The new academic year brings new priorities, fresh challenges and opportunities to refine practice. Whether you’re leading literacy or English across your school or looking to develop your own classroom practice, there’s a wealth of CPD available to support you.

To help you navigate the options, here’s a curated collection of organisations that we think are particularly worth exploring. They cover a range of topics across reading, writing and spoken language, supporting you to strengthen inclusive practice for a diverse range of learners.  From evidence-informed webinars and online courses to on-demand videos and specialist programmes, our selection offers valuable opportunities for both Primary and Secondary practitioners, with autumn training opportunities available to book now.

British Dyslexia Association (BDA)

Best for: SEND, inclusive practice and dyslexia-friendly classrooms

The British Dyslexia Association has been supporting learners with dyslexia and promoting inclusive practice for over 50 years. Its training offer includes a range of free and paid courses designed to help educators better understand and support dyslexic learners. Topics covered include assistive technology, phonics, classroom adaptations and strategies for removing barriers to learning while supporting pupil independence and confidence.

Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE)

Best for: primary literacy leadership, reading and writing

CLPE is widely recognised as a leading organisation in primary literacy education. Its training is firmly rooted in high-quality children’s literature and helps schools develop strong reading and writing provision across the curriculum. CLPE’s trainers are all experienced classroom practitioners who have held senior leadership positions in schools, and the extensive programme of research-informed CPD covers everything from Reading for Pleasure and inclusive texts to writing, poetry and curriculum design.

Empathy Lab

Best for: Reading for Pleasure, wellbeing and inclusive practice

Empathy Lab champions the idea that stories help children understand themselves and others. Its work focuses on developing empathy through reading, helping schools build caring, inclusive communities while strengthening literacy engagement and reading for pleasure. The Empathy Schools Programme, launching again this autumn, supports schools to embed empathy education through reading in sustainable and evidence-informed ways.

English Hubs

Best for: fully funded, local support and training 

The English Hubs programme continues to provide valuable, fully funded literacy support for local schools. Hubs work with eligible schools in their area to improve spoken language development, phonics, reading fluency and Reading for Pleasure, offering training and CPD that benefits pupils from EYFS to KS3.

Many hubs are delivering the DfE-funded Reading Fluency: The Bridge to Comprehension programme, which focuses on developing accuracy, automaticity and prosody to help pupils move from simply decoding words to understanding texts with greater confidence and success. Schools looking for a more comprehensive, paid-for package of support may also wish to explore HFL Education’s Reading Fluency Project, which helped shape the DfE-funded programme.

Fischer Family Trust (FFT)

Best for: evidence-informed literacy improvement across all phases

The FFT provides expert data and effective literacy tools to support educators from nursery through to secondary education in improving outcomes for pupils across all key stages. It offers a comprehensive programme of events and training that includes live webinars and on-demand CPD covering reading, writing, oracy and literacy leadership.

Schools may also wish to explore FFT’s Literacy Programmes including their DfE-funded Unlocking Reading programme for secondary schools, an online CPD programme tailored for teachers, teaching assistants and school leaders to support struggling readers through a whole-school approach to improving reading and attainment.

Flash Academy®

Best for: EAL and multilingual learners

Flash Academy® is best known for its award-winning language learning platform, but its professional development programme is also worth exploring. It offers live online and in-person events, featuring expert voices in EAL, that provide valuable insights and strategies to support the progress and wellbeing of multilingual learners. In addition, their extensive collection of free, on-demand webinars explores a wide range of current and relevant themes, bringing together experts and classroom practitioners to share valuable perspectives and practical experience for both primary and secondary settings.

Literacy Counts

Best for: primary literacy curriculum and subject leadership

Literacy Counts offers a comprehensive programme of literacy training covering reading, writing, spelling, oracy, inclusion, EYFS and subject leadership. Their courses are closely aligned to current policy developments and classroom practice. The breadth of the offer means there is typically something relevant for teachers, English leaders and senior leaders, whether schools are refining their curriculum or responding to new guidance.

National Literacy Trust

Best for: research-informed literacy development across all phases

The National Literacy Trust combines the very latest literacy research and national data with practical support for schools. Their extensive programme includes conferences, webinars, professional development courses and specialist events across primary and secondary education. Topics covered include Reading for Pleasure, literacy leadership, disciplinary literacy, inclusion and literacy’s relationship with wellbeing.

The English Association

Best for: Developing subject knowledge, literature and secondary English

The English Association offers an impressive programme of webinars, conferences and professional learning opportunities for educators across all phases. Sessions offer thought-provoking, high-quality CPD that helps teachers engage with the wider world of English while remaining connected to classroom practice. Featured topics include literature, language, reading, writing, poetry and oracy, often featuring leading academics and practitioners.

Many of their events are either free or low cost, making them an accessible option for schools looking to deepen subject knowledge.

OU Reading for Pleasure

Best for: strengthening Reading for Pleasure pedagogy through research-based practice

Led by Professor Teresa Cremin with a team of international researchers, education professionals and teaching specialists, the OU Reading for Pleasure website offers access to comprehensive, research-informed resources, CPD and training. Highlights include a free, self-paced online CPD course on developing Reading for Pleasure and their upcoming autumn conference, which brings together leading academics and practitioners to share the latest research, fresh thinking and practical ideas.

A national network of Teachers’ Reading Groups offer the opportunity to connect with other literacy professionals in your area and develop your understanding of effective RfP pedagogy and practice. Groups are free to join and meet several times a year to explore research, trial approaches in their settings, and share outcomes. Registration for this academic year is now open; find your local group here.

More to explore on Literacy Hive