Statutory Framework for the EYFS

The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage is a set of standards which all early years providers must meet to make sure children are given the optimum opportunity to progress and develop, in a safe and healthy environment. The framework is mandatory for all early years providers in England.

It is used to provide the foundation for effective future education, through teaching and learning, and to help ease the transition between early years and school.

Ofsted and inspectorates of independent schools have regard to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in carrying out inspections and report on the quality and standards of provision. Ofsted may issue actions in respect of any failure to meet a requirement in the document and/or may issue a welfare requirements notice. It is an offence for a provider to fail to comply with a welfare requirements notice.

Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) (2023) 
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The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage aims to improve early years professionals' ability to promote child learning and development without unnecessary regulation and administration. The framework is the core document for all professionals working in the foundation stage, the framework gives parents the confidence that regardless of where they choose for their child's early education, they can be assured that the same statutory commitments and principles will underpin their child's learning and development experience.

The EYFS seeks to provide:

  • quality and consistency in all early years settings, so that every child makes good progress and no child gets left behind
  • a secure foundation through planning for the learning and development of each individual child, and assessing and reviewing what they have learned regularly
  • partnership working between practitioners and with parents and/or carers
  • equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice, ensuring that every child is included and supported.

The EYFS specifies requirements for learning and development and for safeguarding children and promoting their welfare.

The learning and development requirements cover:

  • the areas of learning and development which must shape activities and experiences (educational programmes) for children in all early years settings
  • the early learning goals that providers must help children work towards (the knowledge, skills and understanding children should have at the end of the academic year in which they turn five)
  • assessment arrangements for measuring progress (and requirements for reporting to parents and/or carers.

The safeguarding and welfare requirements cover the steps that providers must take to keep children safe and promote their welfare.

The Education People offer a Strategic Improvement Visit that can be tailored to offer a range of strategies to support you in meeting the requirements of the statutory framework and your continuous improvement. This visit is suitable for both early years and out of school providers. A range of options are available that include, but are not limited to:

  • action planning
  • monitoring systems
  • policies and procedures
  • safeguarding and welfare requirements
  • Ofsted grade descriptors
  • workforce development
  • enabling environments, both inside and out
  • a range of audits, including the Sustained Shared Thinking and Emotional Wellbeing (SSTEW) audit.

For further information and to see the full range of the support and training we can offer please visit The Education People website