Reimagining Oak’s reception resources for today’s classrooms

As my youngest child started school this term, I’ve loved rediscovering the reception curriculum through his eyes. Seeing his curiosity flourish as he moves from nursery into school has been a powerful reminder of just how special this stage of learning is. That’s why I’m hugely excited that Oak has been asked to redevelop the reception resources we originally created for remote education during the pandemic. This time, we’ll be designing materials specifically to support teachers and pupils in reception classrooms.

Why we’re doing this work

As part of the government’s Plan for Change and Best Start in Life strategy, the Department for Education has asked Oak to recreate its optional, adaptable, high-quality reception resources to better help teachers in their day-to-day practice and support workload. Reception teachers are central to the government’s ambition for 75% of children to reach a Good Level of Development (GLD) by age five by 2028* – equivalent to around 40,000-45,000 more pupils each year.

Alongside new GLD reports and a national programme of conferences and webinars, Oak’s reimagined materials will provide another source of support for schools, trusts and local authorities.

A different approach for a distinctive stage

Over the last few years, Oak has redeveloped curriculum and lesson resources for key stages 1-4. These have become widely used in classrooms across the country. But reception is a pivotal point in a child’s education as they complete the EYFS and are supported in the transition to KS1, and so our approach must be different.

Young children learn through child-led play, exploration, social interaction and purposeful adult guidance. Their development is shaped by the environment around them. Reception practice is rich, responsive and built on deep professional expertise. Solely teacher-led lesson structures simply aren’t the right model here.

Our redeveloped reception resources will therefore be designed to reflect children’s developmental and educational needs, and to support the pedagogical approaches and early years teachers use every day and the environment children play and learn in. They won’t include phonics content, but they will align fully with a school’s chosen phonics approach. And crucially, they will be built on the best available evidence of effective early years practice.

Shaped with the sector

Getting this right means working closely with those who know reception best. We’ll be engaging reception teachers, expert organisations and partners across the early years sector from the very outset. Their experience will guide our thinking, help us capture best practice and ensure what we develop genuinely supports strong progression into key stage 1.

To lead this work, we are in the process of recruiting an EYFS curriculum specialist who will collaborate with Oak’s curriculum and product teams, as well as with practitioners and experts across the country. We’ll also create clear ways for teachers to explore materials early in development and share their insights.

This will be a collaborative, iterative process – something we’ll continue all the way through to summer 2027 when we expect the resources to be ready for use in the 2027–28 academic year.

What teachers can expect

As with all Oak resources, everything we produce will be:

• High-quality – grounded in evidence and created with expert input
• Adaptable – designed to be shaped and used flexibly
• Optional – a model teachers can draw on where helpful

These reception materials will support teachers to plan and deliver developmentally appropriate learning experiences, and help children make a smooth, successful transition into key stage 1. Most importantly, they will be designed to complement – never replace – the professional judgement, creativity and deep knowledge that underpin effective early years practice.

We are proud to be taking on this work, and committed to doing it in a way that respects and reflects the distinctive nature of reception. By working closely with the sector, drawing on evidence and listening carefully to teachers, we aim to create resources that offer practical, meaningful support for reception teachers and their pupils.

Get in touch if you're interested in getting involved: [email protected]

*source https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life