Continuing Professional Development

Early Years

REACHOut Early Years Stronger Practice Hub

Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs provide advice, share good practice and offer evidence-based professional development for early years practitioners. The Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs programme launched in November 2022 as part of the Department for Education's early years education recovery support package. For more information about Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs, visit the DfE page here or the Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs page here.

The REACHout Early Years Stronger Practice Hub East of England covers the Saffron Teaching School Hub area.

Webinars & events

For details of upcoming webinars and events from the REACHOut Early Years Stronger Practice Hub, see here.

Training videos on YouTube

Access a comprehensive catalogue of training videos on our YouTube channel.

Become a Maths Champion!

Free training programme for nurseries in the East of England. Find out more and express your interest here.

REACHout Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Training Directory

This collection of online video-based CPD modules is designed to “support, inspire and strengthen practice across the Early Years sector”, deepening practitioner knowledge, provoking reflection on practice and providing inspiration.

It currently contains:

* 95 expert-led videos

* Over 70 hours of high-quality CPD

* CPD covering all key areas of Early Years, from baby development and communication to neurodiversity, pedagogy and practice

Information can be accessed in as little as 10 minutes, enabling practitioners to access professional development flexibly within their busy day-to-day practice.

“Our aim is to empower all Early Years educators and managers, building confidence and ultimately improving outcomes for our children.”

View and download the directory here.

Best Start in Life - Early Years CPD

June 2026

On 7 July 2025, the DfE launched the Giving every child the best start in life strategy. This included a commitment to improve the quality of education that children receive in early years settings, including childminders and reception classes. To support this, the DfE has introduced the following offers, designed specifically for early years educators:

Find out more about these offers here: Best Start in Life - Early Years CPD

For details of the NPQH and NPQEYL programmes with Saffron Teaching School Hub, see here: NPQH | NPQEYL

For more information about the Excellence in Reception Teaching course, see our Excellence in Reception Teaching page.

Early Years and Childcare: Guidance for Providers

Early years and childcare: guidance for providers - GOV.UK

A regularly updated repository of links to key information and guidance for early years providers, childminders and nurseries including guidance on the early years foundation stage (EYFS), funding, training and qualifications.

Early Years Child Development Training 

Early years child development training : Home page

This free online training provides an overview of child development and offers practical advice for supporting children in your setting, including reception years.

Each training module on this site covers an important area of child development and has been written by early years experts, working with the Department for Education.

This training is for practitioners working with children in any type of early years setting, including:

  • childminders
  • nursery practitioners
  • reception teachers and teaching assistants

The training is for anyone who is new to early years and looking to build their child development knowledge. However, it is also useful for anyone looking to refresh their knowledge.

The course has 8 modules and the average completion time of each module is 2 hours.

You can:

  • start and pause the training at any point so you can complete each module at your own pace
  • get practical ideas to use in your setting
  • use the learning log to make notes of your reflections
  • test your knowledge and reflect on your own practice
  • watch videos filmed in real early years settings
  • complete the modules in any order
  • download a certification of completion after each module
  • access links to additional resources

Training Modules (expand the heading to view)

Each module takes 1-2 hours:

  • Module 1: Understanding child development and the EYFS
  • Module 2: Brain development and how children learn
  • Module 3: Supporting children’s personal, social and emotional development
  • Module 4: Supporting language development in the early years
  • Module 5: Supporting physical development in the early years
  • Module 6: Mathematics
  • Module 7: Effective curriculum and assessment
  • Module 8: Supporting individual differences and needs

Early Years CPD and Support

The Department for Education funds a range of training and support programmes for early years educators and leaders. Training is online or face to face, depending on the programme.

  • Level 3 special educational needs coordinator (SENCO)
  • Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) for Reception age children
  • Maths Champions
  • Early years safeguarding training package

For more information about each programme and details of eligibility see:

Early years continuing professional development and support - GOV.UK

Early Years Evidence Store

Early Years Evidence Store | EEF

The Early Years Evidence Store is a summary of evidence-informed approaches to help educators to understand, reflect on and develop their practice.

The Evidence Store includes six key themes for young children’s learning and development:

  • Communication and language
  • Personal, social and emotional development
  • Early literacy
  • Early mathematics
  • Self-Regulation and Executive Function
  • Personal development

As a living resource, the store will be continually updated with additional evidence, written examples, and videos.

Essex County Council EYFS Newsletter

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Practitioner Newsletter is published each month. It contains information for early years and childcare providers, including childminders, on topics such as, but not limited to:

  • Funding
  • Safeguarding
  • The EYFS
  • Training and qualifications
  • Getting started
  • Running your business
  • Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and Inclusion

Follow this link to subscribe and also to access previous newsletters: https://eycp.essex.gov.uk/eyfs-newsletter/

Excellence in Reception Teaching

The new Excellence in Reception Teaching course forms part of the DfE's wider, evidence-based 'golden thread' of teacher CPD. This funded national professional development (NPD) course is for current reception teachers or teachers looking to move into reception.

The programme will run for two terms from October 2026 to February 2027. There will be two further cohorts in 2027, starting in January and October.

Register now – places are limited

Registration for this course is now open. Places are limited, so early applications are encouraged.

👉 Register via the DfE application portal: https://teacher-training-entitlement.education.gov.uk/

For more information about this course, see our Excellence in Reception Teaching page here.

EYFS Profile (EYFSP) Assessment Support

The DfE has published a comprehensive EYFSP package of support to improve assessment reliability and build teacher confidence as assessors.

Located within the DfE’s Help for Early Years Providers site, this guidance provides support for making assessments within the EYFS profile and includes:

  • Information about the EYFS Profile for headteachers and school leaders
  • Guidance on making ‘best fit’ judgements
  • Guidance on inclusive assessment strategies
  • Guidance on using the EYFS Profile as part of transition

There is also specific guidance on making judgements against the following ELGs, including case studies of children at expected and emerging levels:

  • Speaking
  • Self-regulation
  • Gross and fine motor skills
  • Word reading
  • Writing
  • Number
  • Natural World

There is also additional support and guidance in Module 7 of the online Early years child development training.

Help for Early Years Providers

Help for early years providers : Get help for your setting

Resources, activities and support articles for childminders and practitioners working with children aged 0-5 years (free).

  • Support for practitioners: access resources and advice to help improve practice in the early years, including SEND guidance.
  • Areas of learning: find out more about each area of learning, including activities you can do and guidance on meeting the needs of all children in your setting.
  • Health and wellbeing: discover resources to help you support children’s wellbeing and enrichment in your setting.

National Professional Qualification in Early Years Leadership

The National Professional Qualification in Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL) is delivered by local delivery partners on behalf of the Department for Education. The next cohort will begin in Autumn 2026. 

Target audience: leaders qualified to at least level 3 who are, or are aspiring to be, a nursery manager, headteacher of a school-based or maintained nursery, or registered childminders with leadership responsibilities. Settings must be Ofsted registered.

Course length: 18 months, plus 3 months for assessment period

NPQEYL funding for Autumn 2026

The Department for Education has confirmed that the NPQ in Early Years Leadership will be fully funded for all eligible schools and settings for Autumn 2026. 

For full details of NPQ funding for Autumn 2026 and eligibility, see here: 

GOV.UK | Funding for National Professional Qualifications

Funding is limited and eligibility does not guarantee a place; early applications are encouraged.

NPQEYL with Saffron Teaching School Hub:

  • For more information about the NPQEYL delivered in Essex by Saffron Teaching School Hub, and to apply for Autumn 2026, see here: Saffron Teaching School Hub - NPQEYL
  • Read case studies from previous NPQEYL programme members here

Reception Improvement Offer

Reception improvement offer – GOV.UK

The Reception Improvement Offer is a key part of the DfE's ambition for 75% of children to reach a good level of development (GLD) by 2028, as set out in Giving every child the best start in life.

It brings together a range of support and resources under the headings of:

  • Universal support
  • Individual staff training
  • Support available through networks and Hubs

Reception Networks

The DfE's Reception Networks programme is a national initiative to improve the quality of reception year provision and support more children to start school ready to learn. 

There are 5 reception networks in each region. The programme forms part of the Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) universal offer, ensuring that all schools know where to access reception-specific expertise when they need it. 

They are school-led, locally delivered networks focused on sharing strong, evidence-informed reception practice.

Each network is led by a reception-network lead school. Lead schools have sustained strengths in early years provision and leadership, and support other schools in their local area.

Through reception networks, schools can access:

  • Regular opportunities to discuss reception-year practice with peers
  • Visits and open days to observe reception provision in practice
  • Shared resources and approaches that support high-quality reception teaching and leadership

Schools wishing to access support or get involved should contact their local Reception Network's lead school directly.

Reception Quality Webinar Series for Early Years and Primary Schools

The DfE has delivered a series of RISE webinars on reception quality, led by senior sector experts and national leaders on a range of topics.

These free webinars support schools, trusts and local authority leaders to improve reception practice to support every child to have the best start in life and increase the number of children who achieve a good level of development at the end of their first year in school.

For further information and to access the webinar recordings, visit: GOV.UK I Reception quality webinar series

Starting Reception website

Starting Reception website The Starting Reception website has been developed by a coalition of early years organisations, and is promoted by the Department for Education. It aims to support parents and educators with guidance and resources to help their children develop the essential skills needed for starting primary school. https://startingreception.co.uk…

Starting Reception website
View Story

Spotlight on Early Years Evidence

Saffron Teaching School Hub's Spotlight on Early Years Evidence is a dedicated space to provide Early Years practitioners with access to key research and evidence on ‘what works’ to inform the development of evidence-led practice in the Early Years. 

Cookie Policy