The English offer is commissioned by Professional Development Leicester (PDL) & Whatever it Takes (WiT). As both of these initiatives are funded via de-delegation, all opportunities are offered at a free, or subsidised cost for Leicester City maintained primary schools. Non-maintained and Leicestershire schools are very welcome to participate, but a full charge will apply.
How to book:
Individual booking links for each training opportunity can be found within the course information below.
Leadership
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools. £320 for non-maintained schools and Leicestershire schools.
Course Leads: Mel Hendy and Jo Puttick
No. of session(s): 3x half day sessions and 1x full day for English Leaders (it is recommended that new leaders of English attend the New Leader sessions during their first year)
Overview
The focus of these half-day sessions during the academic year 2025-26 is to strengthen the leadership of teaching strong foundations in writing. These sessions will summarise key learning from the training in strong foundations in EY, Y1&2 and Y3-6 so that English Leaders feel confident in supporting staff and leading the focus across school. Effective support, monitoring and evaluation will also be built into this training so that leaders can monitor its impact on teaching and learning. This CPD programme will be closely linked to the recent publication, Strong Foundations in the First Years of School, Ofsted report. Content will be linked to intent, implementation and impact to support leadership and gap tasks will be set for English leaders to lead developments in school.
The sessions will also provide opportunities to develop subject knowledge and pedagogical knowledge, share good practice and network with other schools.
Proposed session content
Session 1: Implications for the leadership of English from the new Writing Framework. Teaching strong foundations in handwriting and spelling.
Session 2: Teaching strong foundations in grammar: the development of a progression in sentence structure and other foundational skills across the school.
Session 3: Effective teaching of strong foundations in writing through linked shared and guided writing.
Session 4: Developing the leadership of strong foundations in English through video coaching of shared and guided writing.
Session 5: For those schools who are taking part in the Teaching Stronger Foundations in Writing programme: Impact session to be attended by English Subject Leaders (not the Teaching Stronger Foundations in Writing teacher delegate/s) drawing together the impact from the 3 strands of training: EY, KS1 and KS2. Leaders will share the impact of the CPD training programme on teacher practice and lower achieving pupils’ writing, including new arrivals and those with SEND, across the school.
Session dates
Session 1: Tuesday 30th September 2025, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Session 2 & 3: Friday 14th November 2025, 9am-4pm at NSPCC
Session 4: Monday 26th January 2026, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Session 5: Thursday 11th June 2026, 9am – 12pm, virtual
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools. £320 for non-maintained schools and Leicestershire schools.
Course Leads: Mel Hendy
No. of session(s): 4 x half day sessions for new English Subject Leaders.
Overview
These half-day sessions for New English Subject Leaders will develop new English Leaders in subject knowledge, pedagogy and leadership of English. Subject Leaders will:
Session 1
- Receive key local and national updates including those published by DfE and Ofsted.
- Understand the role of intent, implementation and impact in leading English;
- Explore the development of programmes of CPD, including input, coaching, support, monitoring and evaluation.
- Gap task: data analysis
Session 2
- Review school’s Curriculum Map for English based on national research and the National Curriculum;
- Ensure progression in English is through the provision of increasingly complex texts.
- Gap task: curriculum map development
Session 3
- Clarify understanding of subject knowledge and research-based pedagogy in reading.
- Become well-prepared for Ofsted deep-dives in early reading.
- Gap task: reading learning walk.
Session 4
- Clarify understanding of subject knowledge and research-based pedagogy in writing.
- Become well-prepared for Ofsted deep-dives in English.
- Gap task: English book scrutiny.
Session dates
Session 1: Friday 26th September 2025, 9am-12noon at SDSA
Session 2: Friday 7th November 2025, 9am-12noon at SDSA
Session 3: Friday 23rd January 2026, 9am-12noon at SDSA
Session 4: Friday 6th March 2026, 9am-12noon at SDSA
Oracy
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools. £255 for non-maintained schools and Leicestershire schools.
Course Lead(s): Hannah Cooper
No. of sessions: 3 x half day sessions
Overview
The aim of these sessions is to support oracy leaders / champions and will include:
- developing oracy practice
- a focus on using oracy to enhance and elevate the teaching of writing
- support with action plans and cascading practice back in school
- networking opportunities
Each network will be supported by an oracy expert lead teacher who will support discussions, share additional resources and deliver a masterclass on an identified area based on real classroom practice.
These networks can be attended by Oracy and English leads or anyone that has responsibility for oracy in school. Both Voice Leicester schools and schools who have not previously been part of Voice Leicester are welcome to attend.
Session Dates
Session 1: Thursday 13th November 2025, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Session 2: Thursday 15th January 2026, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Session 3: Thursday 19th March 2026, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Pre-reading
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools. £120 per delegate for non-maintained schools and Leicestershire schools.
Course Lead: Emma Spiers
No. of sessions: 1 full day
Audience: Anybody working with children in Nursery / Reception: teaching assistants, nursery nurses, teachers, leaders. It is also appropriate for Year 1 staff if there are children with pre-phonic gaps.
Overview
- Want perfectly prepared children who are ready for reading at the start of Reception?
- Need to support children in Reception/Year 1 who have pre-phonics gaps?
- Would like easy ways to use fun songs, stories and games to build essential pre-reading skills?
- Looking for ways of building vocabulary fast, alongside pre-phonic development?
Ready for Reading is a highly practical course with heaps of practical ideas and simple suggestions that you can implement straight away. This is essential training for anybody working with children in the early years. The PERFECT foundation for any phonics programme introduced later on.
Attendees will join in with stories, songs and games, as well as having time to share ideas with colleagues and tap into the experience of an expert. Essential subject knowledge is paired with lots of active learning for a truly memorable experience, with great impact!
What you’ll learn
- What comes before phonics and why
- Where visual discrimination and visual memory fit into the wider phonics picture
- How to help children achieve essential attention and listening skills
- Why warming up our voices is a critical pre-phonic skill, and how to do it
- How to teach rhyme and rhythm effectively, and how this supports phonics later on
- What phonemic awareness is and how to teach it
- When to introduce pre-phonic skills through a carefully constructed progression so that all children are exceptionally well prepared to begin phonics at the beginning of Reception
This CPD will be perfect for you if you:
- Teach Nursery age children and want to build a strong foundation and need a more systematic approach, fully aligned with the EYFS
- Support children in Reception who have pre-phonics gaps
- Need some fresh ideas to support a language rich curriculum, brimming with stories and songs
- Have a validated phonics programme with limited provision for your Nursery Class
- Are new to phonics in Nursery and don't know where to start
- Work as an EYFS / English Leader and want to understand what comes before phonics and why
- Are an ECT in Nursery or Reception
Session date
Wednesday 29th October 2025, 9.30am - 3.30pm at NSPCC
Contact: sonia.dayal@sdsa.net
Reading
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools. £255 per delegate for non-maintained and Leicestershire schools.
Course Lead(s): Jo Puttick, Emma Spiers & Monika Singala
No. of sessions: 3 x half day sessions
Audience: Early reading leaders, reading leaders, EYFS Lead and EYFS/Y1 teachers
Overview
This year, the Early Reading Hub aims to:
- Continue to develop teacher and leader understanding relating to best practice in reading development.
- Focus on meeting a wide range of reading needs for children in the early stages of school and who may be in the early stages of reading development in KS1/KS2.
- Support leaders with their knowledge and skills in monitoring and evaluating their current practice and making decisions about change and embedding change.
Session 1:
- Building strong foundations in reading: What has been the impact of your phonics scheme on early reading development?
- New developments in national expectations of the teaching of early reading.
- How does autism impact on learning to read and how can you support these learners?
Session 2:
- What is dyslexia, how might it affect early readers and what strategies support progress?
- Texts to support SEND learners.
- Motivating children to want to read.
Session 3:
- Supporting EAL learners to read.
- Interventions to support vulnerable children to learn to read.
Gap tasks will be provided after each session.
Session dates
Session 1: Tuesday 14th October 2025, 8.45am-11.45am at NSPCC
Session 2: Tuesday 20th January 2026, 8.45am-11.45am at NSPCC
Session 3: Thursday 7th May 2026, 8.45am-11.45am at NSPCC
Contact: hayley.carter@sdsa.net
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools. £435 per school for non-maintained and Leicestershire schools to attend in pairs. (First delegate is full price (£290), second delegate is half price (£145))
Course Lead(s): Jo Puttick & Mel Hendy
No. of sessions: 1 x full day, 2 x half day sessions
Audience: Reading Leader plus one KS2 teacher from each school (recommended to attend together for the greatest impact), wishing to develop practice around teaching reading in small groups and how to support children’s love of reading.
Overview
These sessions provide an opportunity for Reading Leaders to work collaboratively alongside KS2 teachers to refine their teaching of reading through the delivery of purposeful small-group guided reading sessions, to ensure all pupils make progress. The training will explore, in depth, what makes guided reading effective, looking closely at each key element. Teachers will be supported in identifying and responding to the specific needs of their readers, enabling them to adapt their teaching accordingly. Throughout the programme, Reading Leaders will continue to develop their own understanding of high-quality guided reading, whilst also playing a key role in supporting their colleagues’ practice. Experienced Reading Leaders will facilitate tables and share expertise with colleagues. Each session will also feature high-quality fiction, non-fiction, and poetry texts introduced by Creative Learning Services (CLS), helping to inspire children’s motivation and love of reading.
Session 1:
Exploring the purpose of guided reading in ensuring all learners make progress, with a focus on effective pedagogy and subject knowledge in key reading and fluency strategies. The session will clarify how to model essential reading skills purposefully. Participants will observe new examples of good practice and engage in planning guided reading sessions using their own texts. The use of AI tools to adapt text levels, reduce cognitive overload for pupils, and ease teacher workload will also be introduced. We will also focus on engaging parents, supporting reading at home, selecting appropriate texts, and making effective use of Accelerated Reader (AR) as part of our discussions.
Gap task: Record a video of a small-group guided reading session to bring to Session 2.
Session 2:
This session focuses on refining guided reading practice by helping teachers recognise and interpret pupils’ reading skills. Participants will use this insight to adapt their planning and teaching to better support pupil progress. Consolidation of subject knowledge in reading strategies will continue and we explore elements of diagnostic assessment of reading.
Gap task: Record a video of a small-group guided reading session to bring to Session 3.
Session 3:
Further refinement of guided reading, with an emphasis on the intentional teaching of vocabulary. Delegates will continue to deepen their understanding of reading strategies and build confidence in adapting guided reading sessions to meet the specific needs of their pupils.
Please note:
- Participating schools will be required to attend all sessions as outlined below and to engage with the gap tasks.
- This programme is replacing the ‘Reading Leaders’ Network’ for one year. By working together, this programme aims to simultaneously support and develop Reading Leaders and KS2 classroom staff.
Session dates
Session 1: Thursday 30th October 2025, 9am-3pm at NSPCC
Session 2: Thursday 4th December 2025, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Session 3: Thursday 5th February 2026, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Contact: hayley.carter@sdsa.net
Overview
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools. £45 per delegate (half day conference) for non-maintained and Leicestershire schools. £25 per delegate (virtual session) for non-maintained and Leicestershire schools.
We are planning 3 face to face Reading Champions’ Conferences and 1 virtual briefing this year in approximately October and November 2025, March and June 2026. More details to follow in the Autumn term.
Contact: sonia.dayal@sdsa
Cost: Free for all Leicester City and Leicestershire schools
Course Lead(s): Nicola Gale and Nicole Jordan
No. of sessions: 5 x twilight sessions
Audience: Primary teachers, librarians, ITT colleagues and school support staff
Overview
Are you passionate about:
- developing children’s pleasure in reading?
- enriching your own knowledge of children’s literature?
- enhancing your reading for pleasure practice?
- engaging with others to support, network and share ideas?
Then join us to enrich your knowledge and practice! Guided by OU/UKLA research, our sessions explore reading for pleasure practice and pedagogy together to develop your knowledge and support your work in nurturing young readers.
Key dates
Launch to find out more: Wednesday 9th July 2025 (3:45pm - 4:30pm) - online
All sessions will run from 3:45pm-5:15pm. Members should aim to attend all 5 sessions over the academic year.
Session 1: Wednesday 15th October 2025 at CLS, Glenfield
Session 2: Wednesday 10th December 2025 - online
Session 3: Wednesday 25th Feb 2026 - online
Session 4: Wednesday 15th April 2026 - online
Session 5: Wednesday 24th June 2026 at CLS, Glenfield
Contact: nicola.gale@sdsa.net
Writing
Developing Early Writing- Getting it right from the start
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools. £375 for non-maintained schools and Leicestershire schools.
Course Lead(s): Emma Spiers
No. of sessions: 1x full day and 3x half day sessions
Overview
Follow the journey from sensory mark making to writing a series of simple sentences with accuracy and ease. This is essential CPD for F0, F1, and F2 Early Years teachers and Leaders of Early Years or English.
Attendees will:
- Secure a clear understanding of the most recent research underpinning best practice in writing.
- Develop a thorough, lasting, step-by-step approach through a progression in writing with high expectations.
- Deconstruct the act of writing for tailored activities with a clear focus on language for learning and the physical act of becoming a writer.
- Reflect on the many ways writing can be developed through high-quality formal and informal EYFS provision.
- Use a strategic framework for writing development across the EYFS.
- Apply simple and effective best practice principles in classrooms straight away.
- Achieve notable progress through a structured, engaging, language-rich approach.
Each session will include:
- A combination of subject knowledge and a strong pedagogical element for instant practical application.
- Intrinsic links to phonics programmes.
- Networking and shared examples.
- Worked examples and case studies of the Early Years writing process in action.
- Gap tasks to develop practice and develop new ideas.
Evidence-based publications referenced throughout this programme:
- Strong Foundations in the First Years of School (Ofsted, 2024)
- The Writing Framework (DfE, 2025)
Course Content
Session 1: Creative composition through high-quality interactions, adult as scribe and structured, meaningful talk activities.
Session 2: Terrific transcription from big moves to accurately formed letters.
Gap task: Trial at least 1 new compositional and 1 transcriptional activity, to evaluate and evaluate in Session 3.
Session 3: Successful scaffolding through simple and highly effective shared and guided writing approaches
Gap task: Video an example of your teaching of shared and guided writing to analyse and evaluate in Session 4.
Session 4: Further develop shared and guided writing through video coaching. Improve early years authorship through active, independent writing.
Gap task: Evaluate and develop the quality and quantity of independent writing opportunities, including the adult’s role in incidental writing.
Session 5: Planning for progression. Creating a structured, systematic plan for long-term engagement in writing through a holistic and immersive approach.
Session Dates
Session 1&2: Tuesday 7th October 2025, 9am-4pm at NSPCC
Session 3: Wednesday 19th November 2025, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Session 4: Wednesday 4th February 2026, 1pm-4pm at NSPCC
Session 5: Wednesday 18th March 2026, 1pm-4pm at NSPCC
Please note: In addition to the above dates, an impact session will be attended by English Subject Leaders only (not the teacher delegate) at the end of the programme. Leaders will share the impact of the CPD training programme on teacher practice and lower achieving pupils’ writing, including new arrivals and those with SEND, across the school. The impact session is included as part of the Strategic Leadership of English meetings.
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools. £375 for non-maintained schools and Leicestershire schools.
Course Lead(s): Jo Puttick
No. of sessions: 1x full day and 3x half day sessions
Overview
KS1 teachers will have a clear understanding of the research and rationale underpinning best practice in the teaching of early writing. Training will be broken down into small steps so that practitioners have the opportunity to apply each aspect in their classrooms, before reflecting on its impact during follow-up sessions.
The focus of these half-day sessions is to develop effective teaching of strong foundations in writing across KS1, ensuring that all pupils make progress. There will be a strong focus on supporting learners to develop fluency and automaticity in the transcriptional elements of writing to reduce the cognitive load required of young writers in writing composition.
These sessions will include a mix of subject knowledge and pedagogy and will be closely linked to the recent Ofsted publication, Strong Foundations in the First Years of School (2024). A range of scaffolding techniques, including oracy, to support young writers will be introduced alongside advice on the removal of scaffolding.to lead to independence. Gap tasks will be set for teachers to ensure development of teaching practice in the planning and teaching of writing for all learners in KS1.
The sessions will also provide opportunities to develop generic subject knowledge and pedagogical knowledge in writing, share good practice and network with other schools.
Proposed session content
Session 1: Understand the teaching of writing and the cognitive load required to write effectively. Teach strong foundations in handwriting and phonics for spelling to build fluency and automaticity. Use dictation as a tool.
Session 2: Understand end of year expectations for Y1 and Y2 and how to support LA writers and stretch and challenge able writers. Use scaffolds to support accurate writing of sentences and build strong foundations in age related grammar expectations.
Session 3: Develop effective teaching of strong foundations in writing through linked shared and guided writing. Gap task: video an example of your teaching of shared and guided writing.
Session 4: Develop the teaching of strong foundations in English through video coaching of shared and guided writing. Reflect and build on strategies to develop independent writing.
Session 5: Develop composition through the use of oracy. Reduce the complexity of tasks required of young writers: planning for progression.
Session Dates
Session 1: Monday 6th October 2025, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Session 2&3: Friday 21st November 2025, 9am-4pm at NSPCC
Session 4: Wednesday 4th February 2026, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Session 5: Wednesday 18th March 2026, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Please note: In addition to the above dates, an impact session will be attended by English Subject Leaders only (not the teacher delegate) at the end of the programme. Leaders will share the impact of the CPD training programme on teacher practice and lower achieving pupils’ writing, including new arrivals and those with SEND, across the school. The impact session is included as part of the Strategic Leadership of English meetings.
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools. £375 for non-maintained schools and Leicestershire schools.
Course Lead(s): Mel Hendy
No. of sessions: 1x full day and 3x half day sessions
Overview
Teachers will have a clear understanding of the research and rationale underpinning best practice in the teaching of early writing for lower achieving pupils including those with SEND and new arrivals. Training will be broken down into small steps so that practitioners have the opportunity to apply it in their classrooms, before reflecting on its impact during follow-up sessions.
The focus of these half-day sessions is to develop effective teaching of strong foundations in writing for lower achieving pupils across Ks2, ensuring that all pupils make progress. There will be a focus on supporting learners to develop fluency and automaticity in the transcriptional elements of writing to reduce the cognitive load required of writers in writing composition.
These sessions will include a mix of subject knowledge and pedagogy and will be closely linked to the recent publication, Strong Foundations in the First Years of School, Ofsted report. Content will include diagnostic review of lower achieving pupils’ writing to identify need and provision of scaffolding to meet them. A range of scaffolding techniques, including oracy, will be introduced alongside advice on the removal of scaffolding.to lead to independence. Gap tasks will be set for teachers to ensure development of teaching practice and impact on their lower achieving pupils’ writing including those with SEND.
The sessions will also provide opportunities to develop generic subject knowledge and pedagogical knowledge in writing, share good practice and network with other schools.
Proposed session content
Session 1: Diagnosis of writers’ needs. Understand the teaching of writing and the cognitive load required to write effectively. Teach strong foundations in handwriting and phonics for spelling to build fluency and automaticity. Use dictation as a tool.
Session 2: Understand end of year expectations for Ks2 pupils and how to support LA writers and stretch and challenge able writers. Use scaffolds to support accurate writing of sentences and build strong foundations in age related grammar expectations.
Session 3: Develop effective teaching of strong foundations in writing through linked shared and guided writing. Gap task: videoing of your teaching of shared and guided writing.
Session 4: Develop the teaching of strong foundations in English through video coaching of shared and guided writing. Reflect and build on strategies to develop independent writing.
Session 5: Develop composition through the use of oracy. Reduce the complexity of tasks required of writers: planning for progression.
Session Dates
Session 1: Monday 6th October 2025, 1pm-4pm at NSPCC
Session 2&3: Thursday 27th November 2025, 9am-4pm at NSPCC
Session 4: Friday 13th February 2026, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Session 5: Friday 20th March 2026, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Please note: In addition to the above dates, an impact session will be attended by English Subject Leaders only (not the teacher delegate) at the end of the programme. Leaders will share the impact of the CPD training programme on teacher practice and lower achieving pupils’ writing, including new arrivals and those with SEND, across the school. The impact session is included as part of the Strategic Leadership of English meetings.
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools. £255 for non-maintained schools and Leicestershire schools.
Course Lead(s): Hannah Cooper
No. of sessions: 3 x half day sessions
Overview
These sessions will support teachers’ understanding of planning progressive teaching sequences using their own curriculum and texts and will:
- consider ‘reverse planning’ principles and develop AFL strategies to ensure writing outcomes and expectations are appropriately pitched for the class
- provide an input on year group relevant subject knowledge including sentence structure, use of vocabulary and supporting children with their own planning of writing
- develop modelling at word & sentence level and for longer written outcomes
Group size is small to ensure maximum support from the course leader. Teachers can attend individually, or with year group teams and subject leads to plan collaboratively.
Please note these sessions are of similar content to previous years so are open to teachers who have not attended before.
Year 1 - Year 2 Session Dates
Session 1: Thursday 9th October 2025, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Session 2: Wednesday 3rd December 2025, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Session 3: Thursday 5th March 2026, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Year 3 - Year 4 Session Dates
Session 1: Friday 10th October 2025, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Session 2: Friday 5th December 2025, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Session 3: Friday 6th March 2026, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Year 5 - Year 6 Session Dates
Session 1: Thursday 16th October 2025, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Session 2: Thursday 11th December 2025, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Session 3: Thursday 12th March 2026, 9am-12noon at NSPCC
Reading for Pleasure initiatives
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools. There are two options for non-maintained city schools and Leicestershire schools wishing to participate:
Option 1) £300 per school (includes approximately a minimum of 5 copies of each of the 6 shortlisted books, and resources)
Option 2) £550 per school (includes approximately a minimum of 10 copies of each of the 6 shortlisted books, and resources)
Once registered, WiT will contact non-maintained/Leicestershire schools to confirm which option you wish to be charged for.
Overview
Our Best Picture Book Award, especially for Year 2 children in Leicester! During Spring Term 2026, Year 2 pupils and families will be asked to read and talk together about six picture books and to vote for their favourite. Schools provided with books and resources to support the running of the award.
Contact: hayley.carter@sdsa.net
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools. Non-maintained Leicester City schools can choose between two options:
1) £300 per school (includes 1 copy of each longlist book (12 books) and approximately a minimum of 5 copies of each of the top 5 shortlisted titles, resources and virtual author talks)
2) £550 (includes 1 copy of each longlist book (12 books) and approximately a minimum of 10 copies of each of the top 5 shortlisted titles, resources and virtual author talks)
Once registered, WiT will contact non-maintained schools to confirm which option you wish to be charged for.
Overview
A book award, especially for Year 5/6 children in Leicester! This projects will run for the duration of the 2025-26 academic year. Pupils are asked to read a range of books, shortlist their top 5 and then vote for their favourite. Schools will be provided with books and resources to support the running of the award. Cost covers multiple copies of titles, resources, videos and virtual author visits.
Contact: sonia.dayal@sdsa.net
Please note: This is only open to Leicester City schools (maintained and academies).
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools.
Overview
A box of exciting poetry books (distributed in the Autumn Term) - simply for children throughout school to enjoy reading! Suggested activities and competition challenges will be provided.
Please note: This is open to Leicester City maintained schools only.
Contact: sonia.dayal@sdsa.net
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools. Charge for non-maintained schools.
Authors on Tour will run during June 2026 with face to face and virtual author visits for all year groups. Books will be supplied to schools to accompany their chosen author visit. More information to follow in January 2026.
Contact: sonia.dayal@sdsa.net