Where the early learning goals come from
The ELGs are set by the Department for Education in the Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage. The current goals date from the September 2021 reforms, which kept 17 goals but rewrote their wording and content, and removed the "exceeding" judgement. Every registered early years setting in England, including childminders, nurseries, pre-schools and school reception classes, must follow the framework. Ofsted inspects against it.
Only reception teachers complete the EYFS Profile. Nursery and pre-school practitioners, including anyone holding or working towards a Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification, work with the same seven areas but assess children against the educational programmes and their own professional judgement, not the ELGs.
The 17 early learning goals by area of learning
| Area of learning | Type | Early learning goal |
|---|---|---|
| Communication and Language | Prime | 1. Listening, Attention and Understanding |
| Communication and Language | Prime | 2. Speaking |
| Personal, Social and Emotional Development | Prime | 3. Self-Regulation |
| Personal, Social and Emotional Development | Prime | 4. Managing Self |
| Personal, Social and Emotional Development | Prime | 5. Building Relationships |
| Physical Development | Prime | 6. Gross Motor Skills |
| Physical Development | Prime | 7. Fine Motor Skills |
| Literacy | Specific | 8. Comprehension |
| Literacy | Specific | 9. Word Reading |
| Literacy | Specific | 10. Writing |
| Mathematics | Specific | 11. Number |
| Mathematics | Specific | 12. Numerical Patterns |
| Understanding the World | Specific | 13. Past and Present |
| Understanding the World | Specific | 14. People, Culture and Communities |
| Understanding the World | Specific | 15. The Natural World |
| Expressive Arts and Design | Specific | 16. Creating with Materials |
| Expressive Arts and Design | Specific | 17. Being Imaginative and Expressive |
Three prime areas carry seven goals; four specific areas carry ten. The prime areas are the ones practitioners focus on first with babies and toddlers because the specific areas depend on them.
What each goal expects, in one line
| Goal | A child at the expected level can... |
|---|---|
| Listening, Attention and Understanding | Listen attentively, respond with relevant questions and comments, and follow instructions with several ideas |
| Speaking | Talk in well-formed sentences, use new vocabulary and explain their thinking |
| Self-Regulation | Understand their own and others' feelings, wait for what they want and follow instructions |
| Managing Self | Be confident to try new things, manage basic hygiene and personal needs, and explain simple rules |
| Building Relationships | Work and play cooperatively, form positive attachments and show sensitivity to others |
| Gross Motor Skills | Move safely and confidently, negotiating space and showing strength, balance and coordination |
| Fine Motor Skills | Hold a pencil with a tripod grip, use small tools and begin to show care in drawing |
| Comprehension | Retell stories using their own words and recently learned vocabulary, and anticipate key events |
| Word Reading | Say a sound for each letter, read words by blending sounds and read simple sentences |
| Writing | Write recognisable letters, spell words by identifying sounds and write simple phrases others can read |
| Number | Have a deep understanding of numbers to 10, subitise to 5 and recall number bonds to 5 |
| Numerical Patterns | Count beyond 20, compare quantities and explore patterns such as odds, evens and doubles |
| Past and Present | Talk about the lives of people around them and understand the past through settings and stories |
| People, Culture and Communities | Describe their environment and know some similarities and differences between communities |
| The Natural World | Explore the natural world, draw plants and animals and understand seasons and changing states |
| Creating with Materials | Safely use tools, materials and techniques, experiment with colour, design and form |
| Being Imaginative and Expressive | Retell narratives, sing songs and move in time to music, performing with others |
These are summaries. The statutory wording is longer and is what reception teachers assess against; check it in the framework before using it in planning documents.
How the ELGs are assessed: the EYFS Profile
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who completes it | The reception teacher, for every child in the final term of the year they turn five |
| When | Summer term of reception; results go to the local authority by the end of June |
| Judgements | "Expected" or "Emerging" for each of the 17 goals; there is no "exceeding" judgement since 2021 |
| Good level of development (GLD) | Expected in all 12 goals across the prime areas, Literacy and Mathematics |
| National GLD rate | Around two thirds of children reach GLD each year (check DfE statistics for the latest figure) |
| Evidence | Teacher knowledge of the child; no requirement for written evidence or test papers |
| Moderation | Local authorities moderate a sample of schools each year |
ELGs versus Development Matters and Birth to 5 Matters
The ELGs are statutory. Development Matters (DfE) and Birth to 5 Matters (Early Years Coalition) are non-statutory curriculum guidance that settings may choose to use. They describe the typical learning journey from birth that leads towards the goals, which is why nursery practitioners use them far more than the ELGs themselves. A Level 3 practitioner is expected to understand both: the goals as the destination, the guidance as the route.
Why the goals matter for a Level 3 qualification
Every Ofqual-regulated Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification, including the TQUK diploma Lift College delivers online, assesses your knowledge of the EYFS areas of learning, how children progress towards the early learning goals and how to plan next steps. Knowing the 17 goals and the seven areas is also what interviewers test when you apply for a room leader or key person role. For the staffing side of the framework, see our EYFS ratios and qualification requirements table; for a plain-English overview start with what the EYFS framework is.
Frequently asked questions
How many early learning goals are there?
Are the early learning goals assessed in nursery?
What is a good level of development?
Do childminders have to use the early learning goals?
Do I need a qualification to work towards the early learning goals?
Sources
- Department for Education, Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (group and childminder editions), gov.uk
- Department for Education, Early years foundation stage profile handbook, gov.uk
- Department for Education, Development Matters, gov.uk
- DfE, Early years foundation stage profile results, explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk