Pen Green Research Base

14/10/2026

A day of reflection, learning and professional development at Pen Green!

It was lovely to welcome a brand-new cohort of Year 1 Early Career Teachers (ECTs) this morning.

Together, we explored what it means to hold high expectations of all children, being curious about what this looks like in an inclusive Early Years classroom and how we can ensure every child is supported to thrive.

This afternoon, we welcomed back our Year 2 ECTs, who continued their professional learning by exploring how to anticipate and address misconceptions and develop children's intrinsic motivation to learn.

Two cohorts, different stages of their teaching journeys, but a shared commitment to reflective practice, inclusion and supporting every child's learning and development.

14/10/2026

📣 Last chance to apply for an NPQ with Pen Green!

The application deadline is approaching for our National Professional Qualifications (NPQs), delivered in partnership with the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT).

We are offering two programmes:

🌱 NPQ for Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL) – Develop your confidence, knowledge and skills to lead high-quality early years provision.

💡 NPQ for SENCOs (NPQSENCO) – Strengthen your expertise in SEND, inclusive practice and leading improvements for children with additional needs.

Why undertake an NPQ?

✅ Develop your leadership skills through evidence-informed professional development.
✅ Learn alongside like-minded professionals, sharing experiences and reflecting on practice.
✅ Gain practical knowledge and approaches you can apply in your own setting.

⏳ There is only one intake this academic year, starting in November 2026, so don't miss out!
✅ Funding is available for eligible applicants.
📅 Applications close Thursday 22 October 2026.

Take the next step in your professional development with Pen Green.

👉 Find out more and apply: https://niot.org.uk/

07/10/2026

Applications for Initial Teacher Training starting in 2027 are now open! 🎓

We’re pleased to be working once again with the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) to offer a range of teacher training routes through Pen Green:
- Primary 3–7 PGCE with QTS
- Primary 3–7 Teacher Apprenticeship
- Primary 5–11 PGCE with QTS
- SEND Postgraduate Teacher Apprenticeship

If you’re thinking about teaching and want to understand which route might be right for you, get in touch with us for a conversation. We can talk you through the options, entry requirements and what training through Pen Green and NIoT looks like.

📩 [email protected]
📱 WhatsApp: +44 7876 582854

Thinking about teaching in 2027? Applications are now open.

Applications for Initial Teacher Training open today!

If teaching is something you’ve been thinking about, you can now explore your options and take the next step when you’re ready.

With fee-paying, salaried and apprenticeship routes available, there are different ways to train to become a teacher, with two school placements and expert support throughout.

If you already know the route, subject or area you’re interested in, it’s worth applying when you’re ready. Some routes and locations can fill as applications come in, so applying earlier can give you more choice when it comes to finding school placements that suit you.

Whether you’re ready to apply or still deciding if teaching is right for you, we’re here to support you.

Register today and find out how to apply 👉 https://buff.ly/VliNZ2R

04/10/2026

🎓 New January start for our Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship!

We’re excited to relaunch the Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship (EYTDA), delivered by Pen Green in partnership with the University of Greenwich, with our first cohort now starting in January 2027.

The EYTDA offers experienced early years practitioners the opportunity to become a graduate Early Years Teacher while remaining in paid employment.

Practitioners can:
✔️ Earn while they learn
✔️ Graduate with a BA (Hons) Early Years
✔️ Achieve Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS)
✔️ Remain in paid employment throughout

💷 And there’s significant support available for employers too.

Eligible employers may be able to access an Employer Support Grant of up to £22,653, subject to DfE eligibility criteria.

For settings, this could be a valuable opportunity to invest in an experienced member of your team, support their progression and develop graduate-level expertise within your own workforce.

📅 First cohort starts January 2027
📩 Applications are open now

Find out more, watch our information session or start your application:
https://www.pengreen.org/pen-green-degree-programmes-2/eytda/

Questions?
📧 [email protected]
💬 WhatsApp us: https://wa.me/447876582854

03/10/2026

🎓✨ It’s Graduation Day! ✨🎓

Today we are incredibly proud to celebrate our BA Bradford graduates as they gather at the Midland Hotel to mark this very special achievement.

A huge congratulations to each and every one of you! 👏🎓

We know the hard work, commitment and determination it has taken to reach this point — balancing study alongside work, family life and everything else that life brings. Today is your chance to pause, celebrate and be proud of just how far you’ve come.

You’ve gained knowledge, confidence and skills that will continue to make a real difference to children, families.

From everyone at Pen Green Research, Training and Development Base — well done, graduates! We are so proud of you and hope you have a fantastic day celebrating your achievement. 💚🎓

02/10/2026

There’s still time to apply for our November NPQ cohort, delivered in partnership with the National Institute of Teaching.

At Pen Green, we are offering:

⭐ NPQ in Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL)
⭐ NPQ for SENCOs (NPQSENCO)

These programmes are a great opportunity to develop your leadership practice, strengthen your knowledge and apply evidence-informed approaches directly within your setting.

For eligible participants, DfE scholarship funding is available, meaning the programme can be fully funded.

The NPQEYL is particularly relevant for leaders working across the early years sector, including those in private, voluntary and independent settings, maintained nursery schools, publicly funded early years settings and eligible Ofsted-registered childminders.

If you have been considering an NPQ but wondering how you would fit it around work, the post below from NIOT gives a really helpful overview of what the commitment actually looks like.

📅 Next cohort starts November 2026
⏰ Applications close 22 October – there’s still time to secure your place.

Interested in finding out more about studying NPQEYL or NPQSENCO with Pen Green and NIOT?

📧 [email protected]
💬 WhatsApp us: https://wa.me/447876582854

‘I'd love to do an NPQ...I just don't have the time’. Is one of the biggest concerns we hear from teachers and school leaders considering professional development.

The reality? An NPQ is designed to fit around the demands of working in schools, with most participants spending around 1-2 hours per week engaging with programme content.

In our latest blog, we take an honest look at what studying for an NPQ actually involves, from online learning and webinars to assessments and practical application 👉️ https://buff.ly/ELHbPuk.

30/09/2026

📚 A busy week for our Foundation Degree Year 2 students!

Our Year 2 students are with us this week, exploring curriculum frameworks and thinking together about how curriculum, pedagogy and practice shape young children’s experiences.

Alongside plenty of discussion, reflection and flip-chart thinking, Kat has been mixing up the usual check-in and check-out activities too!

💭 Check-in: If you could introduce one new lesson in school, what would it be and why?

❄️ Check-out: Everyone captured a headline from their learning that day, screwed it up into a snowball… and finished with a snowball fight before picking up and sharing someone else’s reflection!

A fun way to bring together the thinking, conversations and learning from the day — and a reminder that studying for a degree can involve a little bit of chaos too! 🎓✨

29/09/2026

Thinking about teaching? 🤔

Applications for Initial Teacher Training starting in 2027 open on Tuesday 6 October – a week to go!

Once again, we’ll be working in partnership with the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) to offer a range of teacher training routes through Pen Green:
- Primary 3–7 PGCE with QTS
- Primary 3–7 Teacher Apprenticeship
- Primary 5–11 PGCE with QTS
- SEND Postgraduate Teacher Apprenticeship

If you’re thinking about a career in teaching, whether you’re just starting to explore your options or you already know it’s your next step, get in touch with us. We’d be very happy to talk through the different routes, entry requirements and what training with Pen Green and NIoT could look like.

📩 [email protected]
📱 WhatsApp: +44 7876 582854

Thinking about teaching? Come and have a conversation with us.

25/09/2026

A final face-to-face study week for our MA group 💚

It was lovely to have our MA students back at Pen Green yesterday and today for what will be their final face-to-face study days together.

There have been plenty of thought-provoking conversations as the group begin their final module and start to embark on their dissertation studies — drawing together everything they have explored throughout the programme and beginning to shape their own research.
We’ll certainly miss the laughter, energy and conversation this group bring to their study weeks, but we’re incredibly excited to see where their ideas take them and what emerges from their final research projects.

🎓 Thinking about taking the next step in your own professional learning? There’s still time to apply to join our next MA cohort, which begins online in just a few weeks.
Come and learn, reflect, question and research with us at Pen Green. 💚

For more information or to chat to us about the programme, email us: [email protected] or WhatsApp us on +44 7876 582854:
https://wa.me/447876582854

18/09/2026

🎓 It’s Graduation Day! 🎓

Today we are incredibly proud to celebrate our graduating cohorts from the Foundation Degree, BA (Hons), Master’s Degree and Initial Teacher Training programmes.

A huge congratulations to each and every one of you. 👏

We know how much hard work, commitment and determination goes into studying alongside work, family life and everything else that life brings. We never underestimate what it has taken for you to reach this point.

Today is a chance to celebrate everything you have achieved, the knowledge and confidence you have developed, and the difference you will continue to make for children, families and the early years and education sector.

From everyone at Pen Green Research, Training and Development Base — well done. We are so proud to see you graduate today! 🎓💚