UK Department for Education (DFE) Accredited (NPQs)

Excellence in Reception Teaching (NPD)

Excellence in Reception Teaching is a professional development programme for experienced reception teachers and teachers moving into a reception role who want to strengthen classroom practice, deepen their understanding of child development and improve outcomes for children at a vital stage in their education.
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Quick Facts

Awarding Body
UK Department for Education
Study Mode
Online / Blended
Course Format
Online Study Units
Certification
England's DFE Accredited
Registration
Up to 4 weeks in advance of course
Certificate Timeline
Issued after completion within 4 weeks

Who should apply for Excellence in Reception Teaching?

Experienced reception teachers
SEND teachers
Teachers who want to strengthen reception practice
Course Duration
20 weeks across 2 terms
Front Desk Skills
Develop strong reception practice
Mentor support
Yhroughout
Online learning
Coaching
5 hours
Total Learning Hours
Approx. 20 hours

Registration Process

Submit Application
Submit your application through ICD's online form. Shortlisted candidates receive an offer letter.
Payment & Enrolment
Pay the course fee and share the payment receipt to confirm enrolment.
Access Portal
Once enrolled, you'll receive your login details by email to begin coursework on ICD's portal.
Each of the four annual intakes (Jan, April, July, October) runs for 3 months.
Register here

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How is Excellence in Reception Teaching delivered?

Benefits for schools
Strengthen Reception practice
Support teachers to refine day to day Reception teaching in ways that improve children’s learning, development and inclusion
Build evidence informed provision
Develop practice that is grounded in evidence, aligned with Reception priorities and focused on practical classroom application
Support smoother transitions
Improve how Reception teachers support children’s transition into school and from Reception into Year 1
Benefits for learners
Develop your skills and knowledge
Deepen your understanding of child development, Reception pedagogy, curriculum, inclusion and effective partnerships
Apply learning directly in your classroom
Use structured reflection and classroom application weeks to make focused improvements to your own practice
Personalised feedback and coaching
Develop your ability to identify needs early, adapt provision, support children with SEND and EAL and create inclusive routines, environments and interactions

What is Excellence in Reception Teaching?

Excellence in Reception Teaching is a professional development programme for experienced Reception teachers who want to strengthen their practice and make a sustained difference to children’s learning, development and transition into school.

Reception is a vital stage in a child’s education. It is where children build the foundations for communication and language, early literacy, early mathematics, self regulation, relationships and confidence as learners.

The programme is designed to support teachers with the practical realities of Reception teaching. It focuses on the small but important decisions teachers make every day, including how they plan learning, respond to children’s needs, create effective routines, support inclusion, work with families and help children move successfully into Year 1.

Excellence in Reception Teaching uses a familiar professional development model, with structured learning, practical classroom application, formative assessment and mentor feedback. There is no summative assessment. Instead, participants are supported to apply evidence informed practice, evaluate impact and plan how improvements can be sustained in their setting.

FAQs

Who should apply for Excellence in Reception Teaching?
Excellence in Reception Teaching is for experienced Reception teachers who want to refine and strengthen their practice.

It is particularly suitable for teachers who want to deepen their understanding of child development and apply this knowledge to support communication, language, personal, social and emotional development, physical development, self regulation and school readiness.

Experienced Reception teachers
Teachers who want to strengthen day to day Reception practice
Teachers supporting children with varied developmental needs
Teachers who want to improve inclusion and adaptive practice
Teachers who want to support smoother transitions into Reception and Year 1
Schools and trusts that want to build consistent, evidence informed Reception practice
Why choose it?
Excellence in Reception Teaching has been designed to be structured, practical and manageable. It draws on approaches used in successful professional development programmes while focusing specifically on the needs of experienced Reception teachers.

Participants benefit from:

Structured online learning through Canvas
Reception specific examples and case studies
SEND inclusive exemplification across varied contexts
Low stakes checks for understanding
Downloadable summaries and practice tools
Clear formative assessment guidance
Annotated exemplars and success criteria
Access to a named Learning Mentor
Written mentor feedback
Professional reflection and dialogue
A final session focused on impact and sustainability
What does it cost?
International Excellence in Reception Teaching costs £715 plus VAT where applicable. VAT is chargeable on courses funded by private individuals.

Program Fee

LEADERSHIP Qualifications

Empowering school leaders and aspiring heads.

Specialist NPQs Certificates

£1,705.00
Leading Teaching, Behaviour & Culture, orTeacher Development.

Need-based and merit-based scholarships available at ICD Centers.

Enquire Now

Take the next step in your teaching journey by registering your interest with ICD. Submit your enquiry online to receive guidance on modules, preparation options, registration, and payment process.
Lahore

Teaching Qualifications & Courses

Karachi

Teaching Qualifications and Preparation Classes

Islamabad

Teaching Qualifications and Preparation Classes

Meet the Team

Our tutors bring a wide range of expertise across teaching qualifications, language training, corporate development, and academic instruction. Below is a selection of our current instructors.

Syeda Alishbah Zehra

Founder & CEO of IWZ International

Aminah Ali

English Language Educator & Teacher Trainer

Hamad Ul Qudous

Instructor

Warjil Augustine

IELTS Trainer

Syeda Alishbah Zehra

Founder & CEO of IWZ International

A CELTA Certified Trainer from the University of Cambridge, Syeda Alishbah Zehra serves as a Pre-CELTA Interview Examiner, Cambridge Speaking Examiner and Train-the-Trainer at the Institute of Career Development (ICD), Karachi. She previously dedicated five years to Beaconhouse Defence Campus as Cambridge O Level English Language and Global Perspectives Subject Specialist, contributing to academic development and student learning.

Today, as the Founder & CEO of IWZ International, Zehra has built an education enterprise dedicated to international English education and learning opportunities. She is a British Council Trained IELTS Trainer. Under her leadership, IWZ received two distinctions from the British Council: Best Emerging Partner – South Region (2024) and Highest Volume Contributor (2025–26). IWZ operates as an official British Council IELTS preparation and registration centre, reflecting her commitment to accessible, internationally recognised education.

Her professional association with the British Council continues through IWZ’s partnership, alongside her recently completed contractual tenure as a Professional Qualifications Examinations Officer for Sindh and Balochistan, where she supported the secure administration and quality assurance of international examinations.

A distinguished Gold Medallist of the Pakistan Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management (PITHM), Batch of 2017, Zehra earned the highest marks among all the students in her batch, receiving recognition from the Minister of Culture & Arts, Sindh. She began her professional journey in hospitality, gaining experience at Marriott International, Karachi, before establishing herself as an entrepreneur and education leader.

In 2024, Zehra represented Pakistan as an IMI delegate at the United Nations Headquarters in New York during an official month-long visit associated with the 68th Commission on the Status of Women. Her engagement reflects her commitment to women's representation and the advancement of equality and quality in education for all.

Guided by the principles of UN Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 10: Quality Education and Reduced Inequalities, Zehra is committed to advancing equitable access to quality education for all, regardless of social or economic background. Through her entrepreneurial leadership, educational initiatives and international engagement, she champions inclusive learning opportunities that empower individuals, bridge inequalities and make education a pathway to greater opportunity.

Aminah Ali

English Language Educator & Teacher Trainer

Aminah Ali is a Cambridge CELTA-certified English language educator and teacher trainer with over ten years of experience. She holds an MPhil in American Studies and an MSc in Applied Linguistics. She currently teaches at National Defence University and Bahria University, Islamabad, specialising in EFL, ESP, academic writing and business communication. At AlBasir, she designed and delivered workplace English programmes for software professionals. At the Institute of Career Development, she trains aspiring teachers on the Advanced TEFL programme. Her expertise includes curriculum design, language assessment and communicative language teaching across academic and professional contexts.

Hamad Ul Qudous

Instructor

Hamad Ul Qudous is a Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science at FAST-NUCES, Pakistan, where he also earned his BS and MS degrees in Computer Science and is currently pursuing his PhD. With approximately eight years of university-level teaching experience, he specializes in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Computer Vision, Natural Language Processing, and Programming. His research interests include medical image analysis and multimodal AI. He has extensive experience in curriculum development, student assessment, examination design, and academic project supervision, alongside practical industry experience as an AI consultant.

Warjil Augustine

IELTS Trainer

Warjil  is an educational leader, master trainer, and language assessment specialist based in Karachi, Pakistan. Serving as School Principal at Pak British Schooling System, he brings advanced qualifications in international pedagogy and curriculum design.

His expertise spans institutional governance, Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs), and faculty development workshops. Additionally, he specializes in high-stakes test preparation for IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE, and the Duolingo English Test, delivering strategic masterclasses and tailored instructional frameworks.

Sadaf Iftikhar

Instructor

About Sadaf

Sadaf Iftikhar CELTA certified TESOL Professional | Cambridge Certified Tutor | Teacher Trainer | English Lecturer | Tutor & Assessor. Extensive experience in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), including instruction and administration in ESL programs in primary, secondary, higher, adult, and continuing education environments. Active in TESOL professional organizations.

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Aya Badr

Instructor

About Aya

Aya Badr is a Cambridge CELTA Main Course Tutor, freelance Teacher Trainer with the British Council, and experienced IELTS Trainer. She is an edupreneur, educational consultant, and Academic Director at Teachers College, where she leads the development and delivery of professional teacher education programmes. Aya holds a Level 7 DipTESOL from Trinity College London, alongside Cambridge qualifications in Train the Trainer and Educational Leadership and Management. With extensive experience in teacher development, academic leadership, and language education, she is passionate about empowering educators and creating meaningful, high-quality learning experiences.

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Anna Hasper

Instructor

About Anna

Anna Hasper Teacher Development Specialist ▏CELTA/DELTA Trainer & Assessor⚡ Empowering ELT teachers to enable better learning ▏SEL, IELTS & YLs ▏Course & Materials designer ▏Educational consultant ▏ELT author▏

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Hina Tehman

Instructor

About Hina

Hina Tehman CELTA certified/Teachers Trainer/Academic Coordinator at LGS

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Peter Lucantoni

Instructor

About Peter

Peter Lucantoni is the author and co-author of a range of popular course books for students, including Cambridge IGCSE English as a Second Language and Introduction to English as a Second Language. He is also co-author with Matthew Ellman of From Teacher to Trainer, all published by Cambridge University Press. Peter regularly speaks at ELT conferences and trains teachers internationally in both the public and private sectors.

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Alexandar Makarios

CELTA Instructor

About Alexandar

Experienced teacher trainer and educator with expertise in Cambridge CELTA, DELTA, and Train-the-Trainer courses. Extensive background in designing and delivering EFL lessons across diverse contexts, managing teacher training programs, and collaborating with Cambridge for course standardization. Proficient in staff mentoring, test development, and client communication, with international teaching experience in Greece, South Africa, and China.

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Danilo Garrido

Instructor

About Danilo

Danilo Garrido is a doctoral candidate in Language Studies at PUC-Rio with extensive experience in English language teaching, both face-to-face and online. He is a CELTA tutor, ELT materials editor, Cambridge speaking examiner, and a professional translator between English and Brazilian Portuguese