Can the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile be used to Identify Additional Educational Needs in Primary School? A Population-Level Analysis in England

Early identification of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is a key policy priority in England. This study provides the first national-scale evaluation of the ‘Good Level of Development’ (GLD) measure for supporting the early identification of SEND. The GLD is part of the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFS-P) and is a statutory assessment completed by practitioners at the end of Reception (ages 4–5). A longitudinal study was conducted following 580,523 children from Reception (2012–13) to Year 6 (2018–19) using the ECHILD database, which links state-funded school and hospital records. Logistic regression analyses showed that GLD Overall (Reached/Not reached), GLD Overall (Areas of Learning), and GLD Linear scores significantly predicted later SEND identification. Furthermore, each of the five areas of learning made unique contributions to predicting SEND identification, with distinct profiles emerging across SEND types. However, while GLD scores were consistently predictive across pupil characteristics, some pupil characteristics were more likely to be identified as having SEND, despite equivalent GLD scores. Overall, this study concludes that GLD Overall (Reached/Not reached), which is currently used in educational practice, is a valid and practical screening measure for early SEND identification. However, structural inequalities in SEND identification must be addressed to ensure all children have equitable access to support.