Best Start in Life: Funded Early Years CPD
The Department for Education (DfE) is increasing the amount of training that early years educators, including childminders and reception teachers, can access.
This includes online training in Early Years Child Development, Excellence in Reception Teaching (which is a new, funded development course for reception teachers) and more places for aspiring leaders on the National Professional Qualification in Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL).
Which programme should I take if I am a current or aspiring leader working in a:
PVI setting and/or as a childminder
School, including maintained nursery schools (e.g. headteachers, KS1 or Early Years leads)
Which programme should I take if I am a practitioner/teacher working in a:
PVI setting and/or as a childminder
School, including maintained nursery schools (e.g. headteachers, KS1 or Early Years leads)
Early Years Child Development training
Build and strengthen your child development knowledge with the free Early Years Child Development training from the DfE.
Designed for childminders, nursery practitioners, reception staff, and anyone new to early years or who just wants to refresh their knowledge.
This flexible, online programme features eight modules covering key topics such as:
Brain development and how children learn
Supporting the prime areas of learning: personal, social and emotional development (PSED), communication and language, and physical development
Mathematics
Effective curriculum and assessment
Supporting individual differences and needs
Learn at your own pace with engaging videos from real settings, practical strategies you can apply immediately, and opportunities to reflect on your practice.
Each module takes around two hours and includes a downloadable certificate.
Start anytime and build your knowledge today:
Excellence in Reception Teaching
The DfE has acknowledged it can be hard to find high-quality CPD that meets the unique needs of educators/practitioners in reception. That’s why they are launching a brand new, funded* development course for reception teachers from Autumn 2026.
Designed by early years professionals, for early years professionals, the Excellence in Reception Teaching national professional development 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
Courses start in Autumn 2026, with registrations open from 6 July 2026.
*This course is funded by the DfE for participants in suitable state-funded settings. Early years educators in private, voluntary or independent (PVI) settings and childminders are not eligible for DfE scholarship funding for this course, as the target audience is reception year teaching in schools. Providers can offer the course to those working outside of eligible settings, but individuals or settings would need to self-fund these places. If participants are unsure, they can contact a provider directly, or DfE can confirm if they are eligible for funding when they register.
National Professional Qualification in Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL)
The DfE is funding the National Professional Qualification in Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL); the programme is aimed at early years educators who want to develop their leadership expertise and potential.
It is available to managers of PVIs, childminders with leadership responsibilities, headteachers/leaders of school-based and maintained nurseries, alongside other early years foundation stage leaders.
Programmes start in Autumn 2026, with registrations open from 23 June 2026.
To find out more information, check eligibility or register for your place, visit the DfE website:
National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH)
Advance your leadership with the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH).
Designed for headteachers and aspiring headteachers, including those overseeing early years provision within schools, the NPQH is a programme from the DfE that will help you develop the knowledge that underpins expert school leadership and apply it to support you to become an outstanding headteacher.
Over 18 months, you will complete flexible study (1–2 hours weekly), combining expert guidance with practical application in your own setting.
From Autumn 2026, the programme will be enhanced so relevant participants can access more early years-specific content.
Register from 23 June 2026 for an Autumn 2026 start: