Support for early years providers

There are three statutory assessment points for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS):

1. The integrated review (progress check at age 2)
2. Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) - an online assessment submitted by teachers to the DfE in the first 6 weeks of school
3. The Early Years Foundation Stage Profile

Assessment at the end of the EYFS - the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP)

Each child's level of development is assessed against 17 early learning goals (ELGs) across all 7 areas of learning in the EYFS:

• Communication and language
• Personal, social and emotional development
• Physical development
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts and design

How are the assessments quality assured?

Anyone with responsibility for assessing, reporting or moderating the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile should use the latest EYFS Profile handbook.

The handbook gives guidance to help professionals complete and moderate EYFS Profile judgements, so outcomes are accurate and consistent across all early years' settings.

Moderation of EYFS Profile assessments should be a collaborative process with colleagues. This supports the quality assurance of teacher assessment judgements and provides a valuable opportunity for professional development.

In addition, the council provides a range of sessions to support with the completion of the EYFS Profile. These sessions will explain the statutory requirements of the profile as well as highlighting key aspects of the latest EYFS Profile handbook. They will also provide teachers with an opportunity to engage in professional dialogue and moderation conversations to build confidence in making accurate end of year assessment judgements. See our schools training page for details about the sessions.

Further information

• Early Years Foundation Stage Profile 2024 Handbook - GOV.UK
• Exemptions from the EYFS for providers and individual children - GOV.UK
• Early Years Foundation Stage: exemplification materials - GOV.UK

• Early Years Foundation Stage Profile - slides to vodcast (pdf)
• Completing the EYFS Profile for children with SEND - Foundation Years
• Frequently asked questions on the EYFS Profile - Foundation Years

Who carries out the assessment?

It is usually undertaken by reception teachers, but on rare occasions could be undertaken in other settings.

What happens to the assessments?

The primary 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 or not yet reaching expected levels ('emerging'). They may also choose to provide a short commentary on how the child demonstrates the three characteristics of effective learning.

At the end of the EYFS, teachers must provide parents and/or carers with a written report summarising their child's EYFS Profile results and offer them the opportunity to discuss this with the teacher.

Early years providers must report EYFS Profile results to the council if we request it. We are under a duty to return this data to the relevant government department.

When does the assessment take place?

In the final term of the year in which the child reaches age 5. No later than 30 June in that term.