What is the difference between the EYFS Writing ELG and KS1 writing assessment?

The EYFS ELG assesses basic writing foundations: recognisable letter formation, phonetically plausible spelling, and simple readable sentences. The KS1 TAF assesses much more developed writing including correct tense use, co-ordination and subordination, common exception word spelling, and specific punctuation. The EYFS is the starting point that KS1 builds upon.

Does a child need to use finger spaces to meet the Writing ELG?

The ELG does not explicitly require finger spaces, but writing must “be read by others.” In practice, if a child writes words run together without spaces, the writing becomes very difficult to read independently, which may affect whether it meets the readability criterion. Consistent finger spaces are a strong indicator of expected development.

How do I assess writing for children with English as an additional language?

The Writing ELG applies to all children regardless of home language. For EAL children, focus on whether they can segment English sounds and represent them with letters, form recognisable letters, and produce readable writing. Their phonetic attempts may reflect their home language phonology, which is a normal part of development, not an error.

Should I use the "exceeding" judgement for children working above the ELG?

Since the 2021 EYFS reforms, the statutory EYFS Profile no longer uses an “Exceeding” judgement — the two-point scale is Expected or Not Yet Expected. However, many schools still find it useful to identify children working beyond the ELG internally, as this supports transition planning to Year 1 and helps KS1 teachers understand where children are starting from.

EYFS Writing

EYFS Writing Assessment Framework

Writing assessment in the Early Years Foundation Stage centres on the Writing Early Learning Goal (ELG). This guide explains what the ELG requires, how to gather evidence through play and purposeful activities, and how to make accurate end-of-Reception judgements.

What This Question Asks

The EYFS Writing Early Learning Goal (ELG) is assessed at the end of the Reception year as part of the EYFS Profile. Unlike the KS1 and KS2 Teacher Assessment Frameworks, the EYFS Profile uses a two-point scale: children are judged as either “Expected” (meeting the ELG) or “Not Yet Expected” (emerging). The Writing ELG sits within the Literacy area of learning and states that children at the expected level will: 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. Assessment is observational and ongoing throughout the year — practitioners gather evidence from a range of contexts including child-initiated play, adult-directed activities, and cross-curricular learning. The key principle is that evidence should reflect what a child can do consistently and independently, not just what they produce in a formal task. The EYFS framework emphasises the importance of a language-rich environment, daily phonics teaching, and opportunities for purposeful mark-making as the foundations of early writing. It is worth noting that at EYFS, the boundary between “writing” and “mark-making” is developmental — practitioners must use their professional judgement about when a child’s marks become intentional communication.

Mark Scheme Breakdown

Emerging (Not Yet Expected)NYE

Makes marks that they give meaning to, such as lines and circles that represent writing.
Begins to form some recognisable letters, though not always correctly formed.
May write their own name with some correct letters.
Shows interest in writing for a purpose (e.g. writing a shopping list in role play).
May represent some sounds with letters but not consistently or accurately.

Expected (Meeting the ELG)EXP

Writes recognisable letters, most of which are correctly formed.
Spells words by identifying the sounds in them and representing the sounds with a letter or letters.
Writes simple phrases and sentences that can be read by others.
Demonstrates understanding that writing communicates meaning.
Uses their phonic knowledge to write words in ways which match their spoken sounds.

Exceeding (Beyond the ELG)EXC

Writes sentences that are phonetically plausible and increasingly accurate.
Begins to use some common exception word spellings correctly (e.g. the, to, I, no, go).
Uses finger spaces consistently between words.
May begin to use capital letters and full stops in some sentences.
Shows awareness of different purposes for writing (stories, lists, labels, letters).

How to Structure Your Answer

Create a writing-rich environment

Ensure every area of the classroom offers opportunities for purposeful writing. Include mark-making materials in role play areas (order pads, appointment books, postcards), construction areas (labels, signs), and outdoor spaces (clipboards, chalks). When children see writing as functional and everywhere, they are more motivated to engage with it independently.

A “vet’s surgery” role play area with appointment cards, prescription pads, and pet record forms encourages children to write for genuine purposes during child-initiated play.

Observe and document writing across contexts

Gather evidence from a range of situations: child-initiated writing during play, writing in response to adult-led activities, writing linked to other areas of learning (maths labels, science observations, RE prayers), and outdoor writing. Use photographs, observations, and samples of work. Date everything and note the level of independence.

Assess letter formation and phonetic accuracy

For the ELG, check that the child writes recognisable letters that are mostly correctly formed. Look at consistent evidence: can the child form most lower-case letters starting in the right place and moving in the right direction? For spelling, check whether the child segments words into sounds and represents those sounds with plausible letters — phonetically plausible attempts count.

A child who writes “I lik mi cat” is demonstrating phonetically plausible spelling and simple sentence construction — this meets the ELG even though “like” and “my” are not spelled conventionally.

Judge readability and communicative intent

The ELG requires writing that “can be read by others.” This means an adult should be able to read the child’s writing without the child present to explain it. If you can only decipher the writing because the child told you what it says, it does not yet meet the ELG. The writing must communicate independently.

Make an end-of-year judgement based on consistent evidence

The EYFS Profile judgement is made in the final term of Reception. Review the evidence collected across the year and determine whether the child is consistently demonstrating the ELG criteria. A child who produces one strong piece but usually writes at the emerging level has not yet met the ELG. Consistency and independence are the deciding factors.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Conflating enthusiastic mark-making with meeting the Writing ELG — a child who loves writing but produces illegible marks has not yet met the expected standard.

Requiring conventional spelling before judging a child as “Expected” — the ELG requires phonetically plausible spelling, not correct spelling. “Went” spelled as “went” and “went” spelled as “wnt” both demonstrate the skill.

Only collecting evidence from adult-directed writing tasks — the EYFS Profile values evidence from child-initiated contexts, which demonstrate genuine independence.

Assessing writing in isolation from the child’s overall development — fine motor skills, phonics knowledge, and spoken language all underpin writing and should be considered holistically.

Waiting until the summer term to begin evidence collection — developmental progress across the year is important context for the final judgement.

Top Tips

Prioritise daily phonics teaching and ensure children can segment words orally before expecting them to write independently. Phonics is the engine of early writing.

Model writing frequently and visibly. Write in front of children during shared activities, thinking aloud about letter formation, sound segmentation, and what you want to say. Children learn to write by watching writers.

Celebrate phonetically plausible attempts rather than correcting every spelling. A child who writes “I wnt to the pak” is demonstrating exactly the skill the ELG assesses. Praise the sounds they heard, then model the conventional spelling alongside.

Use the “can I read this without the child?” test regularly. If you can decode what the child has written without them explaining, their writing is approaching the ELG threshold for readability.

Involve parents in understanding the ELG. Many parents expect conventional spelling and neat handwriting from Reception children. Share the ELG criteria so parents understand that phonetically plausible writing is a sign of strong progress, not poor teaching.

Practise This Question Type

Draw a picture of your favourite animal and write about it. What does it look like? What does it do? Try to use the sounds you know to spell the words.

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