This article has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council's Early Years Advisory Teacher, Karen Loft, for the attention of all Early Years and Childcare Practitioners.
The Department for Education (DfE) has launched a new consultation on Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) floor space requirements.
At present, section 3 of the EYFS for both group and school-based providers, and childminders states that providers are required to meet the following indoor spaces requirements:
- 3.5m2 per child under two years
- 2.5m2 per two-year-old
- 2.3m2 per child aged between three and five years
The consultation is seeking views on whether or not ‘free-flow’ outdoor areas should be able to be included in floor space measurements for children aged two years and above.
For an outdoor area to be defined as ‘free-flow’, doors to the outdoor area would need to always be open, with the outdoor area accessible to children at all time. Children would need to “have safe access in all weathers including having adequate shelter and shade" and "the area must be suitably equipped to meet the health, safety, wellbeing, learning and development needs of all children".
The consultation confirms that if any changes to floor space requirements are taken forward, early years providers will still be required to meet the minimum staff-to-child ratios in the EYFS statutory frameworks.
The options presented in the consultation are:
- Option 1: Including ‘free-flow’ outdoor space in the EYFS space requirements without a cap to allow providers with the physical structure to meet the definition of ‘free flow’ outdoor space to increase the number of children in their setting.
- Option 2: Including ‘free-flow’ outdoor space in the EYFS space requirements with a cap to mitigate potential risks around overcrowding.
The DfE is not proposing a specific cap level but states that, for example, the consultation states that "with a 10% cap, a setting with a maximum capacity of 80 children ... could take 8 additional children (provided that the additional useable free-flow space is large enough to meet the required space measurements for the additional number of children)".
The Department has confirmed that option 2 is their preferred option.
The consultation also asks respondents to share any alternative ideas on how the government might change the indoor space requirements. Respondents also have the option to state their preference for floor space requirements to remain as they are.
The consultation will run until 11 July 2025, with the government expected to provide a response in autumn 2025.