Funding for NPQs
Updated NPQ Scholarship Eligibility Criteria
As part of the government’s long-term education recovery plan, £184 million of new funding for National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) was announced in June 2021 to be spent over the course of this parliament. Since autumn 2021, teachers and leaders employed in state-funded schools, as well as those employed in state-funded organisations in England that offer education to 16-19 year olds, have been able to access DfE funded training scholarships for all NPQs. This has been extended to support participants undertaking NPQs in 23/24.
From autumn 2022, organisations eligible to access scholarships include:
- independent special schools.
- virtual schools (Local Authority run organisations that support the education of children in care).
- hospital schools not already included in other categories of eligible organisations.
- young offender institutions.
Applicants from these organisations who feel they should be eligible for funding should contact continuing-professional-development@digital.education.gov.uk for more information.
In addition, Early years practitioners and leaders working in the following settings in England will be eligible for scholarship funding from the DfE for the NPQEYL only:
- childcare providers registered on the Ofsted Early Years Register, providing childcare on non-domestic premises.
- childcare providers registered on the Ofsted Early Years Register, providing childcare on domestic premises.
- childminders registered on the Ofsted Early Years Register.
- childminders registered with an Ofsted-registered childminder agency, caring for early years children.
As with the existing funding criteria, lead providers should assess the suitability of early years participants for this NPQ.
Access to funding remains conditional on successful validation of participants’ registration information against Teaching Regulation Agency records, so you must ensure that the information supplied to your NPQ provider matches your teacher record. You can check and update your record via the Teaching Regulation Agency’ Teacher Self-Service Portal.
Targeted Support Funding for Small Schools
The Department has updated the Targeted Support Fund offer for the 2023 to 2024 academic year to further incentivise state-funded schools and state-funded 16 to 19 educational settings in England to participate in NPQs.
For each teacher or leader they employ who takes an NPQ in the 2023 to 2024 academic year:
·state-funded primary schools with one to 150 pupils will receive a grant payment of £800
·state-funded primary schools with more than 150 pupils will receive a grant payment of £200
·state-funded secondary schools and state-funded 16 to 19 educational settings with one to 600 pupils will receive a grant payment of £200
Organisations that are eligible for NPQ scholarships will also be eligible for targeted support funding, with the exception of non-school based early years settings (group-based providers and childminders), virtual schools, hospital schools not already included in other categories of eligible organisations, and young offender institutions.
If you are not eligible for scholarship funding, you can still undertake an NPQ and should contact STSN directly npq@stsn.co.uk.
You can read the DfE Funding for NPQs by clicking here