Market Engagement Event for Subject Matter Experts for early language, early maths and personal, social and emotional development – market engagement event

Descriptions

This is a notice seeking early engagement from interested parties in relation to the Department for Education requirement to source Subject Matter Experts (SME) for early language, early maths and personal, social and emotional development (PSED).

Please note that all references to procedure, value and term length are purely illustrative and subject to change.

Language and maths skills at age 5 are two of the strongest predictors of later attainment. But more than 1 in 5 children are reaching compulsory school age without the communication, language and literacy skills they need to thrive at school and in later life with even higher numbers falling short in early maths.

Evidence also suggests that social and emotional learning strategies can improve social interactions, attitudes to learning and learning itself. High quality early education and childcare has a key role in promoting this.

As part of giving every child the best start in life, we are planning to introduce early maths, early language and PSED leads in local areas to provide training to early years educators, helping them build confidence in teaching maths and improving children's vital language skills.

We are looking for subject matter experts to support the early language, early maths and PSED leads. This may include:

• Reviewing and providing feedback on existing DfE training modules

• Developing and piloting new training modules

• Training early language and early maths leads to deliver new and existing DfE training modules

• Supporting early language and early maths leads to deliver training

• Facilitating networking and collaboration between early language leads and early maths leads to share best practice.

By improving the quality of early language and early maths provision, this investment will help more children meet the Early Learning Goals (ELGs) and achieve a Good Level of Development (GLD) to deliver on key commitments made in the Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life strategy published in July 2025.

Total Value (estimated) £1.1m

Participation is suitable for but not limited to

- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) Fewer than 250 staff, and either turnover less than £44 million or balance sheet total less than £38 million.

- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs) Non-governmental organisation that is value-driven and principally reinvests its surpluses to further social, environmental or cultural objectives.