EYFS: home visits

Find advice around conducting home visits in the EYFS, as well as examples of policies from other schools.

Last reviewed on 15 December 2023
School types: All · School phases: Nursery, Primary
Ref: 2126
Contents
  1. It's up to you whether to do home visits 
  2. Home visit policies: examples from schools
  3. Conduct home visits safely
  4. Get the timings right
  5. Conducting the visits
  6. What if parents refuse a visit?

It's up to you whether to do home visits 

They aren’t mentioned in the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

However, while home visits aren't statutory, they do reflect good practice.

This advice came from a DfE representative. 

Home visit policies: examples from schools

If you do decide to conduct home visits, you might want to have a home visits policy.

Again, it’s not a requirement, but having a policy should help parents and staff understand exactly what to expect.

You could present it as:

  • A formal policy on your website, or
  • A page on your website, explaining your approach to parents in clear and simple terms

Take a look at the following examples to see how other schools approach home visits.

Stoke Park Primary has a home visit policy that explains the benefits of home visits. It also contains guidance for staff carrying them out, including