Main responsibilities
- Lead the EYFS curriculum across the seven areas of learning and development.
- Make sure the learning and development and safeguarding and welfare requirements of the EYFS framework are met.
- Organise the reception baseline assessment in the first six weeks and the EYFS profile in the summer term.
- Make sure every child has a key person (where the framework requires it) and that ratios, staff qualifications and paediatric first aid requirements are met.
- Work with parents and carers, including sharing profile results.
- Lead transition from nursery or home into reception, and from reception into year 1.
- Identify additional needs early and work with the SENCO.
Statutory duties and official sources
England. The EYFS statutory framework has a version for group and school-based providers; new versions came into force on 1 September 2026, with changes on safer sleep, a requirement to have regard to screen-use guidance, prohibiting childcare where banned dog breeds are present, and safeguarding clarifications.
- Complete the EYFS profile for each child in the final term of the year in which they turn five, no later than 30 June; assess against the early learning goals as "expected" or "emerging". Source: EYFS framework for group and school-based providers (September 2026), paragraphs 2.13–2.15.
- Give year 1 teachers a copy of the profile report; share results with parents and explain how to discuss them. Source: EYFS framework, paragraphs 2.16–2.17.
- Complete the profile for all children, including those with SEND, with reasonable adjustments. Source: EYFS framework, paragraph 2.20.
- Report profile results to the local authority on request. Source: EYFS framework, paragraph 2.21.
- Complete the reception baseline assessment for each child in the first six weeks after they enter reception. Source: EYFS framework, paragraph 2.12 and Annex B; Primary assessments: future dates; RBA administration guidance.
- A practitioner must be designated to take lead responsibility for safeguarding in every setting; in a school this is usually the school DSL. Source: EYFS framework, paragraph 3.4.
- Each child must be assigned a key person. Source: EYFS framework, paragraph 3.42.
- Providers must have regard to the screen-use guidance for early years settings. (New in 2026.) Source: EYFS framework, paragraph 3.94.
- Reception classes in maintained schools and academies are subject to infant class size legislation. Source: EYFS framework, paragraph 3.55.
- Where a school is subject to the EYFS, staff and volunteers must not begin work in the EYFS setting until the enhanced DBS certificate with barred list information is received. Source: KCSIE 2026, Part three (Annex C summary).
Further detail on the profile is in the DfE's EYFS profile handbook.
Key dates in the school year (2026 to 2027, England)
- 1 September 2026: EYFS framework (September 2026 versions) and KCSIE 2026 in force.
- First six weeks after each child starts reception: reception baseline assessment.
- 1 October 2026, 21 January 2027, 20 May 2027: census days (early years pupils are included) (census dates).
- April–June 2027: EYFS profile assessment; by 30 June 2027: profile completed (EYFS 2.13).
Common challenges and good practice
- Assessment workload. The profile must reflect practitioners' knowledge and professional judgement (2.14); it does not require evidence collection for its own sake.
- Reception in a school. Schools do not need separate EYFS policies where existing policies already meet EYFS requirements (3.5).
- Curriculum review. The government has said assessment arrangements for 2026 to 2027 remain unchanged while it reviews future arrangements after the Curriculum and Assessment Review (Primary assessments: future dates).
Common questions
- Is EYFS lead a TLR post? It is set locally; the STPCD allows a TLR where the paragraph 20 conditions are met.
