Guidance

Reception improvement offer

Updated 28 May 2026

Applies to England

Reception is a vital foundation year that sets children up for success throughout primary school and beyond.

We are making sure schools have access to the right tools and tailored improvement, including helping every parent to play their part and be confident in their child’s progress.

This is a key part of our 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.

Universal support

Compare your good level of development report

The compare your GLD report is designed to help schools, trusts and local authorities better understand early years foundation stage (EYFS) profile outcomes and support evidence-based decision making.

It enables leaders to:

• view their GLD outcomes in context
• explore trends across pupil groups
• consider how cohort context may influence outcomes
• identify areas of strength and areas for improvement

The GLD report is available on the View your education data (VYED) platform. 

The updated GLD reports published in November 2025 include EYFS profile data from the academic year 2024 to 2025. The reports will be updated again in November 2026.

Reception quality RISE webinars

Free reception quality webinars are available to support schools, trusts and local authority leads to increase the number of children who achieve a GLD at the end of their first year in school.

The webinars have been developed by the Department for Education (DfE) and sector experts, including:

• Education Endowment Foundation (EEF)
• English Hubs
• National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM)
• Ofsted

They cover:

• the importance of reception and the data available to support leaders
• strategic leadership of the early years in school
• key messages from Ofsted’s research on strong foundations
• embedding a language-rich environment and supporting early writing
• promoting good attendance routines in reception
• the importance of early maths

Reception transition guidance

Getting children ready for reception: supporting effective transition provides guidance on how schools and early years settings, including childminders, can work together with parents and carers to support children’s transition into reception.

Kindred Squared’s Starting Reception materials offer advice for parents, schools and early years professionals to support children starting reception.

Early years foundation stage profile assessment support

Support is available for teachers completing the EYFS profile assessment.

EYFS profile assessment support focuses on improving assessment reliability and building confidence. It includes:

• training materials, including bite-sized videos on specific early learning goals
• EYFS profile assessment support through sessions led by local authorities

Speech and language development through NELI

The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme targets reception-aged children who need extra support with their speech and language development.

On average, children who take part in the NELI programme make 4 months of additional progress in oral language skills. This increases to 7 months for children who receive free school meals.

The DfE-funded NELI programme is available to all state-funded schools with a reception class. 

Individual staff training

Early years child development training

Early years child development training is free online training aimed at building and strengthening the knowledge and understanding of early years educators in key areas of child development.

The training includes 8 modules, each taking around 2 hours to complete, and offers practical advice for supporting children in reception and early years settings to thrive.

It has recently been updated to include guidance on the EYFS profile assessment and additional videos for supporting children in reception.

Excellence in reception teaching

A new, fully funded course for reception teachers. It is designed to deepen reception-specific pedagogical knowledge and strengthen practice using practical, evidence‑based approaches. The course aims to support more children to achieve a good level of development. It will cover:

• child development
• classroom practice and teaching
• inclusive practice
• effective partnerships

NPQ in early years leadership

National professional qualifications (NPQs) are a national suite of evidence-based qualifications designed to support teachers and leaders at all levels.

The NPQ in early years leadership is fully funded for participants in schools and private, voluntary and independent (PVI) settings. It supports current and aspiring leaders to develop expertise in:

• delivering high-quality early education and care
• organisational management and staff development
• working with parents and carers
• leading staff effectively to support all children, including those with additional and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
• implementing improvements

NPQ in headship

The NPQ in headship is for school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school.

From autumn 2026, participants will be able to access additional early years specific content.

Support available through Hubs and networks

Reception networks

The 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. 

Schools wishing to get involved or access support should contact their local reception networks lead school directly.

English Hubs

English Hubs offer a range of support to mainstream schools to improve the teaching of reading. This includes, but is not limited to:

• early language and phonics in the early years and key stage 1
• reading fluency in key stage 2
• support for struggling readers in key stage 3

English Hubs have developed new courses to improve early language and literacy in reception. These will be available from September 2026.

This support includes:

• early language and literacy audits to identify strengths and priorities for improvement
• a tailored package of support based on audit outcomes
• in‑school support from an early language and literacy specialist
• support to implement evidence‑based approaches to oral language, composition and early writing
• access to the ‘Nurturing language and literacy in the reception year’ medium-level support CPD, following an audit

Support is prioritised for schools identified as most in need.

Maths Hubs

Maths Hubs offer a range of support to all state funded schools and colleges in England to improve the teaching of mathematics. The offers specific to reception which are open for registration are:

• Specialist Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics: Early Years Programme – designed to strengthen the knowledge and practice of all practitioners (reception teachers and accompanying teaching assistants) teaching and supporting the learning of early maths in number and spatial reasoning pathways
• Mastering Number at Reception and KS1 – aims to secure firm foundations in the development of good number sense for all children from reception through to year 1 and year 2
• Intensive support – one-to-one support from an intensive support partner to work with school leaders to implement change in reception to embed effective practice

Early years stronger practice hubs

Early years stronger practice hubs provide advice, share good practice and offer evidence-informed professional development for early years settings. Some hubs now include reception networks to support professional development for EYFS teachers.

Related programmes and resources

• the Foundation Years website provides news, policy and resources for early years professionals

• the EEF Early Years Toolkit summarises a wide range of approaches to improving teaching and learning in the early years

• help for early years providers contains free resources for educators working with children aged 0 to 5 years

• the establishing school-based nursery provision non-statutory guidance helps schools, governing bodies and childcare providers to establish nursery provision on school sites

• Oak National Academy is a free online classroom and resource hub that provides teachers with free lessons and resources for pupils aged 4 to 16, including reception