Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework
The standards that school and childcare providers must meet for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5.
- From:
- Department for Education
- Published
- 31 March 2014
- Last updated
-
114NovemberJuly20242025 — See all updates
Applies to England
Documents
EYFS statutory framework for childminders (effective until 31 August 2025)
PDF, 426 KB, 44 pages
EYFS statutory framework for childminders (effective from 1 September 2025)
PDF, 622 KB, 50 pages
EYFS framework for group and school-based providers (effective from 1 September 2025)
PDF, 683 KB, 55 pages
Details
There are 2 statutory EYFS frameworks:
- EYFS statutory framework for childminders
- EYFS statutory framework for group and school-based providers
Providers are responsible for ensuring they follow the current version of the framework for their provider type.
The new versions of the EYFS frameworks will come into force from 1 September 2025.
The EYFS framework:
- sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well
- ensures children are kept healthy and safe
- ensures children have the knowledge and skills they need to start school
It also includes early years qualification requirements and standards.
Help for early years providers and childminders working with 0- to 5-year-olds is available.
Further supporting materials for settings and practitioners are available on the Foundation Years website.
Details
There are 2 statutory EYFS frameworks:
- EYFS statutory framework for childminders
- EYFS statutory framework for group and school-based providers
Providers are responsible for ensuring they follow the current version of the framework for their provider type.
The new versions of the EYFS frameworks will come into force from 1 September 2025.
The EYFS framework:
- sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well
- ensures children are kept healthy and safe
- ensures children have the knowledge and skills they need to start school
It also includes early years qualification requirements and standards.
Help for early years providers and childminders working with 0- to 5-year-olds is available.
Further supporting materials for settings and practitioners are available on the Foundation Years website.
Updates to this page
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Update history
2025-09-01 14:23
New versions of the frameworks have come into force. We first published these for information in July. The requirements on providers have not changed from those original versions.
2025-08-26 16:27
Added link to ‘Early years employment reference template’.
2025-07-14 09:30
Added a new version of ‘EYFS statutory framework for childminders’ and ‘EYFS statutory framework group and school-based providers’. The new versions are effective from 1 September 2025. Until then, the current frameworks apply.
2024-11-01 09:30
Removed ‘EYFS statutory framework for childminders (effective until 1 November 2024)’ and ‘EYFS statutory framework for group and school-based providers (effective until 1 November 2024)’.
2024-10-16 11:04
We have clarified that the ‘Childminder EYFS Framework’ applies to childminders both with, and without, domestic premises. We have also confirmed that childminders who are registered without domestic premises need to inform parents and carers that they cannot provide any provision from domestic premises (unless they hold a separate domestic premises registration for the specific premises). On the ‘EYFS statutory framework for group and school-based providers’ we have clarified the qualification requirements for staff counting in the level 6 staff:child ratios in early years settings. Minor changes to both frameworks include clarifications to existing policy, spelling and grammar.
2024-01-19 16:02
Clarified wording in paragraphs 3.11, 3.61, 3.64 and 3.67 in the framework for childminders and paragraphs 3.40, 3.41, 3.62 in the framework for groups and schools. Some paragraph numbers have been updated to reflect these changes and other minor formatting amendments and link corrections have been made.
2024-01-09 16:03
Updated the 2 statutory framework documents to clarify providers’ responsibilities on paediatric first aid training. In the framework for childminders we have also edited paragraph 3.24, in the section on training, support and skills.
2024-01-04 10:00
Removed ‘Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (applies until 3 January 2024)’ and amended the text to reflect this.
2023-12-19 14:25
Added summaries of changes from the September 2023 guidance to the January 2024 guidance.
2023-12-08 13:38
Added the ‘EYFS statutory framework for childminders’ and the ‘EYFS statutory framework for group and school-based providers’. You should use these documents from 4 January 2024.
2023-09-04 09:30
Updated to highlight that the new statutory framework for the early years foundation stage applies from 4 September 2023. Removed the previous version.
2023-07-12 09:30
Added new version of ‘Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage’ which applies from 4 September 2023. The following 3 changes will apply: the current statutory minimum staff:child ratios in England for 2-year-olds changes from 1:4 to 1:5; childminders can care for more than the specified maximum of three young children if they are caring for siblings of children they already care for, or if the childminder is caring for their own child; clarifying that ‘adequate supervision’ while children are eating means that children must be within sight and hearing of an adult.
2021-03-31 11:24
Added a new statutory framework for the early years foundation stage which applies from 1 September 2021. Until then, the current framework applies.