How to review your Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) policy

Policy requirements for schools with EYFS settings

If your school has an EYFS setting, you're required to have some additional policies and procedures on top of those required for all schools.

However, you don't need separate policies to cover these additional requirements if they're already met in other policies (as explained on page 22 of the EYFS framework).

This table sets out the additional requirements, and where they're often covered:

What this policy needs to do 

If your school doesn't cover the topics above in other policies, you need to make sure they're covered in the EYFS policy.

You could also look out for the following points, which are often set out in EYFS policies:

• What the policy aims to achieve
• The structure of your EYFS setting, e.g. which years/ages are covered 
• An overview of your EYFS curriculum, including details on planning and teaching
• How your school assesses EYFS learning and development 
• How your school works with parents and carers, for example how it keeps them up to date on their child's progress and development 
• Cross-references to the other policies that fulfil the EYFS policy requirements 

3 key questions to challenge the policy 

You need to ask challenging questions when the policy comes to you for approval, so you can satisfy yourself that the policy-reviewing process was robust.

1. What's changed in this most recent update, and why? 

Your policy should be based on the statutory framework for the EYFS, the latest version of which is in force from September 2023 (although with small changes in January 2024).

If it covers safeguarding and child protection issues, it also needs to be in line with:

• Keeping children safe in education
• Prevent duty guidance
• Working together to safeguard children

Check with your school leaders that the policy reflects the latest version of any relevant guidance.

Also ask about any new best practice that your school leaders have learned through their professional-development activities, and how they're reflected in the current policy.

2. How are we meeting all of the EYFS policy requirements? 

You need to make sure your school is meeting all of the requirements set out in the table in section 1 above. 

If they're not featured in this policy, ask your school leaders to show you evidence of where the requirements are being met in other policies. 

3. Does this policy reflect our school and EYFS setting? 

The policy should be tailored to reflect your school’s context and EYFS setting (e.g. size and phase).

It should be adapted to your specific context with regards to curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment.

You might want to ask:

• How does this policy support different pupil groups in the EYFS in our school? (For example, pupils with special educational needs and disabilities)
• How was our early years curriculum designed? 

Also, be sure that it reflects any changes over the past year to your:

• School/nursery staff
• Pupil numbers or characteristics
• School improvement priorities

Further questions

See more questions to ask when reviewing any policy.

Take a look at a model policy

This model document, from our sister service The Key, is not meant as a guide for writing it, as that's your school leaders' job. Use it to give you a sense of what a good policy looks like. 

It covers the more general aspects of EYFS provision, such as curriculum and working with parents/carers, and cross-references with other policies where appropriate.

Model policy: Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

Approved by Forbes Solicitors, all of our model documents take account of relevant requirements and good practice. They are easy to adapt, will save your school time and help it keep compliant.

For more model policies and complete policy support, see our policy bank.

Please note: This model policy is aimed primarily at maintained schools and academies, but can be adapted to suit any school. If your senior leadership team wishes to use the policy in a different type of setting – for example, a non-maintained special school – we recommend that they check it against any requirements or considerations specific to their context and adapt it accordingly.

See examples of school EYFS policies

Summercroft Primary School, an academy in Hertfordshire, has an early years policy which includes information on its:

• Curriculum
• Assessment
• Inclusion arrangements
• Parental involvement
• Support for children at times of transition
• Safety and welfare procedures

North Westminster Federation, a 2-school federation in Westminster, has an EYFS policy which includes information on its:

• Aims of the policy
• Curriculum
• Planning and observations
• Assessment methods
• Working with parents and carers
• Monitoring of the EYFS