Early years foundation stage: exemplification materials
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-08)

To support teachers in making early years foundation stage profile (EYFSP) judgements.

Using these materials

These exemplification materials are to support teachers in assessing children’s development at the end of the early years foundation stage (EYFS).

They show teachers using their professional judgement and knowledge of the child’s overall development to make EYFSP judgements. These conversations help to support a successful transition to key stage 1.

There’s no requirement for you to use these materials. All statutory requirements regarding the EYFSP are set out in the EYFSP handbook (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-profile-handbook).

Although each example only focuses on certain areas of learning, you must assess all early learning goals for each child in your class.

You should also read the supporting information (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68bae6e811b4ded2da19fec2/Early_years_foundation_stage_profile_assessment_supporting_information_for_case_study_videos.pdf) (PDF, 232 KB, 3 pages) for these videos.

Case study materials

Case study 1

Case study 1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBezT4JZCZk)

This case study focuses on:
- communication and language
- literacy
It shows the impact of promoting communication and language in the classroom, and how there’s been positive outcomes from grouping different areas of learning together.

Case study 2

Case study 2 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du9qAsOOs_Y)

This case study is about child who met the early learning goals in all areas, but focuses on:
- communication and language
- mathematics
It shows how he has been supported with ambitious vocabulary teaching after starting school with no spoken language.

Case study 3

Case study 3 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5FmcQ5iJs4)

This case study is about a child with English as an additional language who meets the early learning goals in:
- communication and language
- mathematics
The teacher uses their knowledge of the child to discuss their stage of development, without the need for extensive recorded evidence.

Case study 4

Case study 4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-Q5P97D_aQ)

This case study is about a child with English as an additional language who meets the expected standard in all areas. It focuses on:
- communication and language
- expressive arts and design
It shows how the focus on communication and language has allowed the child’s speaking and vocabulary to develop. It also shows how the teachers use their knowledge and understanding of what the child knows to assess her attainment in other related areas of learning.

Case study 5

Case study 5 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ96L6uQvZM)

This case study is about a child who meets the early learning goals in:
- personal, social, and emotional development
- understanding the world
It shows how the teachers work together and use their knowledge of the child to make a plan to help her reach the expected level of development.

Case study 6

Case study 6 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtSTpie78xc)

This case study focuses on:
- communication and language
- personal, social, and emotional development
It discusses how the child has made progress in his spoken skills and vocabulary by using the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme (https://www.teachneli.org/sign-up-for-neli/).

Case study 7

Case study 7 (https://youtu.be/p88YrkCpnBk)

This case study is about:
- personal, social and emotional development
- understanding the world
The child is emerging in self-regulation and has met the expected level of development in the other early learning goals discussed.

It shows the importance of understanding the child’s circumstances at home and at school.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the following schools for their help in making these materials:
- Horn’s Mill Primary School in Cheshire
- Vicarage Primary in East Ham
- Claremont Primary School in Tunbridge Wells
- Mount Stewart Infant School in Harrow
- John Harrison Church of England Primary in Barrow upon Humber
- Langford Primary in Fulham
- Margaret McMillan Primary School in Bradford