The EYFS progress check at age two: who, when and what to write

When a child is between two and three, the EYFS requires you to review their progress and give their parents a short written summary of their development in the three prime areas: communication and language; personal, social and emotional development; and physical development. The summary must say where the child is doing well, where they might need extra support, and any concern about possible developmental delay, and it must set out what you will do about it. The child’s key person usually leads, working with parents, and ideally the check feeds into the health visitor’s review at two to two and a half.

The requirement is the same in both frameworks: paragraphs 2.6 to 2.10 of the group and school-based framework, and 2.5 to 2.9 of the childminder framework. It applies in England only.

Why does the check exist?

It is the only statutory EYFS assessment before reception, and it falls at an age when a need for extra help often becomes clearer and early support can make a real difference. The DfE’s guidance names three purposes: partnership with parents, action for every child, and early identification. It is not a report card on the child, and it is not a test of your paperwork.

Who does the progress check?

The EYFS places the duty on practitioners. The DfE’s guidance says the child’s key person, who usually knows the child best, should take the lead. It should draw on:

• the key person’s own knowledge and professional judgement
• the child’s voice, through words, gestures or play
• the parents’ view, because they know their child best
• any other professionals involved, such as a health visitor or speech and language therapist

If a child attends more than one setting, the one where they spend most time is expected to do it.

When should it happen?

At any point between the second and third birthday. You must agree with parents when the most useful point is. The guidance suggests thinking about:

• How long the child has been with you. A key person needs time to know a child. A check two weeks after settling in tells you little.
• What is going on at home. Illness, a new sibling, a bereavement or a separation might be a reason to wait.
• Attendance. A child who comes one morning a week, or has been absent a lot, may need a later check.

Practical tip: plan it. Run a monthly list of children turning two and children approaching three without a completed check. The easiest failure to avoid is a child turning three with no check done.

What must the summary cover?

The EYFS says the written summary must:

1. Cover development in the prime areas.
2. Highlight where the child is progressing well.
3. Highlight where some additional support might be needed.
4. Focus particularly on any concern about developmental delay, which may indicate a special educational need or disability.
5. Describe what the setting will do to address any issue or concern, with parents and, where appropriate, other professionals such as your SENCo or the health visitor.

You must also discuss with parents how the summary can support learning at home.

Beyond the prime areas, what you include is your choice. Some settings add a line on the specific areas or on how the child learns. Keep it short.

What is not required?

The DfE’s guidance is clear that you do not need to tick off checkpoints, provide tracking data, or attach written or photographic observations. A brief, accurate overview is better than a long one. Development Matters checkpoints can prompt your thinking, but they are not a scoring system.

Why: the check is for the child and the family. If writing it takes the key person out of the room for an afternoon, the format is working against its purpose.

How does it link to the health visitor’s two-year review?

Separately from the EYFS check, the NHS Healthy Child Programme includes a health and development review at two to two and a half years (24 to 30 months), led by health visiting teams. Parents usually complete a questionnaire called the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) beforehand.

The EYFS says the two checks should, where possible, inform each other. Since 2015 the government has encouraged local authorities, health visitors and early years settings to work on integrated reviews. They vary by area: some share information, some hold a joint meeting with parents. The child’s Red Book, the personal child health record, is a common way to pass information between the two.

What you can and cannot do:

• Encourage parents to share your summary with their health visitor and with any new setting.
• Share directly with the health visitor only with the parents’ consent. Make it informed consent: the parent should know what is being shared, with whom and why.
• Ask your local authority whether there is an integrated review arrangement in your area. Practice differs from council to council.

What if you have a concern?

Say so, gently and clearly. The guidance recommends:

• Talk to your SENCo before the meeting, and plan what you will say.
• Meet somewhere private, at a time that suits the parents.
• Start by listening. Ask parents how they feel about their child’s development.
• Be specific about what you have noticed, with an example or two.
• Do not guess at diagnoses or labels. Only professionals with specialist training identify SEND.
• End with the child’s strengths, the next steps, and when you will talk again.

Plan support using the graduated approach: assess, plan, do, review. You do not need to wait for outside agencies before you start helping.

A form of words that works: “She is a confident climber and loves the book corner. We have noticed she is using fewer words than we would expect at this age. We would like to try some things here, share some ideas for home, and talk to you about asking the health visitor to have a look. How does that sound?”

A plain-English template structure

Use this as a skeleton. Keep each box to a few sentences. The prime areas are the only statutory content; the rest is here because it makes the check useful.

About this check

• Child’s name, date of birth, date of check, age in months
• Key person; setting; how long the child has attended and how often
• Home language(s)

What the parents told us

• What they are proud of, what they have noticed, and any worries

Communication and language

• What the child is doing now: understanding, words, putting words together, listening
• How we are supporting it here

Personal, social and emotional development

• Relationships with adults and children, managing feelings, growing independence
• How we are supporting it here

Physical development

• Moving, balance, hand skills, self-care such as feeding and toileting
• How we are supporting it here

Where your child is doing really well

Where some extra support might help

• Including any concern about possible delay, stated plainly

Our plan

• What we will do in the setting
• Ideas for home, agreed with the parents
• Anyone else we would like to involve, with the parents’ agreement
• Date we will look at this again

Parent’s comments

Sharing

• Parents’ consent to share directly with the health visitor: yes or no
• Reminder to add a copy to the Red Book or take it to the two-year health review

Give parents a copy, keep one on the child’s record, and put the agreed actions in place.

Will Ofsted look at progress checks?

Yes, in context. Ofsted’s operating guide says that when inspectors follow individual children closely, their evidence must include the progress check for children aged two. Ofsted also says it has no preferred method or format for assessment.