EYFS: home visits

Get advice on conducting home visits in the EYFS, and look at examples of policies from other schools.

Last reviewed on 3 March 2025
School types: AllSchool phases: Nursery, PrimaryRef: 2126
Contents
  1. It's up to you whether you do home visits 
  2. Get the timings right
  3. Conducting the visits
  4. You can’t force parents/carers to have a home visit
  5. A home visits policy can help make expectations clear 
  6. Examples of policies from other schools

Emma Lewry, an EYFS and leadership consultant, advised us on this article.  

It's up to you whether you do home visits 

They aren't mentioned in the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), but they are good practice.

Home visits can help build relationships with families

This is a feature of effective early years practice.

Parents and carers can share their background and culture, and give you specific information so you can understand their child's interests and strengths, and areas for development.

You can also discuss parents/carers' expectations of you and your setting, and what you expect from them, so you can work together to support their child’s learning.

This is explained in the DfE's advice for Working in partnership with parents and carers, part of its support for early years providers.

This will help you understand their cultural capital, and think about how you can