Stour Vale Academy Trust Early Years Case Study
Deborah Walker, Trust EYFS Lead, explains how a trust-wide strategy has raised Reception Good Level of Development (GLD) in Stour Vale.
Introduction and drivers
In 2025–26 Stour Vale Academy Trust implemented a 12-month, trust-led strategy to raise Reception Good Level of Development (GLD) from 59.1% (2024–25) towards the national ambition. Drivers were clear: low starting points in communication and language linked to deprivation, a rise in complex SEND on entry, variable nursery provision feeding Reception, and the government/DFE focus on improving early outcomes. Recognising the need for expert leadership of this trust-wide strategy, the Trust Board appointed Deborah Walker as Trust EYFS and Day Care Lead.
Key actions
1. Strategic EYFS leadership and networks — appointment of a Trust EYFS Lead who attended GLD reporting briefings and cascaded guidance to EYFS leads and headteachers; establishment of an EYFS Network meeting five times a year to plan CPD, moderation and shared action plans.
2. Targeted CPD and evidence-aligned pedagogy — trust-wide CPD emphasised language nutrition, structured talk (ShRec), self-regulation, play-based pedagogy and clear progressions to ELGs. Staff engaged with NPQ Early Years Leadership, Mastering Number, SKTM and local English hubs to build subject knowledge.
3. Focused trials and targeted intervention — implementation of the Moving the Box trial in multiple settings to identify and support children at risk of not attaining GLD; Moat Farm Infant School (MFI) was selected by the local authority as a case study for effective implementation.
4. Assessment clarity and moderation — use of DfE EYFS Profile guidance and the GLD reporting tool across the trust; structured internal and cross-school moderation events to reduce assessment variability.
5. Transition improvement — adoption and dissemination of Starting Reception materials, home-visit approaches and low-pressure transition events to strengthen school–family relationships and early SEND identification.
6. Dissemination and capacity building — trust-hosted Early Years conference and regular headteacher briefings to share practice and scale effective approaches.
Impact (measured effects)
• Trust-wide GLD rose noticeably in 2025–26: four schools exceeded the 2024–25 national GLD percentage, showing a measurable positive shift in outcomes.
• MFI’s Moving the Box implementation gained external validation when selected by the local authority to present its outcomes in London.
• Staff reported stronger clarity about the Writing ELG, communication and language priorities, and half-termly progress expectations.
• Moderation activity improved consistency of teacher assessment across the trust, though variability remains an identified area for further work.
• Engagement with national programmes increased staff subject knowledge and created sustainable CPD routes (NPQs, Mastering Number, English hubs, EEF NELI registrations).
What next (priority steps)
• Sustain effective leadership and networks: retain the Trust EYFS and Day Care Lead role, maintain the EYFS Network and the annual conference to keep momentum.
• Narrow assessment variability: continue structured moderation cycles, use GLD reporting-tool analysis termly to target persistent gaps by pupil group (SEND, EAL, disadvantaged).
• Scale proven interventions: roll out Moving the Box learning across more classrooms and monitor fidelity where it most affects GLD.
• Strengthen transition to Year 1: refine transition protocols using Starting Reception/smooth-transition guidance, prioritise home visits and early SEND planning.
• Continue evidence-aligned CPD: embed ShRec/language nutrition and Mastering Number, and evaluate impact via termly progress checks and moderation.
Conclusion
A clear leadership focus on EYFS, tightly targeted CPD, evidence-informed trials and improved assessment practice have driven the most impact on GLD. Next steps are consolidation: sustain leadership capacity, tighten assessment accuracy, scale effective interventions and secure smoother transitions into Year 1.