A Quick Guide for Early Years Practitioners and Settings

From September 2025, the updated Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework for England will take effect. These changes are evolutionary rather than revolutionary, but they matter. They prioritise professional autonomy, children’s emotional and physical well-being, and more consistent safeguarding practices.

This guide outlines some of the most relevant updates for group-based and school-based providers (such as nurseries and reception classes). While the full framework also includes changes for childminders, this post focuses specifically on settings with larger teams and more structured provisions.

Whether you are a nursery manager, a Reception teacher, or an early years educator working in group settings, staying informed is key, not just for compliance, but for building safe, developmentally informed, and inclusive environments for children to thrive.

This post outlines the key updates introduced in the 2025 framework, explaining their significance and implications for group-based and school-based providers.

1. Safer Recruitment and Suitability Procedures

📌 Reference: Section 3, Paragraph 3.6

The updated EYFS explicitly requires settings to follow clear suitability procedures for new staff. This procedure includes collecting and verifying references as part of your recruitment process and documenting these procedures in your safeguarding policy.

🎯 What this means in practice:

Many of us already follow best practice here, but now it is a statutory expectation. If your setting relies on agency staff, students, or volunteers, it is time to double-check your paperwork. Strong recruitment is the foundation of safeguarding.

2. Safeguarding Training

📌 Reference: Section 3, Paragraph 3.6 + Annexe A

The new framework introduces a training annexe that outlines not just what safeguarding training must be delivered, but also how practitioners are supported to apply it in practice.

🎯 What this means in practice:

Attending a safeguarding session just once a year is not sufficient. The EYFS now asks settings to reflect on how training turns into confident action. That includes in-the-moment responses, reflective supervision, and real conversations in staff meetings.

3. Whistleblowing Policies

📌 Reference: Section 3, Paragraphs 3.7–3.8

For the first time, the EYFS now includes the term whistleblowing and requires all settings to have policies and procedures in place for staff to raise concerns safely.

🎯 What this means in practice:

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility — and that includes protecting staff who speak up. Your team needs to know what to report and how, and that they will be supported when they do.

4. Child Absence Monitoring + Emergency Contacts

📌 Reference: Section 3, Paragraphs 3.11–3.12

Settings are now required to follow up on prolonged child absences and maintain up-to-date emergency contact details (at least two per child).

🎯 What this means in practice:

Again, this may not be new in practice, but it is now a statutory expectation. We must treat attendance and absence as a safeguarding concern, not just an admin task.

5. Reference Checks for Staff

📌 Reference: Section 3, Paragraphs 3.20–3.21

This change connects to the earlier point on safer recruitment but reiterates the importance of obtaining two professional references for every new staff member, including volunteers and trainees.

🎯 What this means in practice:

Even if someone comes highly recommended, the DfE wants every setting to show documented evidence. Keep your safer recruitment checklist tight — it is not just about policy, it is about protection.

6. First Aid and Staff Ratios

📌 Reference: Section 3, Paragraph 3.38

Staff who qualified via the experience-based route at Level 3 must now hold a valid Paediatric First Aid (PFA) certificate to be counted in the ratio. This applies even to volunteers or students.

🎯 What this means in practice:

This update clarifies that PFA is not optional for Level 3 experience-based staff. Settings must ensure that training sessions are scheduled and that certifications are up to date. It is a small administrative ask for a big safety return.

7. Safer Eating Requirements

📌 Reference: Section 3, Paragraphs 3.63–3.70

One of the most detailed new sections covers safer eating procedures, including:

• Allergy risk management
• Seating arrangements
• Choking prevention
• Trained adult supervision at all mealtimes

🎯 What this means in practice:

Mealtimes are not a break — they are high-risk moments. This section requests that the settings be proactive. Allergy plans must be in place and understood by staff. Choking prevention is not about panic — it is about preparation.

8. Toileting & Intimate Hygiene Privacy

📌 Reference: Section 3, Paragraph 3.86

The EYFS now requires settings to consider privacy while supporting children with toileting, nappy changes, and personal care, balancing this with their safeguarding and developmental needs.

🎯 What this means in practice:

A reminder that dignity matters, even for the youngest children. Think about your physical environment — where changes happen, who can see, and how children are supported with respect.

✨ Final Thoughts

The EYFS 2025 changes are not about reinventing the wheel. But they do reflect a deeper trust in professionals to take ownership of safeguarding practice and respond to children’s emotional and physical well-being with clarity and care.

This is not merely about compliance; it is an opportunity to reflect, review, and adjust some of our daily practices to align with both best practices and legal requirements.

As we approach September 2025, let’s seize this transition as an opportunity. Engage with your team. Review your routines together. Go through the updated framework collectively. Allow the changes to spark conversation, and turn conversation into action.

📣 Stay Connected

I will publish more resources and reflections as we approach implementation. Let me know: What changes do you feel prepared for? Which ones require the biggest shift?

📝 Free printable checklist:
I have created a simple PDF version of the 2025 EYFS Changes Checklist so you can keep it handy in your setting. Download it below and share it with your team.