EYFS
Early Years Foundation Stage: the curriculum framework covering education from birth to the end of Reception.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the curriculum and welfare framework covering education from birth to the end of Reception (age 5).
Every Ofsted-regulated nursery, childminder and Reception class follows EYFS. It defines:
- Seven areas of learning (communication, physical development, personal/social/emotional, literacy, maths, understanding the world, expressive arts)
- A set of Early Learning Goals assessed at the end of Reception
- Safeguarding and welfare standards every setting must meet
At the end of Reception, teachers complete the EYFS Profile for each child, scoring them as "emerging" or "expected" against the goals. This is reported to parents and to the local authority but isn’t used in school league tables.
EYFS matters when choosing a primary school: it’s your child’s first contact with school routines, and a strong EYFS team makes a significant difference to how they settle.
Related guides