Early Years Audit Pack (2025)

Please note, this audit pack is underpinned by the School Inspection Toolkit and will suit maintained schools, academies, special schools, PRUs and AP with early years children on roll, and maintained nursery schools. It is not underpinned by the Early Years Inspection Toolkit and therefore will not support settings required to register on the Early Years Register (e.g. childminders, PVI nurseries , etc.)

Fully aligned with Ofsted's 2025 School Inspection Toolkit, this audit pack gives you a comprehensive set of editable tools to help you evaluate and improve your school's early years provision. Every document is designed to support strategic self-evaluation, save time and help you plan next steps with clarity.

You'll get:

☑️ Comprehensive 51-page editable Early Years Audit document This is the core audit tool, with structured reflection questions and prompts across seven key areas aligned to the 2025 Ofsted framework. It includes space to evaluate strengths, identify gaps and consider a wide range of evidence. The seven sections are:

1. Leadership of Early Years
2. Curriculum
3. Teaching
4. Achievement in Early Years
5. Well-being and Welfare in Early Years
6. Inclusive Practices in Early Years
7. Evaluating Impact and Continuous Improvement

☑️ Early years action plan template A simple, editable Word document to help you capture priorities and set clear, strategic next steps following your audit.

☑️ Editable grade descriptor grid Helps you evaluate provision quality across key areas with clear criteria aligned to the Ofsted framework expectations.

☑️ EYFS document checklist Helps you identify and gather the key documents that support your EYFS self-evaluation and inspection readiness.

☑️ Early years question bank Editable questions to support EYFS-focused pupil voice, staff feedback, parent/carer engagement and governor scrutiny – ideal for triangulating evidence.

☑️ One-page summary template A flexible Word template for sharing key findings with SLT, governors or trust leaders.

☑️ 20-page PDF guidance: Auditing your School's Early Years Provision A comprehensive printable guide to help you audit effectively, with practical tips on planning, reviewing and involving others in the process, fully updated for the 2025 framework.

All templates (excluding the PDF guidance) are fully editable so you can adapt them for your school's specific context.

This audit pack is designed for anyone with responsibility for leading, evaluating or improving early years provision in a school. This could include EYFS leaders, headteachers, deputy heads, assistant heads and curriculum leads, as well as Key Stage 1 phase leaders or others with oversight of Reception and school-based nursery provision.

It's particularly valuable for leaders responsible for the quality of teaching and learning in the early years, including curriculum design, adult–child interactions, early reading and preparation for Year 1. Leaders preparing for Ofsted can use the pack to structure their EYFS self-evaluation and demonstrate how provision aligns with the 2025 School Inspection Toolkit requirements.

Senior leaders and trust executives can also use the pack to support broader improvement work, including line management, curriculum reviews and shaping school or trust-wide expectations for early years leadership and delivery. It's essential for evidencing strengths and addressing gaps when preparing for inspection under the new Ofsted framework.

This comprehensive audit pack helps busy school leaders tackle the key early years challenges when evaluating and improving their school's EYFS provision. Whether you're conducting a formal review in preparation for inspection, planning development priorities or strengthening your self-evaluation under the 2025 Ofsted framework, this pack provides the support you need.

"How can I audit our early years provision effectively across all key areas?" The 51-page audit framework guides you through systematic evaluation across seven comprehensive themes, with structured questions and evidence prompts aligned to Ofsted's 2025 School Inspection Toolkit to ensure thorough coverage.

"What should I be looking for when reviewing our EYFS curriculum sequencing and progression?" Detailed audit questions help you evaluate curriculum design, knowledge progression and skill development with clear criteria that reflect statutory EYFS requirements and Ofsted expectations.

"How do I know if our early years teaching is supporting children's development effectively?" Specific audit sections focus on adult-child interactions, learning environment quality and assessment practices - helping you identify what's working and where improvements are needed.

"What evidence demonstrates effective early years leadership and governance?" The audit framework helps you gather and evaluate evidence of strategic leadership impact, from EYFS leadership effectiveness to governor oversight and whole-school early years culture development.

"How can I review our approach to school readiness and transition to Year 1?" Dedicated audit questions address achievement outcomes, development expectations and transition planning to ensure children are well-prepared for Key Stage 1.

"How can I involve different stakeholders in evaluating our early years work?" Voice-gathering tools and question banks help you systematically collect feedback from children, staff, parents and governors to strengthen your evaluation and ensure collaborative approaches.

"What's the best way to identify priorities for improving EYFS provision?" The action planning template and grade descriptor grids help you synthesise audit findings into clear, manageable next steps with realistic timescales and accountability measures.

"How do I present early years audit findings to senior leaders and governors?" The one-page summary template helps you communicate key strengths, areas for development and recommended actions clearly and concisely, supporting strategic decision-making.

This pack gives you everything needed to conduct thorough, evidence-based evaluation of early years provision so you can identify what's working well, address any gaps with confidence, and demonstrate your school's commitment to providing outstanding EYFS experiences aligned with the 2025 Ofsted framework.

If you’re reviewing EYFS provision or preparing for inspection, these related resources can help you deepen your evaluation, strengthen leadership and support staff development.

EYFS Leader Folder Pack

A ready-made structure for EYFS leaders to organise key documents, priorities and evidence. Helps you stay inspection-ready and communicate your vision with clarity.

EYFS Practitioner Skills Audit Pack

A practical tool to help leaders assess and develop staff confidence across key areas of EYFS practice – from curriculum knowledge to interactions and routines. Ideal for identifying training needs or supporting appraisal.

EYFS Self-Evaluation Bundle

SEF templates for the early years that are fully aligned to Ofsted's Inspection Toolkit. Ideal if conducting self-evaluation of your EYFS provision.

Have a look at what's in the pack here: Early Years Audit Pack