ELG: Natural World
Criteria for the Natural World ELG
As set out in the early years foundation stage framework, children at the expected level of development for the Natural World ELG will:
- explore the natural world around them, making observations and drawing pictures of animals and plants
- know some similarities and differences between the natural world around them and contrasting environments, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class
- understand some important processes and changes in the natural world around them, including the seasons and changing states of matter
Key messages
When making judgements on the Natural World ELG, remember:
- the ELG is about children’s expressive language, curiosity, noticing and making connections
- to look for children’s observations, explanations, and comparisons in play and talk
- evidence should be drawn from first‑hand, everyday experiences, such as nature walks, growing plants and water play.
- hands‑on experiences and meaningful interactions with extended vocabulary support children and provide valid assessment evidence
This video illustrates examples of assessment practice. While it features real children in real school settings, their actual developmental levels may differ from what is shown, and some scenes include acting for demonstration purposes.
Case studies
Asa is working at the expected standard
Asa has settled confidently into reception and shows a strong natural curiosity about the world around her. She frequently explores outdoor provision, eagerly searching for minibeasts, examining features in the bug hotel, and noticing environmental changes, such as new buds or shifts in the weather. Her observations are detailed and accurate, and she demonstrates a secure understanding of life cycles, habitats and seasonal change through her work on rainforests, minibeasts and the butterfly life cycle. Although her observational skills are strong, she occasionally struggles to verbalise the reasoning behind natural processes. To support this, teachers provided sentence frames, such as “in England it is… but in the Arctic it is…”, to scaffold her ability to describe contrasts confidently.
Sequencing activities were also used to strengthen her explanations of processes and changes. For example, during an experiment on melting ice, she ordered pictures showing different stages and then practiced explaining what was happening. With these strategies, her ability to articulate cause and effect has developed well. Asa clearly understands the scientific concepts required to meet the ELG but sometimes lacked the confidence to express them fully. Her knowledge was strong, her curiosity was evident, and with support, she is showing increased confidence in articulating her thinking. Therefore, she was judged as expected in the Natural World ELG.
Ethan is working at an emerging level
Ethan is highly observant and deeply engaged with natural phenomena. He settled well and showed clear enjoyment of sensory and exploratory activities, including water play, sand play and construction. His engagement with nature was strong. He frequently spent time outdoors investigating materials and observing processes closely, such as watching ice melt or exploring natural materials in the environment. Although he understood many concepts, his speech delay meant he could not yet express explanations or descriptions verbally. To assess his understanding without relying on spoken language, staff implemented visual strategies, such as choice boards for weather, sorting tasks for contrasting environments, and small‑world trays representing different climates. Through these approaches, he demonstrated accurate categorisation and clear conceptual understanding.
Modelling techniques, such as “narrated action” allowed adults to attach language to his experiences, for example, verbally labelling melting ice or changes in materials as he observed them. Ethan also showed strong observational skills in his drawings, including detailed minibeast sketches and accurate representation of the butterfly life cycle during classroom projects. His challenge lay in expressing the reasoning behind what he knew. As he could not yet demonstrate these, the best‑fit judgement was at an emerging level at this time.