July 16, 2026
Since its launch in 2021, Birth to 5 Matters has become an essential early years resource for practitioners across England’s early years sector. Now, five years later, this new edition builds on everything educators have valued about the original guidance, while expanding and updating it to reflect today’s evolving educational landscape.
This updated edition introduces new sections on digital pedagogy, sustainability in early years education, and age-appropriate pedagogical approaches for children at different developmental stages. It also places greater emphasis on children in Reception and beyond, with new guidance specifically designed for primary school headteachers and school leaders.
As with the original, Birth to 5 Matters is intended as a professional reference point for early years educators developing their practice — not a rigid how-to manual or checklist. Its core purpose remains unchanged: to support practitioners in implementing the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in a way that is pedagogically sound, principled, and rooted in evidence-based practice.
Some of the sections of the new guidance include:
Promoting voice and inclusion
Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship
Play
Care
Transitions
Quality improvement and leadership
A Unique Child
Positive Relationships
Enabling Environments
Learning and Development
Kinderly is one of a small number of organisations that has a licence to the Birth to 5 Matters non-statutory guidance. The team at Kinderly are working hard to ensure that our award-winning nursery management software is updated and ready to encompass the new revised guidance. Our Kinderly Together users will have the option to select the new revised EYFS and Development Matters frameworks as well as the updated Birth to 5 Matters official guidance.
If you’d like to know more about the Birth to 5 Matters guidance and what it actually means to you, please head over to our blog to read Dr Sharon Colilles article.
You can download the new PDF version directly from the Birth to 5 Matters website, or for those who prefer a physical copy, it is available for purchase for £10.50:
