expected at the end of the EYFS, or if they are not yet reaching this level and should be assessed as 'emerging'.

The profile is intended to provide a reliable and accurate summative assessment of each child's development at the end of the EYFS, in order to support children's successful transitions to year 1.

Children are defined as having reached a good level of development ( GLD) at the end of the EYFS, if they have achieved the expected level for the ELGs in the prime areas of learning, which are:

communication and language

personal, social and emotional development

physical development

Plus the specific areas of:

This helps to understand broadly what a child can do in relation to national expectations.

Teachers are expected to use their professional judgement to make EYFS profile assessments, using their knowledge and understanding of what a child knows, understands, and can do.

When to complete the EYFS profile

The EYFS framework requires the EYFS profile assessment to be carried out in the final term of the year in which a child reaches age 5, or, in exceptional cases, the final term of the year before the child moves into year 1 if the child remains in EYFS provision beyond age 5.

The EYFS profile must be completed for each child and submitted to the local authority, no later than 30 June of that academic year.

Purposes and main uses of the profile

The main purpose of the EYFS profile assessment is to support children in a successful transition to key stage 1 by informing the professional dialogue between EYFS and key stage 1 teachers. It should inform these teachers about each child's stage of development and learning needs and help them to plan the key stage 1 curriculum to meet the needs of all children. The EYFS profile is also used to inform parents and carers about their child's development.

DfE publishes national, regional and local authority level EYFSP statistics on an annual basis on explore education statistics. DfE does not publish school level EYFSP statistics on this platform. EYFSP data submitted from the summer term in 2026 onwards will be available in Analyse School Performance ( ASP) a secure web-based platform accessible via Department for Education Sign-in from the end of the 2026 autumn term.

Schools will be able to view their own school-level data within this platform, including the percentage of children reaching a good level of development and the percentage of children at the expected level for each early learning goal.

Ofsted will also have access to the same school level EYFSP data that is available in ASP. As stated above, this will apply to EYFSP data submitted from the summer term in 2026 onwards and therefore will feature in Ofsted's inspection data summary report (IDSR) from the end of the 2026 autumn term. EYFSP data will be used as a starting point for conversations during inspection, including how schools use the data to support transitions from reception into key stage 1. Ofsted will not make gradings solely using EYFSP data.

From September 2025, using EYFSP data from the 2021 to 2022 academic year onwards, the DfE will also share school-level EYFSP data on the view your education data (VYED) platform, as part of plans to give all schools, local authorities and trusts better insight to inform improvements in early years. Responsible bodies (trusts and local authorities) will also have access to school-level and aggregated data for their schools. The data, analysis and insight available on this platform will continue to improve through 2025 to 2026 and beyond. Ofsted will not have access to the EYFSP data in the VYED platform.

DfE uses EYFS profile data to monitor changes in levels of children's learning and development nationally, regionally, at local authority level and at school level, and to compare the development outcomes of different groups of children according to characteristics such as sex and eligibility for free school meals. Data may be used by DfE to inform future policy and direct support and resource where it is needed, for example through our regional improvement for standards and excellence ( RISE) support offers.

Other organisations also make use of the data to support good outcomes for children. For example, the draft Local Government Outcomes Framework by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government ( MHCLG) includes the proportion of children with a good level of development at the end of reception as an outcome measure. Giving every child the best start in life confirmed that we will also set a statutory numerical target for each local authority to raise the proportion of children achieving a good level of development in their local area by 2028.

The EYFS profile is not intended to be used for ongoing assessment or for entry-level assessment for early years settings or reception classes. It is important not to use the ELGs as the basis for a curriculum, as this would narrow the curriculum. For support with developing or enhancing a curriculum, schools may refer to the non-statutory curriculum guidance Development Matters.

Through day-to-day interactions with children, teachers will notice and observe what they are learning. This will inform teaching and learning on an ongoing basis throughout the final year of the EYFS. This will include identifying areas where children may be at risk of falling behind, so that teachers can provide effective support where needed.

EYFS profile principles

Principles of EYFS profile assessments

Reliable and accurate assessment at the end of the EYFS is based on the following factors.

The teacher's knowledge of each child

Assessment is based primarily on the teacher's professional knowledge of what the child knows, remembers and can do day-to-day. It is a means of checking whether a child has learnt what has been taught. It can take place during routine interactions with children and does not need to be planned or documented.

The teacher may simply reflect on the knowledge, skills and understanding that the child demonstrates in the course of everyday learning to plan what to teach next.

Teachers should quickly identify children who need additional learning support, so that the appropriate additional support can be put in place. Where something has been well taught, a child's learning is embedded and secured. The child is likely to demonstrate what they know and can do consistently in a range of situations.

The teacher's use of summative assessment

Over the course of the reception year, teachers should plan what they want children to learn and build their knowledge of what each child knows, understands and can do. They should draw on this knowledge and their own expert professional judgement to make an accurate summative assessment at the end of the year.

Summative assessment is based on a holistic view of what the child can demonstrate against each ELG at the end of the EYFS. When assessing children against the ELGs, teachers should look at the whole description for each goal to determine whether this best-fits their professional knowledge of the child.

The ELGs are interconnected, meaning children can demonstrate development in more than one area of learning when engaging in a particular activity. Teachers should consider the child's development across the areas of learning, and whether the levels of development in relation to each of the goals make sense when taken together.

Ensuring assessment is informed by a range of perspectives

Assessment is predominantly based on the teacher's professional judgement but should also take account of contributions from a range of perspectives including the child, their parents and carers, and other relevant adults. This will provide a rounded picture of the child's development.

A teacher's relationship with parents and carers is especially crucial when working with children from different cultural backgrounds as they can help teachers understand the values that explain their child's responses to the environment and social situations.

Ensuring assessment is inclusive

Teachers need to be alert to the general diversity of children's interests, needs and backgrounds to accurately assess their development and outcomes against the ELGs.

This includes children with a special educational need or disability ( SEND), whose development may be identified by teachers in different ways.

Children whose home language is not English should have opportunities to engage in activities in the security of their home language. Children will demonstrate their development not only through what they have been taught but also when activities are linked to their cultural experience, such as:

Ensuring assessment is underpinned by a broad curriculum and effective pedagogy

Teaching should enable each child to demonstrate their learning and development fully.

Effective assessment takes place when teachers use their knowledge of the child to identify what they know, understand and can do in order to shape teaching and learning experiences for the child reflecting that knowledge.

The ELGs represent a narrow measure of what is assessed at the end of the EYFS and should not restrict the breadth of what is taught in the final year of the EYFS. It is for schools to determine their curriculum (having regard for the 'Educational Programmes' set out in the EYFS framework) and pedagogical approach to support children's learning and development.

Ensuring assessment does not include burdensome evidence gathering

Schools should not include burdensome evidence gathering requirements against any of the areas of learning in their assessment policies so that teachers can spend as much time as possible interacting with children and directly supporting their learning and development.

However, teachers may find it helpful to record, in a simple way, particularly noteworthy achievements, such as what phonemes and numbers a child has learned, in order to determine what to teach next.

This is sufficient to make a judgement. Sources of written or photographic evidence are not required, and teachers are not required to record evidence.

Completing the EYFS profile

Exemptions

The EYFS profile must be completed for all children attending a school on or before 30 June in the academic year in which the child turns 5, including children with SEND and those who have not spent a long time in the school (for example due to illness, arriving from abroad or not starting at the school until a substantial part of the year has gone by), 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)

You can get more information on exemptions in:

In some cases, teachers may have a more limited knowledge and understanding of what a child knows, understands, and can do and it may be more difficult for an accurate EYFS profile assessment to be made. However, if teachers judge that a child has not met an ELG, for whatever reason, it is important that they report the child as 'emerging' and then communicate to the year 1 teacher why the assessment has been made. This will ensure that all children are supported as much as possible in their transition to year 1.

The A code (the assessment rating for a child who has an exemption) should only be used for children who have an individual exemption on grounds of religious or philosophical beliefs. Schools who submit it for any other reason would not be meeting the statutory requirements of the EYFS. Information on how to record an exempt child can be found in data collection and submission.

Assessing children against the early learning goals

Each child must be assessed against the 17 ELGs and teachers may choose to provide a commentary on the 3 characteristics of effective teaching and learning.

For each ELG, teachers must judge whether a child is either:

meeting the level of development expected at the end of the EYFS (and should be assessed as 'expected')

not yet reaching this level (and should be assessed as 'emerging')

The ELGs are based on typical child development at the age of 5, so most children are likely to meet the 'expected' level of development. Teachers should use their professional knowledge of the child to decide whether each ELG description best-fits the child's learning and development.

The best-fit model requires teachers to consider the whole of each ELG description when making these judgements - best-fit does not mean that the child has equal mastery of all aspects of the ELG.

Each ELG descriptor is written in bullet point form, but this is for presentation purposes only to aid clarity. Teachers should not tick off these bullet points one-by-one, they should use their professional judgement to determine whether each ELG in its totality best-fits the child's learning and development. The most accurate picture of the child's overall embedded learning will come from a holistic view of the descriptor.

Teachers should only make judgements based on the criteria that are set out in the ELGs themselves and should not add any additional criteria. The profile recognises and values linguistic diversity and is inclusive of children whose home language is not English. The ELGs for the Communication and Language, and Literacy areas of learning, must be assessed in relation to the child's competency in English, or competency in British Sign Language ( BSL). However, the remaining ELGs may be assessed in the context of any language.

In cases where a child is using BSL or another language, teachers will need to observe the child over time and seek input from the parents and bilingual support assistants to be confident about what the child knows and understands. Teachers should use their professional judgement to consider whether the accounts provided are consistent with their professional knowledge of the child. Other teachers as well as parents or carers should be consulted to aid with this.

For all ELGs, including Speaking, a child's established or preferred mode of communication can be used. This includes non-speaking communication, such as signing.

In order to be judged as expected, the child must demonstrate the criteria of the ELG.

The mode of communication is the way a child chooses to communicate, not the language a child communicates in. Therefore, when using any mode of communication, the ELGs for the Communication and Language and Literacy areas of learning must still be assessed in relation to the child's competency in English, or competency in BSL.

You can find details of the ELGs and what children will be able to do at the expected level of development in the EYFS statutory framework.

Completing the profile for children with an outcome at the 'emerging' level

Where children have an outcome of 'emerging' for an ELG, this judgement alone will not provide a complete picture of their learning and development at the end of the EYFS.

For some children this may be because they are born late in the academic year or missed a considerable amount of the final year of the EYFS. For others, this may be related to potential or identified SEND. The teacher is likely to know the detail behind this outcome as a result of their knowledge of the child built up over time.

Where a child has an outcome of 'emerging' for one or more of the ELGs, things to be passed on to the year 1 teacher are:

EYFS profile judgements

additional information about the barriers to learning that have been identified

any successful strategies to help the child overcome these barriers

See more information on reporting the EYFS profile to the year 1 teacher.

Completing the profile for children with SEND

SEND covers different types of need, including:

communication and interaction

cognition and learning

social, emotional, and mental health

sensory and physical needs

Children in the early years may have a range of needs which cut across some or all of these broad areas. Ongoing assessment should help teachers discover in more detail the factors influencing the child's learning and development. Children develop and learn at different rates.

A delay in learning and development may or may not indicate that a child has SEND.

With extra support to make progress, many children can catch up with their peers. Therefore, it is important to identify any delays early so that a targeted plan to support the child's future learning and development can be implemented and the appropriate support can be put in place.

When completing the profile for a child with SEND, it is important to consider what further information will need to be shared with the child's year 1 teacher during transition. Teachers must have regard to the SEND code of practice when supporting children with SEND and teachers in school settings should speak to the school SENCo for advice and guidance in the first instance.

Children are not exempt from the profile on the basis of SEND. Completion of the EYFS profile is a useful opportunity to help the year 1 teacher to plan the curriculum to meet the needs of all children. This will ensure children with SEND are supported as much as possible in their transition to year 1.

Children will have differing levels of knowledge, skills and abilities across the profile. It is important that there is a full assessment of all areas of their development. Some children with SEND may be at the 'expected' level of development for some ELGs, and at an 'emerging' level for ELGs where their specific condition has an impact on their learning and development. Other children with SEND may, with the right support, reach the expected level in the ELGs, even where their specific condition has an impact.

Where a child has SEND, teachers should take care to ensure the child is able to demonstrate their level of development. Children must be assessed on the basis of what they can do when using the adaptations and reasonable adjustments they normally use to carry out daily activities.

Examples of adaptations include:

mobility aids

magnification

adapted information and communication technology (ICT) and equipment

Reasonable adjustments can be any of those ordinarily available in the school's provision including:

If, when using reasonable adjustments and adaptations, a child is still unable to meet the criteria of an ELG they should be judged as 'emerging' and additional information should be provided to the year 1 teacher to support the child's transition into year 1.

Where a child has SEND, teachers should be alert to identifying the child's level of development in a variety of ways, including eye pointing, use of symbols, or signs. In this case, teachers should give additional detail about the child's understanding and preferred means of communication in their EYFS profile record.

Actively involving children, their parents or carers, and other professionals such as the SEN coordinator ( SENCo) or health professionals in the assessment process is especially crucial when working with children with SEND. This will enable teachers to get a clear picture of the child's learning and development and ensure parents or carers have a clear understanding of their child's development and any additional support which will be offered.

When communicating the EYFS profile data to the year 1 teacher, additional information should also be passed on alongside the data for children with SEND. Teachers should also share any other records from within or outside the setting with year 1 teachers and use these records to inform transition conversations and processes. Wherever possible, other professionals working with the child should be invited to contribute to transition conversations.

The DfE early years SEND assessment guidance and resources support a child-centred, strengths-based approach to assessing children's needs on an ongoing basis.

Moderation

Moderation of EYFS profile assessments should be a collaborative process with colleagues.

This supports the quality assurance of assessment judgements and provides a valuable opportunity for professional development.

Within each school, teachers can informally agree assessment judgements with others, for example, discussing knowledge and understanding about a child's development with other EYFS teachers or a year 1 teacher. This does not require collecting or recording unnecessary evidence.

Any internal or peer-to-peer moderation conversations should, as far as possible, be based on the teacher's own knowledge of their children.

It is important for teachers to build a shared understanding of the ELGs and the EYFS framework. Schools may wish to work together so that teachers can share experiences and develop their assessment skills.

Reporting the EYFS profile assessment

Reporting to the year 1 teacher

The main purpose of the EYFS profile assessment is to support a successful transition from the EYFS to year 1.

At the end of reception year, teachers must give year 1 teachers a copy of each child's EYFS profile, including a record of the child's outcomes against the 17 ELGs, stating for each ELG whether the child is:

meeting 'expected' levels

not yet reaching expected levels ('emerging')

They may also choose to provide a short commentary on how the child demonstrates the 3 characteristics of effective learning.

Teachers are not required or expected to produce any written reports for year 1 teachers beyond these basic requirements. It is, however, crucial that teachers and year 1 teachers are given sufficient time to discuss and expand on all the information presented in the EYFS profile, in order to give the year 1 teacher a fully rounded picture of the development of each child. This can help them to plan the year 1 curriculum to meet the needs of all children.

Establishing an ongoing dialogue before the summer term will allow processes to be built on a shared understanding and planned and implemented in good time.

In cases where children have an outcome at the 'emerging' level, teachers should provide additional information to help the year 1 teacher plan an effective curriculum. This should include:

information about the barriers to learning that have been identified

any successful strategies to help the child overcome these barriers

details of any specific assessment and provision in place for children with SEND

Reporting to parents or carers

Parents or carers should be involved in the assessment process and encouraged to take part in their child's learning and development. At the end of the EYFS, teachers must provide parents or carers with their child's EYFS profile results and offer them the opportunity to discuss this with the teacher.

When a child has an outcome of 'emerging' for one or more ELGs, teachers should sensitively explain that this is a description of the child's level of development and does not mean the child has 'failed'. Teachers may choose to describe the activities and strategies that will support the child's future learning and development as they transition into year 1, as well as how parents or carers can support their learning and development at home.

Schools must be aware of their responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the General Data Protection Regulation.

EYFS profile data collection and submission

Overview

The EYFS profile is a statutory data collection. Each child's records are combined at local authority and national level to produce an Accredited Official Statistics publication.

Responsibilities

Headteacher responsibilities

Registered providers, governing bodies and proprietors of schools exempt from the requirement to register as early years providers with Ofsted have a duty to implement the EYFS.

In schools, this duty is often delegated to headteachers. This means that headteachers must ensure their school or provision complies with the learning and development requirements and are responsible for the reliability of their EYFS profile outcomes. They must check to ensure that the data accurately reflects the outcomes of the current cohort of children.

Headteachers must:

ensure an EYFS profile is completed for all eligible children and data is quality assured

ensure that reasonable adjustments are made to the assessment process for children with SEND

take responsibility for the reliability of their EYFS profile outcomes and ensure that the data accurately reflects the level of development of the current cohort of children

ensure EYFS profile data is returned to their local authority in accordance with the section on data collection and submission

provide EYFS profile assessments to their school's governing body to enable it to comply with national data submission requirements and report to parents or carers

ensure the statutory requirements for the transfer of records between schools are fulfilled, including the completion of the common transfer file (CTF)

ensure parents or carers are provided with the results and the opportunity to discuss the EYFS profile

Local authority responsibilities

In terms of data collection, local authorities must make provision to ensure the accuracy and consistency of the assessments made by early years providers in their area and return data to DfE as part of the The Early Years Foundation Stage (Learning and Development Requirements) Order 2007.

Local authorities should ensure schools have a secure electronic system to submit EYFS profile data and understand how the data should be formatted

Quality assurance of the data means ensuring that a full and complete set of data is submitted to the department for the schools in each area (for example, following up any missing records either at school or child level or querying any errors or inconsistencies). It does not mean ensuring accuracy of teachers' professional judgement.

Data collection and submission

Schools will submit data to local authorities by transferring a common transfer file (CTF) export file. Schools do not submit data directly to DfE.

For educational 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.

Maintained schools should contact their local authority for support.

Non-maintained schools, or schools without access to a management information system, can request an input spreadsheet via DfE's data collections service request form.

Local authorities should submit the data to DfE using the COLLECT data collection system. Access to COLLECT is through the department's DfE sign-in. A range of validation checks are applied to the data by DfE using COLLECT and the data must pass these checks in order to be accepted by DfE.

Data specification

All schools must participate in the assessment arrangements outlined, unless an exemption has been granted for the setting or an individual child. If an exemption is granted for an individual child, 'A' should be recorded for the ELGs the child is exempt from. Information on exemptions from the profile can be found in the exemptions section.

1

Indicates a child who is at the 'emerging' level at the end of the EYFS

2

Indicates a child who is at the 'expected' level at the end of the EYFS

A

Indicates a child who has an exemption

All schools must report EYFS profile results to their local authority upon request as outlined in The Childcare (Provision of Information About Young Children) (England) Regulations 2009, unless the Secretary of State for Education has granted the school an exemption from the EYFS learning and development requirements.

Local authorities are required to return the requested EYFS profile data to DfE by 31 July each year. The following table sets out the requirements for submission of EYFS profile data and contextual child data to local authorities and DfE.

Status of child and provision

Submission of data to local authority

Local authority submission to DfE

Child in EYFS provision in receipt of government funding in the summer term

Yes, where requested by local authority

Yes

Child in EYFS provision not in receipt of government funding in the summer term

Yes, where requested by local authority

No

Child with a registered childminder (for the majority of the time they spend within EYFS provision between 8am and 6pm)

Yes, where requested by local authority, or if the childminder is in receipt of government funding in the summer term

No, unless the childminder is in receipt of government funding in the summer term

Child in an EYFS provision where the school has an exemption from the learning and development requirements of the EYFS

On a voluntary basis only

No

Children transferring schools

The EYFS profile must be completed for all eligible children attending a school. For dual-registered children attending more than one school during their final year in the EYFS, the profile must be completed by the school where the child spends most time during the year. The school that does not complete the profile for the child does not need to submit any data to the local authority.

If a child moves schools during the summer term (half-terms 5 and 6), the schools must agree which of them will complete the profile. When deciding this, it is important to consider what would best benefit the child's education and their transition into year 1. In general, if a child starts at a new school on the first day of the second half of the summer term (or any time after that), then the previous school should submit the data.

If a child moves school at any time before the summer term, then the new school should submit the data. Where half-term dates differ between local authority areas, it is the school where a child attends (or will attend) for the longest period of time across the academic year that submits the data.

Where the previous school is not in England and therefore does not follow the EYFS, the new school must submit the data.

If a child moves to a new school during the academic year, the original school must send their assessment of the child's development against the ELGs to the new school within 15 days of receiving the request, if the profile has been completed.

The governing body or academy trust must arrange to have the child's educational record and the defined items of data that comprise the CTF sent to the child's new school. This task is often delegated to headteachers by governing bodies or academy trusts.

The information must be sent within 15 school days of the child ceasing to be registered at their previous school unless the new school is not known. In this case it should be sent within 15 school days of receiving a request from the child's new school. If the new school is unknown, DfE recommends that the school should still complete the CTF and load it onto the school to school (S2S) secure transfer system.

If schools do not receive a CTF for a new child, they can ask their local authority to search for the file on S2S.

Where both the old and new schools have the necessary facilities, the CTF must be sent to the new school either through S2S, or over a secure network that can only be accessed by the local authority, the governing body, multi-academy trust or a teacher at any school within that local authority.

The basic requirement is that the old school will send the educational records and CTF to the new school by one of these methods. If either school does not have the facilities to send or receive information in this format, the local authority may provide the file where there are agreed and secure local arrangements to that effect.

Children who remain in EYFS provision beyond the age of 5

The expectation is that children will move with their peers so they will be assessed against the EYFS profile once. In exceptional circumstances, after discussion and only in agreement with parents or carers, a child might remain in EYFS provision beyond the end of the academic year in which they reach age 5. Schools should take care to make sure this decision does not prejudice the child's personal, social, and emotional development.

In these exceptional cases, assessment should continue throughout the child's time within EYFS provision, and the profile should be completed once only, at the end of the year before the child moves into year 1. If the child is only continuing in EYFS provision for part of the following year, the profile should be completed at the end of the child's time in the EYFS before they move into year 1. The data should then be submitted at the end of that academic year with the rest of the cohort.

We recommend the decision for the child to remain in the EYFS is made before starting the profile for the cohort. However, if the decision is made after the profile has already been completed, then a new assessment will need to be made and submitted the following year with the new cohort. This is required as the child's stage of development and learning needs will likely be different in the new year compared to the last. It is therefore important a new EYFS profile assessment is made so that the child can be supported as much as possible in their upcoming transition to year 1.

The school should discuss their intention to defer the child's statutory assessment with their local authority. This will ensure the child's data is not considered missing when the school submits profile outcomes for the current cohort. Care should be taken when entering the child's profile assessment into any electronic recording system.

The child's date of birth may now be outside the expected range for the cohort - local authorities should give schools instructions in such cases. DfE will consider the child to be part of this new cohort and will accept data submitted in this way if the local authority has provided the information to DfE.

DfE may check the accuracy of the dates of birth of individual children with the relevant local authority.

Children who are home-educated

The profile assessment and reporting arrangements do not apply to children who are being home-educated and have not attended a school at all during the academic year they turned 5.

However, where a child has been home-educated for part of the academic year they turned 5, then joined a school, or vice versa, the school must complete the EYFS profile for the child.

Children who are missing education

The profile assessment and reporting arrangements do not apply to children, who at the time of completing the assessment, are missing education.

Children missing education are children of compulsory school age who are not registered at a school and are not receiving suitable education otherwise than at a school.

Where the child was previously registered at the school but is taken off school roll because they have become a child missing education, (including for example, moving abroad), then the profile does not need to be completed for the child. The school should contact the local authority to ensure the child is removed from their data collection roll.

How the requirements apply to different types of school

Academies and free schools in England

Academies must implement the requirements of the EYFS by virtue of Section 40 of the Childcare Act 2006. All references to academies in the guidance include free schools as, in law, they are academies.

Ministry of Defence (MoD) schools

MoD schools are required to participate in the assessment and reporting arrangements for the EYFS profile in line with the administration in England.

Overseas schools

Overseas schools, which are not MoD schools, cannot participate in the EYFS profile assessment and reporting arrangements.

Hospital schools

Hospital schools may be required to complete the EYFS profile depending on the type of school and whether it is required to comply with the EYFS.

Home-educated children

The EYFS requirements including the EYFS profile assessment and reporting arrangements do not apply to children who are being educated at home unless they have attended a school for part of the academic year they turn 5.

Independent schools and EYFS providers registered with Ofsted

All independent schools and registered EYFS providers must comply with the assessment and reporting arrangements unless they have an exemption from the EYFS learning and development requirements for children 3 and over. This includes specialist provision.

Providers with children not in receipt of government funding

Under regulations made under section 99 of the Childcare Act 2006, local authorities are allowed to collect specified data for children not in receipt of government funding in the summer term. EYFS providers are required to comply with local authorities' requests for this data. Local authorities are required to submit data to DfE. The local authority can request data including:

the judgement of 'expected' or 'emerging' for each ELG

the child's date of birth

the home address where the child normally resides

the child's ethnic group

the child's sex

whether the child has SEND

if the child has English as an additional language

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Early years foundation stage profile handbook

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This guidance has been produced by the Department for Education ( DfE) to help teachers to complete the early years foundation stage ( EYFS) profile assessment. The EYFS profile must be completed for each child in the final term of the academic year in which they reach age 5.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We'd also like to use analytics cookies so we can understand how you use this service and make improvements.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Help for early years providers : EYFS profile assessment support

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Potty Training Guide - Starting Reception

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Potty training is an important milestone in your child’s development. We understand that all children develop at their own pace, but research shows it’s best for your child’s bowel and bladder health to stop using nappies, including reusable nappies, pull ups and training pants, between 18 and 30 months.

# data[].attributes.body
Please share with parents if you are unable to accommodate their childcare needs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Easily create surveys and polls to collect customer feedback, measure employee satisfaction, and organize team events.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Westmorland and Furness Council sent this bulletin at 11-03-2026 09:43 AM GMT

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Early Years SEND Inclusion Funding (SENIF) guidance

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Please note new paperwork from September 2024 - no Early Help Assessment required.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
28745 WFC Sensory Play for Two Year Olds

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
BookTrust is delighted to support the National Year of Reading in 2026 as the Early Years lead partner. Through our successful early years programmes,…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Westmorland and Furness Council sent this bulletin at 25-02-2026 11:16 AM GMT

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Speech, Language and Communication tools | Westmorland and Furness Council

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you feel a child might have a Speech, Language and Communication Need (SLCN) we recommend completing our Speech, Language and Communication Screening Tools.

# data[].attributes.body
Risk Benefit Toolkit

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is Early Years Pupil Premium updated 2026

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Early years inspection information: for use from November 2025

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For use on inspections from 10 November 2025.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
School monitoring operating guide for inspectors: for use from November 2025

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For use on inspections from 10 November 2025.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
School inspection operating guide for inspectors: for use from November 2025

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For use on inspections from 10 November 2025.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
29312 WFC Nature Engaging and Nature Enhancing Pedagogy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
29312 WFC Nature Engaging and Nature Enhancing Pedagogy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
l. Transition to school EYs updated 2026

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
n. Transistion from Reception to Year 1 updated 2026

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
d. Transition Support for All updated 2026

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
b.A Year of Transition - Preschool updated 2026

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
suporting subject leaders with integrating the early years - Search Videos

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Watch videos instantly on Bing-enjoy direct playback, discover related clips, and dive into trending content all in one place.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What does PE look like in the Early Years updated 2026

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What does Music look like in the Early Years updated 2026

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What does Reading look like in the Early Years updated 2026

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What does Science look like in the Early Years updated 2026

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What does Writing look like in the Early Years updated 2026