Realise, West Yorkshire
Realise, England’s largest provider of early years training, is continuing to grow its national footprint after securing new contracts to deliver funded courses across several major regions.
30th January 2026
1 min read

Free early years training to support 300+ in West Yorkshire

More than 300 people across West Yorkshire are set to benefit from funded early years training designed to help learners upskill and progress their careers.

Realise – the largest provider of early years training in England, has been selected to deliver a range of programmes across the West Yorkshire Combined Authority area. The training will be funded through the Adult Skills Fund (ASF), formerly known as the Adult Education Budget (AEB), which supports education and skills provision for adults aged 19 and over.

Courses on offer include the Level 2 Early Years Practitioner Diploma and the Level 3 Early Years Educator Diploma, both available to learners aged 19+ who are already working within a nursery setting. A selection of short courses is also available, including Principles of Leadership and Management, a Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring, and the SEN Coordinator (SENCO) in Early Years programme.

Karen Derbyshire, Director of Early Years at Realise said:

“We are delighted to secure this contract to deliver exciting programmes in West Yorkshire, giving people the opportunity to upskill and progress with their careers.

“As we know, there is a significant shortage of early years staff and a real need to bring new people into the industry. Investment like this in the sector helps people to build new opportunities.”

In total, there are more than 170 places available on the Level 2 and Level 3 diplomas, with up to 45 places offered on each of the short courses. Realise has also secured contracts to deliver funded early years training in Liverpool, Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire.

Karen Derbyshire added:

“We are passionate about encouraging people to embark on rewarding and exciting careers in early years. It’s fantastic that this funded training is being made available in these areas and we look forward to helping people improve their lives.

“For those who do not live in these areas, we can offer the SENCO course to those already within a nursery setting for a one-off cost.”

The provider currently supports almost 3,000 active early years learners through apprenticeships, Skills Bootcamps and other training programmes, working with nearly 2,000 employers across the UK www.realisetraining.com

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