E-petition 729440 relating to play in the key stage 1 curriculum

Petition and debate

This debate is in response to a public petition (729440), which gained over 100,000 signatures.

The petition calls for play-based pedagogy to be a central requirement of the key stage one national curriculum in England, arguing:

• Children transitioning from reception class to year one “may experience a stark shift to formal teaching strategies”, which fail to “reflect how young children learn best”.
• A reformed curriculum would ensure provision was developmentally appropriate and adequately supported wellbeing, allowing for movement, communication and play.

In response, the government said it recognised play was “critical to children’s wellbeing and development” and that it expected schools to “organise the school day and school week in the best interests of their pupil cohort”.

Background The structure of early schooling and the curriculum in England

In general, children in England start school (reception class) shortly after they turn four years old. Key stage one covers the second and third year of schooling, when children are generally aged between five and seven (school years one and two).

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

The EYFS covers children from birth to the end of reception class. It is underpinned by a statutory framework, which explicitly requires settings to provide opportunities for play‑based, child‑led and adult‑guided learning. It applies to all providers in England.

Key stage one national curriculum

The national curriculum begins at the start of key stage one, and continues to the end of the GCSE phase. Currently, the national curriculum only applies to maintained schools, not to academies (although provisions in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill would apply the national curriculum to academies, too).

At key stage one, the national curriculum includes English, maths, sciences, art and design, computing, design and technology, geography, history, music and physical education. Primary schools are also required to offer religious education, and relationships and health education. There is no specific mention of either play-based learning or continuous provision in the national curriculum requirements for key stage one.

Curriculum and assessment review, and government response

After the general election in July 2024, the Labour government commissioned a review of the national curriculum, and linked assessments. The review, chaired by Professor Becky Francis, published its final report in November 2025.

Alongside this, the government published its response, confirming a revised national curriculum will be published in 2027, for first teaching in 2028. GCSEs in national curriculum subjects will also be revised in line with the review’s recommendations, for first teaching from 2029 onwards.

Neither the Review nor the government’s response refer to increasing the amount of play‑based learning in key stage one.

Further background on the curriculum review, and on curricular differences across the UK, can be found in:

• Commons Library briefing paper, The school curriculum in England
• Comparing the school curriculum across the UK

Further reading

Why Play Isn't Just Child's Play: The Critical Role of Early Years Learning in Children's Development (3 November 2025), The Voice

Do we really expect five-year-olds to sit at desks? I want a school that understands play is learning, (29 October 2025), the Guardian

Play England supports call to make learning through play statutory in Key Stage 1, (28 October 2025), Play England website article

The power of play to boost early language. (5 August 2025), National Literacy Trust

Evans, K, Bringing matter, to matter: ‘Wild ideas’ about ‘readiness’ in the transition from the Early Years Foundation Stage to the Key Stage 1 National Curriculum in England, (2025) in Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 0(0), (2025).

Everything to play for: A plan to ensure every child in England can play, (June 2025), Raising the Nation Play Commission/ Centre for Young Lives

Jenna Crittenden and Jo Gray/ Chartered College of Teaching, The importance of play-based learning beyond the EYFS, (September 2024)

Play based learning, (February 2023), Education Endowment Foundation

Play-based Learning in Finland: Why it Matters (2016), Centre for Education and Youth