In June 2018, The Department for Education piloted a draft revised EYFS framework with draft ELGs in 24 randomly selected in England. Here, I compared the current ELGs to the Pilot ELGs.
The DfE have recently launched a consultation which includes details of proposed changes to the ELGs, with their intention being to introduce the revised framework on
a statutory basis from September 2021. You can view the consultation documents and full details of the changes here.
Click the links below for a goal by goal comparison of the current ELG to the pilot version and the proposed changes in the consultation document.
Prime areasCommunication and language |
Specific areasLiteracy |
Prime Areas
| Current ELG | Pilot version | Proposed ELGs | |
| Listening and attention/ Listening | · Children listen attentively in a range of situations.
· They listen to stories, accurately anticipating key events and respond to what they hear with relevant comments, questions or actions. · They give their attention to what others say and respond appropriately, while engaged in another activity. |
· Listen carefully and respond appropriately when being read to and during whole class and small group discussions
· Make comments about what they have heard and ask questions to clarify their understanding · Hold conversation when engaged in back-and-forth exchanges with their teacher and peers. |
Becomes ‘Listening, Attention and Understanding ELG’ |
| Understanding | · Children follow instructions involving several ideas or actions.
· They answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions about their experiences and in response to stories or events. |
Becomes ‘Listening, Attention and Understanding ELG’ | |
| Listening. Attention and Understanding | · Listen attentively and respond appropriately when being read to and during whole class discussions and small group interactions;
· Make comments about what they have heard and ask questions to clarify their understanding; · Hold conversation when engaged in back-and-forth exchanges with their teacher and peers. |
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| Speaking | · Children express themselves effectively, showing awareness of listeners’ needs.
· They use past, present and future forms accurately when talking about events that have happened or are to happen in the future. · They develop their own narratives and explanations by connecting ideas or events. |
· Participate in small group, class and 1-to-1 discussions, offering their own ideas, using new vocabulary.
· Offer explanations for why things might happen, making use of new vocabulary from stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems when appropriate. · Express their ideas using full sentences, with modelling and support from their teacher. |
Participate in small group, class and one-to-one discussions, offering their own ideas, using recently introduced vocabulary;
– Offer explanations for why things might happen, making use of recently introduced vocabulary from stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems when appropriate; – Express their ideas and feelings about their experiences using full sentences, including accurate use of past, present and future tenses and making use of conjunctions, with modelling and support from their teacher. |
| Current ELG | Pilot version | Proposed ELGs | |
| Moving and handling | · Children show good control and co-ordination in large and small movements.
· They move confidently in a range of ways, safely negotiating space. · They handle equipment and tools effectively, including pencils for writing. |
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| Health and self-care | · Children know the importance for good health of physical exercise, and a healthy diet, and talk about ways to keep healthy and safe.
· They manage their own basic hygiene and personal needs successfully, including dressing and going to the toilet independently. |
Becomes ‘Managing Self’ in PSED, see blow | |
| Gross Motor Skills | · Negotiate space and obstacles safely, with consideration for themselves and others.
· Demonstrate strength, balance and coordination. · Move energetically, such as running, jumping, dancing, hopping, skipping and climbing. |
·Negotiate space and obstacles safely, with consideration for themselves and others;
· Demonstrate strength, balance and coordination when playing; · Move energetically, such as running, jumping, dancing, hopping, skipping and climbing |
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| Fine Motor Skills | · Hold a pencil comfortably using the tripod grip.
· Use a range of small tools, including scissors, paintbrushes and cutlery. · Show accuracy and care when drawing and copying. |
· Hold a pencil effectively in preparation for fluent writing – using the tripod grip inalmost all cases;
·Use a range of small tools, including scissors, paint brushes and cutlery; · Begin to show accuracy and care when drawing. |
Personal, social and emotional development
| Current ELG | Pilot version | Proposed ELGs | |
| Self-confidence and self-awareness | · Children are confident to try new activities, and say why they like some activities more than others.
· They are confident to speak in a familiar group, will talk about their ideas, and will choose the resources they need for their chosen activities. · They say when they do or don’t need help. |
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| Managing feelings and behaviour | · Children talk about how they and others show feelings, talk about their own and others’ behaviour, and its consequences, and know that some behaviour is unacceptable.
· They work as part of a group or class, and understand and follow the rules. · They adjust their behaviour to different situations, and take changes of routine in their stride. |
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| Making relationships/ Building Relationships | · Children play co-operatively, taking turns with others.
· They take account of one another’s ideas about how to organise their activity. · They show sensitivity to others’ needs and feelings, and form positive relationships with adults and other children. |
· Work and play cooperatively and take turns with others.
· Form positive attachments and friendships. · Show sensitivities to others’ needs. |
·Work and play cooperatively and take turns with others;
· Form positive attachments to adults and friendships with peers; · Show sensitivity to their own and to others’ needs |
| Self-regulation | · Show an understanding of their own feelings and those of others, and regulate their behaviour accordingly.
· Have a positive sense of self and show resilience and perseverance in the face of challenge. · Pay attention to their teacher and follow multi-step instructions. |
· Show an understanding of their own feelings and those of others, and begin to regulate their behaviour accordingly;
· Set and work towards simple goals, being able to wait for what they want and control their immediate impulses when appropriate; ·Give focused attention to what the teacher says, responding appropriately even when engaged in activity, and show an ability to follow instructions involving several ideas or actions. |
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| Managing Self | · Manage their own basic hygiene and personal needs, including dressing and going to the toilet.
· Understand the importance of healthy food choices. · Explain the reasons for rules and know right from wrong. |
· Be confident to try new activities and show independence, resilience and perseverance in the face of challenge;
· Explain the reasons for rules, know right from wrong and try to behave accordingly; · Manage their own basic hygiene and personal needs, including dressing, going to the toilet and understanding the importance of healthy food choices. |
Specific areas
| Current ELG | Pilot version | Proposed ELGs | |
| Reading | · Children read and understand simple sentences.
· They use phonic knowledge to decode regular words and read them aloud accurately. · They also read some common irregular words. · They demonstrate understanding when talking with others about what they have read. |
Becomes ‘Comprehension’ and ‘Word Reading’ see below | |
| Writing | · Children use their phonic knowledge to write words in ways which match their spoken sounds.
· They also write some irregular common words. · They write simple sentences which can be read by themselves and others. · Some words are spelt correctly and others are phonetically plausible. |
· Write recognisable letters, most of which are correctly formed.
· Spell words by identifying sounds in them and representing the sounds with a letter or letters. · Write simple phrases and sentences that can be read by others. |
*As appears in the pilot.
· Write recognisable letters, most of which are correctly formed; · Spell words by identifying sounds in them and representing the sounds with a letter or letters; · Write simple phrases and sentences that can be read by others. |
| Comprehension | · Demonstrate understanding of what they have read and has been read to them by retelling stories and narratives using their own words and new vocabulary.
· Anticipate – where appropriate – key events in stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems. · Use new vocabulary during discussions about stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems and during role-play |
· Demonstrate understanding of what has been read to them by retelling stories and narratives using their own words and recently introduced vocabulary;
· Anticipate – where appropriate – key events in stories; · Use and understand recently introduced vocabulary during discussions about stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems and during role-play |
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| Word Reading | – Say a sound for each letter in the alphabet and at least 10 digraphs;
– Read words consistent with their phonic knowledge by sound-blending; – Read aloud simple sentences and books that are consistent with their phonic knowledge, including common exception words |
*As appears in the pilot
– Say a sound for each letter in the alphabet and at least 10 digraphs; – Read words consistent with their phonic knowledge by sound-blending; – Read aloud simple sentences and books that are consistent with their phonic knowledge, including some common exception words |
Mathematics
| Current ELG | Pilot version | Proposed ELGs | |
| Numbers/ Number | · Children count reliably with numbers from 1 to 20, place them in order and say which number is one more or one less than a given number.
· Using quantities and objects, they add and subtract two single-digit numbers and count on or back to find the answer. · They solve problems, including doubling, halving and sharing. |
· Have an understanding of number to 10, linking names of numbers, numerals, their value, and their position in the counting order.
· Subitise (recognise quantities without counting) up to 5. · Automatically recall number bonds for numbers 0-5 and for 10, including corresponding partitioning facts. |
· Have a deep understanding of number to 10, including the composition of each number;
· Subitise (recognise quantities without counting) up to 5; · Automatically recall (without reference to rhymes, counting or other aides) number bonds up to 5 (including subtraction facts) and some number bonds to 10, including double facts. |
| Shape, space and measures | · Children use everyday language to talk about size, weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money to compare quantities and objects and to solve problems.
· They recognise, create and describe patterns. ·They explore characteristics of everyday objects and shapes and use mathematical language to describe them. |
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| Numerical Patterns | · Automatically recall double facts up to 5+5.
· Compare sets of objects up to 10 in different contexts, considering size and difference. · Explore patterns of numbers within numbers up to 10, including evens and odds. |
· Count confidently beyond 20, recognising the pattern of the counting system;
· Compare sets of objects up to 10 in different contexts, considering size and difference; · Explore and represent patterns within numbers up to 10, including evens and odds, double facts and how quantities can be distributed equally |
| Current ELG | Pilot version | Proposed ELGs | |
| People and communities/ People, Culture and Communities | · Children talk about past and present events in their own lives and in the lives of family members.
· They know that other children don’t always enjoy the same things, and are sensitive to this. · They know about similarities and differences between themselves and others, and among families, communities and traditions. |
· Describe their immediate environment using knowledge from observation, discussion, stories, non-fiction texts and maps.
· Know some similarities and differences between different religious and cultural communities in this country, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class. · Explain some similarities and differences between life in this country and life in other countries, drawing on knowledge from stories, non-fiction texts and – when appropriate – maps. |
*As appears in the pilot.
· Describe their immediate environment using knowledge from observation, discussion, stories, non-fiction texts and maps; · Know some similarities and differences between different religious and cultural communities in this country, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class; – Explain some similarities and differences between life in this country and life in other countries, drawing on knowledge from stories, non-fiction texts and – when appropriate – maps. |
| The world/The Natural World | · Children know about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things.
· They talk about the features of their own immediate environment and how environments might vary from one another. · They make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur, and talk about changes. |
· Explore the natural world around them, making observations and drawing pictures of animals and plants.
· Know some similarities and differences between the natural world around them and contrasting environments, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class. · Understand the effect of the changing seasons on the natural world around them. |
· Explore the natural world around them, making observations and drawing pictures of animals and plants;
· Know some similarities and differences between the natural world around them and contrasting environments, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class; · Understand some important processes and changes in the natural world around them, including the seasons and changing states of matter. |
| Technology | · Children recognise that a range of technology is used in places such as homes and schools.
· They select and use technology for particular purposes. |
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| Past and Present | ·Talk about the lives of the people around them and their roles in society;
· Know some similarities and differences between things in the past and now, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class; · Recall some important narratives, characters and figures from the past encountered in books read in class. |
| Current ELG | Pilot version | Proposed ELGs | |
| Exploring and using media and materials/ Creating with Materials | · Children sing songs, make music and dance, and experiment with ways of changing them.
· They safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function. |
· Draw and paint using a range of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function.
·Share their creations, explaining the process they have used. · Make use of props and materials when role-playing characters in narratives and stories. |
*As appears in the pilot.
· Draw and paint using a range of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function; · Share their creations, explaining the process they have used; · Make use of props and materials when role playing characters in narratives and stories |
| Being imaginative | · Children use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about uses and purposes.
· They represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology, art, music, dance, role-play and stories. |
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| Performing | · Sing a range of well-known nursery rhymes and songs.
· Perform songs, rhymes, poems and stories with others, and – when appropriate – move in time with music. · Co-construct, invent, adapt and recount narratives and stories with peers and their teacher. |
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| · Invent, adapt and recount narratives and stories with peers and their teacher;
·Sing a range of well known nursery rhymes and songs; · Perform songs, rhymes, poems and stories with others, and – when appropriate – try to move in time with music. |
READ TEACH LEARN THINK 