Check your policies against the EYFS changes that took effect on 1 September 2026 and keep a dated sign-off record (England, group and school-based providers)

The problem

The DfE says the new EYFS frameworks, effective 1 September 2026, changed several welfare and safeguarding requirements: safer sleep wording now sits in the main body, a banned dog breed may not be kept or present where registered childcare is provided, allegations of "harm" (not "serious harm") must be notified to Ofsted or the childminder agency, enhanced criminal records checks now cover volunteers including those who are supervised, no new employee may begin before their check, and providers must have regard to screen use guidance. A table that lines each change up against your own documents shows what you have already updated and what the registered person still needs to look at. AI can lay the table out from your own wording. It cannot decide whether anything meets the framework: the registered person reads the paragraphs and signs it off.

What AI does

AI lays out the official list of EYFS changes you copy, next to your own policy list, as a checklist with a dated sign-off column. It writes no safeguarding, sleep or welfare wording: the registered person decides and makes every change (England, group and school-based providers).

Time

The steps, in short

1. Confirm which EYFS framework applies to your setting.
2. Copy the official list of changes and note your own related documents.
3. Have AI lay them out as a checklist with space for decisions and sign-off.
4. The registered person reads the framework, updates each document and records the decision and date.

A short sample prompt

I manage a group early years setting in England. Lay out the official list of changes I copied on [date] next to my own policy list as a checklist, with these columns: [your column headings]. Do not write any policy wording. Changes: [paste] Policies: [paste]