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.
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 for childminders and nurseries:
- Combines theory with practical tips and ideas to use in your setting
- Includes opportunities to reflect on your practice
- Reinforces your understanding through learning check questions and tests
- Links to additional resources
- Offers the opportunity to download certificates of completion
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/
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
Scholarship funding: there is a charge for this programme, but the Department for Education does provide access to funding (known as ‘scholarship funding’) for settings which meet the published criteria. Costs and funding eligibility criteria are yet to be confirmed for 2026.
NPQEYL with Saffron Teaching School Hub:
- For more information about the NPQEYL delivered in Essex by Saffron Teaching School Hub, and to register 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.
RISE Reception Quality Webinar Series for Early Years and Primary Schools
The national RISE Reception Webinar programme for summer 2026 will focus on EYFS profile assessment, transitions into reception, and preparing high quality reception provision, offering practical, evidence-based support aligned with recent guidance.
There are 3 sessions, all starting at 4pm:
- Mastering the EYFS Profile Assessment – Wednesday 10 June 2026
- Setting up for reception success ahead of September – Wednesday 17 June 2026
- Supporting smooth transitions into reception – Wednesday 24 June 2026
You can register for the summer term webinars here.
Previous webinars from the autumn term can be accessed here: DfE Reception Quality Webinar Series – Autumn 2025
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…
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.