Evidence-informed • Early identification • Targeted intervention
Flip is an evidence-informed EYFS intervention programme that helps Reception practitioners identify children who need additional support, deliver targeted intervention and monitor progress with confidence.
Designed to strengthen communication and language, physical development and school readiness, FLIP combines engaging daily sessions, practical resources and clear assessment tools to help Reception-aged children build the foundations they need for future learning. Developed using established research and national guidance, it supports schools in providing consistent, targeted intervention while making it easier to identify needs, measure progress and plan next steps.
Shortlisted for a Teach Early Years award!
More children are beginning Reception with a wider range of developmental needs than ever before, creating increasing demand for early support.
Identifying needs early and providing timely support helps children build the confidence and skills they need for future learning.
Schools are increasingly developing inclusive approaches that identify need early and provide targeted support without waiting for diagnosis.
More children than ever are starting Reception needing additional support to access learning successfully. Communication, language, personal, social and emotional development, physical development and early literacy all play an important role in helping children build the foundations for school.
Without early identification and timely intervention, small difficulties can quickly become bigger barriers to learning. FLIP gives schools a structured way to identify need, deliver targeted support and monitor progress over time either 1:1 or in a small group.
Early intervention is not about doing more. It's about providing the right support, for the right children, at the right time.
FLIP (Foundations for Learning Intervention Programme) is an evidence-informed Reception intervention programme designed to help schools identify children who may benefit from additional support and deliver structured intervention through short, engaging daily sessions.
Rather than focusing on a single area of development, FLIP provides a growing series of interventions that support the foundations children need for successful learning. As the FLIP programme grows, schools will be able to choose units that develop communication and language, physical development, emotional regulation, vocabulary, oracy and other key foundations for learning.
Every FLIP unit includes clear practitioner guidance, interactive slides, practical activities and assessment materials, making targeted intervention straightforward to deliver while helping practitioners monitor progress and support children’s school readiness journey.
Use our easy identification toolkit to quickly spot children who need additional support
Deliver short, focused daily sessions using ready-made resources
Track pupil progress using our simple paper-based tracking tools to show progression and spot any gaps
Review progress during and at the end of each unit and plan next steps with confidence
Every FLIP unit has been carefully designed to minimise preparation while giving practitioners everything they need to deliver effective interventions with confidence.
Every FLIP unit includes:
Many schools use a range of funding streams to provide early intervention for children who need additional support in Reception. The Department for Education’s Inclusive Mainstream Fund is intended to help mainstream schools strengthen inclusive practice through early identification, evidence-informed approaches and targeted support. Depending on your local authority’s arrangements and your school’s priorities, FLIP may be a suitable use of this funding.
The Department for Education’s Inclusive Mainstream Fund provides additional funding to help mainstream schools strengthen inclusive practice and provide early support without waiting for diagnosis or statutory processes.
The guidance encourages schools to invest in evidence-informed approaches, including targeted group interventions that respond to children’s individual needs.
Schools receiving funding are expected to strengthen inclusive practice, identifying needs early and removing barriers to learning across the school.
The Inclusive Mainstream Fund is distributed through local authorities. Funding arrangements and priorities vary, so speak to your school leadership team or local authority to find out how the funding is allocated in your area.
FLIP has been developed around the same principles that underpin the Department for Education’s Inclusive Mainstream Fund: early identification, evidence-informed intervention and inclusive practice. Funding decisions remain the responsibility of individual schools and local authorities, who should refer to the latest national and local guidance.
Each FLIP unit focuses on a different aspect of early development while following the same trusted framework of identification, targeted intervention, progress, monitoring and review. Choose the unit that best matches the needs of your children, whether that’s communication and language, physical development or other key areas of school readiness
Tilly’s Travel Tales
Travel on exciting journeys and adventures to develop children’s communication, language & literacy and physical development through engaging daily sessions.
Tilly and the Journey of Me
Support children who would benefit from additional help recognising and managing emotions, developing self-regulation, building positive relationships and growing in confidence through engaging, play-based intervention.
Tilly’s Voyage into Vocabulary
Develop children’s vocabulary through explicit teaching, meaningful contexts and repeated opportunities to hear, explore and use new words. The programme supports children in extending both Tier 1 and Tier 2 vocabulary through engaging daily activities.
FLIP has been developed using well-established evidence about children’s early development and school readiness. The programme has been designed to translate research into practical, everyday intervention that is realistic for busy Reception teams.
Early identification helps practitioners recognise children who may benefit from additional support before gaps become more difficult to address. Every FLIP unit includes an Identification Toolkit to support informed decision-making and help ensure intervention is targeted to children’s individual needs.
FLIP is designed to help practitioners provide targeted support that responds to children’s individual strengths and needs. Every unit follows a structured cycle of identifying need, delivering focused intervention, monitoring progress and reviewing next steps to ensure support remains purposeful and responsive.
Research and evidence:
Education Endowment Foundation – Guide to inclusive teaching
Education Endowment Foundation – Targeted academic support
Communication, language and literacy are fundamental to children’s successful start to school. That’s why FLIP includes dedicated units that develop children’s listening, speaking, vocabulary and early literacy skills through purposeful adult interaction and engaging, structured activities designed for targeted intervention.
Research and evidence:
Education Endowment Foundation – Communication and language approaches (Early Years Toolkit)
Education Endowment Foundation – Preparing for Literacy: Improving Communication, Language and Literacy in the Early Years
Personal, Social and Emotional Development helps children understand and manage their emotions, build positive relationships and engage confidently with learning. That’s why FLIP includes dedicated PSED units that develop these foundations through short, structured intervention sessions and practical, age-appropriate activities.
FLIP (Foundations for Learning Intervention Programme) is an evidence-informed Reception intervention programme that helps practitioners identify children who may benefit from additional support, deliver short, structured intervention sessions and monitor progress over time. Each FLIP unit focuses on specific areas of development that underpin school readiness, helping children build the foundations they need for successful learning.
FLIP has been designed for Reception children who would benefit from additional targeted support. Practitioners use the FLIP Identification Toolkit to help identify children who may benefit from intervention before gaps become more significant. FLIP complements high-quality classroom teaching and wider EYFS provision rather than replacing it.
FLIP can be delivered either 1:1 or in a small group of up to 4/5 pupils.
Many schools choose to have teaching assistants, early years practitioners or other support staff deliver FLIP sessions, while teachers oversee the identification of children, monitor progress and determine appropriate next steps.
Every FLIP unit includes clear practitioner guidance, lesson presentations, practical activities and assessment materials to support consistent, confident delivery. A comprehensive FLIP Programme Guide is also included, providing guidance on implementing the programme, delivering intervention effectively and making the most of each unit.
Teachers should ensure that anyone delivering FLIP has the appropriate knowledge, skills and experience to work with young children, use professional judgement, adapt delivery where appropriate and respond to children’s individual needs.
FLIP has been designed to be straightforward to implement without the need for formal training. Every unit includes comprehensive practitioner guidance, lesson presentations, practical activities and assessment materials, helping staff deliver intervention confidently and consistently. A comprehensive FLIP Programme Guide is also included, providing guidance on implementing the programme, delivering intervention effectively and making the most of each unit.
Because every FLIP unit follows the same structured approach, schools can establish a consistent intervention model that is easy for practitioners to follow. As per the training point below, teachers should ensure that anyone delivering FLIP has the skills, knowledge and understanding of EYFS to enable them to make adaptations and the necessary judgements to run the programme successfully.
No, there is no need to complete the units in any particular order. In fact, different children may very well take part in different units – dependent on need and assessment outcome.
As the programme grows, FLIP will include intervention units covering a range of areas including:
Each unit has its own clear focus while following the same structured FLIP approach.
The sessions are designed to be short and focused – around ten minutes long each day. They should be delivered every school day for 6 weeks.
FLIP has been designed to fit into everyday school practice and doesn’t require any specialist equipment.
To deliver sessions, you’ll need:
All equipment and preparation requirements are clearly explained within each FLIP unit, helping practitioners set up sessions quickly and confidently.
Yes. FLIP has been developed using established educational research and national guidance relating to early intervention, communication and language, personal, social and emotional development, physical development and inclusive practice. Throughout the programme we reference evidence from organisations including the Education Endowment Foundation, Ofsted and the Department for Education. While these organisations do not endorse FLIP, their research has informed its design.
The Department for Education’s Inclusive Mainstream Fund is intended to help mainstream schools strengthen inclusive practice through early identification, evidence-informed decision making and targeted intervention. FLIP has been developed around these same principles. Individual funding decisions remain the responsibility of schools and local authorities, so schools should always refer to the latest national and local guidance when deciding how funding is used.
Schools may choose to purchase FLIP through a range of existing budgets, depending on local priorities and funding arrangements. This may include curriculum budgets, SEND or inclusion budgets, Early Years Pupil Premium or other funding streams where appropriate. Schools should always follow their own financial procedures and local authority guidance. Pricing details are here.
FLIP combines early identification, structured intervention and progress monitoring within one consistent framework. Rather than providing isolated activities, each unit includes an Identification Toolkit, practitioner guidance, lesson presentations, practical activities and assessment materials, helping schools deliver targeted intervention with confidence.
Explore the first week of Tilly’s Travel Tales free and see how FLIP helps practitioners identify need, deliver targeted support and monitor children’s progress.
