Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) space requirements consultation is now open
Update from the DfE:
As we get more children ready for school at age 5, we are exploring new ways to help providers offer more high-quality childcare places for families, that include access to outdoor space. Evidence shows the huge benefits of outdoor play to children from improved problem solving to mental and physical health. Yet currently, the government’s early years framework requires provision of outdoor play but only formally recognises indoor space in its requirements for how many children nurseries and childcare providers can take on at any one time.
On 12 May, the government launched its “space requirements in early years childcare settings” consultation, which runs until 11 July and is available at: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/space-requirements-in-early-years-childcare-settings-in-england.www.gov.uk/government/consultations/space-requirements-in-early-years-childcare-settings-in-england.
The consultation is seeking views on whether to introduce flexibility into the EYFS that will allow free-flow outdoor space to be included in the indoor space requirements, with a possible cap on the number of additional places that can be offered. The government is also seeking feedback on the proposed definition of “free-flow”.
This consultation has been launched because early years providers expressed a desire for these rules to be updated. To meet forecasted demands for the expanded entitlements, we estimate an additional 60,000 new places are required between September 2024 and September 2025, and one of the barriers to expanding childcare is physical space. In the department’s Pulse surveys of childcare and early years providers, November 2023, 70% of providers who responded said they would make better use of their outdoor space if more flexibility was introduced.
We want to hear from as many people as possible to inform a decision on what to do next. Please complete the online consultation survey and encourage providers and parents in your local area to complete the survey too.
The Department for Education (DfE) have made changes to the safeguarding requirements of the EYFS that are statutory from 1st September 2025. There are two updated statutory requirements, one specific to childminders and one specific to group based early years settings. In alignment with this, the Early Years Team have developed two Safeguarding Self-Assessment and Evaluation Audit… Continue reading Early Years: Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Safeguarding Reforms 2025
From 1 September 2025, the updated (EYFS) Safeguarding Reforms will become statutory for all registered Early Years providers. To support this transition, providers are expected to use the ‘Safeguarding Self-Evaluation Tool 2025′. This tool helps embed the 2025 safeguarding reforms into daily practice, supports leadership and management self-evaluation, and aligns with the new Ofsted inspection framework. We invite all… Continue reading EY: Early Years Safeguarding Reforms 2025: Using the ‘H&F Self-Evaluation Tool’
