Communication & Language • Physical Development • Reception
Tilly’s Travel Tales is one of the six-week intervention units within the Foundations for Learning Intervention Programme (FLIP). It is designed to support Reception children who would benefit from additional help with Communication & Language and Physical Development.
Through structured daily sessions, practical activities and clear assessment tools, practitioners can support children to develop speaking, listening, gross motor and fine motor skills while monitoring progress and planning appropriate next steps.
Access the guidance, assessment tools and weekly resources needed to deliver Tilly’s Travel Tales. Start with the Unit Guide to understand the six-week intervention and its progression, then use the Identification & Progression Toolkit to identify children who may benefit from additional support and establish their starting points. Practitioner Notes and the Participation Log support observation and progress monitoring throughout the programme.
Start with the Unit Guide to prepare, deliver and review the programme.
Use the Identification & Progression Toolkit to identify children, monitor progress and plan next steps.
Keep a clear record of each child’s participation across the sessions.
Access each week’s lesson presentation, practitioner script and supporting resources below.
Develop children’s communication, language and physical development through engaging farm-themed activities and practical play.
Build listening, speaking and movement skills as children explore exciting zoo animals and habitats.
Encourage children to communicate, follow instructions and develop coordination through fun seaside-themed activities.
Strengthen communication, cooperation and physical confidence through familiar playground experiences and active learning.
Extend vocabulary, listening and movement skills as children investigate woodland animals, plants and natural environments.
Consolidate children’s communication and physical development through engaging underwater-themed activities and review their progress across the programme.
Tilly’s Travel Tales is one unit within the Foundations for Learning Intervention Programme (FLIP). Explore the main FLIP page to learn more about the evidence-informed approach, discover other intervention units and find guidance on identifying children, implementing the programme and monitoring progress over time.
Explore the FLIP programme →Tilly’s Travel Tales has been designed for children in Reception who would benefit from additional support in Communication & Language and Physical Development. It can be delivered to individual children or small groups using professional judgement.
Each session is designed to take around 10 minutes and can be delivered daily by a teacher or teaching assistant.
Yes. The programme has been designed as a structured six-week intervention, with each week building on children’s developing skills. Following the sequence helps ensure children receive the full benefit of the programme.
Yes. Practitioners should use their professional judgement to adapt questioning, modelling, pace and levels of support to meet individual children’s needs, while maintaining the intended learning outcomes and overall structure of the programme.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.
This intervention has been designed to support both Communication and Language (CL) and Physical Development (PD). However, children may be identified as needing additional support in one area but not the other.Where this is the case, practitioners can adapt the intervention to focus on the child’s identified area of need. For example, a child requiring support with Communication and Language can access the CL-focused slides and activities without completing the Physical Development elements, and vice versa. Practitioners should use their knowledge of the child, alongside observations and assessment information, to select the elements of the intervention that will provide the most appropriate and targeted support.
Aside from the included resources, most activities use simple classroom resources that are commonly available in Reception classrooms. Any additional resources are clearly listed within the weekly planning.
Use the Identification & Progression Toolkit, Participation Log and Practitioner Notes to record observations, monitor children’s progress throughout the programme and review next steps.
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.
