TheEarly Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the statutory framework forearly years education inEngland, or, as stated on theUK government website: "The standards that school and childcare providers must meet for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5". The term was defined in theBritish government'sChildcare Act 2006.[1] The equivalents inWales andScotland are theFoundation Phase and theEarly Years Framework.
The EYFS has been periodically updated since its introduction. The latest version was published in October 2024 for implementation in November 2024. This framework consists of three sections: The Learning and Development Requirements, Assessment and The Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements.[2]
All pupils in the Early Years must follow a programme of education in seven areas, divided into 'prime areas' and 'specific areas'.[3]
The three prime areas:
The four specific areas: