Excellence in Reception Teaching
For current reception teachers, and experienced teachers looking to move into reception
Part of the 'Giving every child the best start in life' strategy, the new excellence in reception teaching course forms part of the DfE's wider, evidence-based ‘golden thread’ of teacher continuing professional development (CPD). This begins with the initial teacher training core content framework (ITTECF), through to national professional qualifications (NPQ) for more experienced education professionals.
The first cohort of the Excellence in Reception Teaching course will begin in Autumn 2026, with registrations opening on 23 June and 6 July respectively.
This programme is funded by the DfE for participants in suitable state-funded settings. You can see if your school is eligible for funding on the DfE eligibility lists. To improve your chances of securing a place on Cohort 1, please fill in the expression of interest form below.
What are the benefits of taking the programme?
We know that the quality of teaching is the most important in-school factor in supporting pupil outcomes. This funded course will deepen your reception-specific pedagogical knowledge and strengthen your practice through practical, evidence-based approaches to support more children to achieve a good level of development.
It will focus on the key areas of:
- Child development
- Classroom practice and teaching
- Inclusive practice
- Effective partnerships
Who is it for?
Teachers who currently, or are shortly expecting to, teach the reception year group and who want to build on their existing reception-specific pedagogy but are not looking for CPD at a leadership level.
The programme will run for approximately two school terms, with two cohorts per academic year. The second cohort of this programme will be delivered in Spring 2027. It is made up of roughly 22 hours across the course, with a mixture of flexible self-study, and online facilitated sessions.
Find out more
To find out more, please head to the website of our lead provider, National Society of Education – Church of England where you can register for the Early Bird form. (Please close the pop-up, and scroll down to see the section for 'Reception Teaching').