NPQ Leadership Programmes - NPQSL, NPQH, NPQEL, NPQEYL, NPQSENCO

NPQSL is designed for school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a senior leader with cross-school responsibilities. It’s ideal for those looking to progress into senior leadership and beyond and builds foundational knowledge to rapidly progress your school or trust’s key improvement priorities, all the while creating and embedding a culture that allows your staff and pupils to thrive.

Delivery

All NPQs are taught through a blended balance of online individual learning, online seminars and face-to-face meetings and a simplified end-of-course assessment. There are two cohorts annually, starting in Autumn and Spring.

This programme last for 18 months.

Assessment

The assessment process has been refreshed to reduce the workload burden on teachers while still providing an opportunity for them to apply their knowledge.

To pass an NPQ, teachers will need to engage with at least 90% of the course and complete a final assessment.

Costs

Scholarship funding to cover the full NPQ course cost will be available to teachers and leaders from: 

• the 50% of schools with the highest proportion of students who attract pupil premium funding 
• 16 to 19 educational settings identified as having high disadvantage 

Please see the 'NPQ Scholarship Funding for Autumn 2024' tab.

NPQH: Headship is for school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school (including a new programme of support for newly appointed Headteachers). Participants will deliver meaningful change in their schools and join a network of like-minded leaders.

Delivery

All NPQs are taught through a blended balance of online individual learning, online seminars and face-to-face meetings and a simplified end-of-course assessment. There are two cohorts annually, starting in Autumn and Spring.

This programme last for 18 months.

We have an additional support offer for colleagues new to Headship within the NPQH programme. This slightly longer course provides access to free one-to-one support and coaching as well as ongoing support for the first year of headship. Eligibility criteria for this additional support offer:

• Working in the first 24 months of headship
• Employed by a state funded school in England (upon starting the training)
• Have either completed an NPQH before taking up your first post or are currently taking the NPQH
• Have not withdrawn from the additional support programme previously

Assessment

The assessment process has been refreshed to reduce the workload burden on teachers while still providing an opportunity for them to apply their knowledge.

To pass an NPQ, teachers will need to engage with at least 90% of the course and complete a final assessment.

Costs

Scholarships are available to all teachers and leaders from publicly funded schools and 16 to 19 educational organisations for NPQH. 

Please see the 'NPQ Scholarship Funding for Autumn 2024' tab.​

The NPQEL: Executive Leadership programme is designed for school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, an executive headteacher or have a school trust CEO role with responsibility for leading several schools. This prestigious qualification will enable participants to take their career to the next level and specialist expertise in running a multi-school organisation. As well as one-to-one support and coaching participants will connect with, and learn from, other executive leaders in the field by joining a passionate network striving for educational equality.

Delivery

All NPQs are taught through a blended balance of online individual learning, online seminars and face-to-face meetings and a simplified end-of-course assessment. There are two cohorts annually, starting in Autumn and Spring.

This programme last for 18 months.

Assessment

The assessment process has been refreshed to reduce the workload burden on teachers while still providing an opportunity for them to apply their knowledge.

To pass an NPQ, teachers will need to engage with at least 90% of the course and complete a final assessment.

Costs

Scholarship funding to cover the full NPQ course cost will be available to teachers and leaders from: 

• the 50% of schools with the highest proportion of students who attract pupil premium funding 
• 16 to 19 educational settings identified as having high disadvantage 

Please see the 'NPQ Scholarship Funding for Autumn 2024' tab.

NPQEYL: Early Years Leadership has been developed to underpin and increase early years-specific pedagogical leadership in early years settings, strengthen staff pedagogy, and support children whose development has been impacted by the pandemic. 

The qualification will investigate early education and child development, with a focus on communication, language, and physical development as well as personal, social and emotional growth, in line with the EYSF reforms. The setting of strategic direction and organisational culture, as well as pedagogical leadership, including evidence-based learning will also be explored.  

NPQ for Early Years Leadership is for leaders qualified to at least level 3 with a full and relevant qualification who are, or are aspiring to be:

• managers of private, voluntary and independent nurseries
• headteachers of school-based or maintained nurseries
• childminders with leadership responsibilities

The NPQ in Early Years Leadership, will support leaders to develop expertise in leading high-quality education and care, as well as in effective staff and organisational management, working with and through their colleagues so that every child gets the best start in life. 

Delivery

All NPQs are taught through a blended balance of online individual learning, online seminars and face-to-face meetings and a simplified end-of-course assessment. There are two cohorts annually, starting in Autumn and Spring.

This programme last for 18 months.

Assessment

The assessment process has been refreshed to reduce the workload burden on teachers while still providing an opportunity for them to apply their knowledge.

To pass an NPQ, participants will need to engage with at least 90% of the course and complete a final assessment.

Costs

Scholarship funding to cover the full NPQ course cost will be available to teachers and leaders from: 

• the 50% of schools with the highest proportion of students who attract pupil premium funding 
• 16 to 19 educational settings identified as having high disadvantage 

For the early years leadership NPQ, highly disadvantaged early years settings will also be eligible.    

Please see the 'NPQ Scholarship Funding for Autumn 2024' tab.

Further information released by the DfE can be read here. 

Mandatory for some; appropriate for all.

Special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs) lead and co-ordinate a school’s provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

The leadership level national professional qualification (NPQ) will become the mandatory qualification for SENCOs from September 2024, replacing the NASENCO qualification.  This was announced in the SEND and alternative provision improvement plan (SENDAP IP) published in March 2023. 

Teaching of the NPQ for SENCOs will begin in Autumn 2024. The three-year window to complete the mandatory qualification upon taking up a SENCO post will remain following the introduction of the NPQ for SENCOs.

This course is for:

• special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs)
• teachers interested in developing expertise in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or undertaking a SENCO role in future
• school leaders

This course will enable you to:

• co-ordinate special educational needs (SEN) provision throughout your school
• work alongside other leaders to build a school culture in which pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can participate meaningfully in the full life of the school, achieve ambitious outcomes and make successful transitions to their next steps

Course content and structure

The course includes 8 topics:

• school culture
• statutory framework
• identification of need
• teaching
• behaviour
• leading and managing provision
• professional development
• implementation

The introduction of the new NPQ for SENCOs will play a key role in improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND by ensuring SENCOs consistently receive high-quality, evidence-based training. This is crucial given the central role SENCOs play in supporting pupils with SEND.

The ‘transition to national professional qualification’ document has more information about this new qualification and the requirements that SENCOs must meet. Updates on the transition can be read here.

Delivery

All NPQs are taught through a blended balance of online individual learning, online seminars and face-to-face meetings and a simplified end-of-course assessment. There are two cohorts annually, starting in Autumn and Spring.

This programme last for 18 months.

Assessment

The assessment process has been refreshed to reduce the workload burden on teachers while still providing an opportunity for them to apply their knowledge.

To pass an NPQ, teachers will need to engage with at least 90% of the course and complete a final assessment.

Costs

Scholarships are available to all teachers and leaders from publicly funded schools and 16 to 19 educational organisations for NPQSENCO

Click here to register your interest for September 2024

Early Headship Coaching Offer (EHCO)

This targeted one-year support package has been tailored to the needs of new headteachers.

It provides structured, unassessed support and networking based on the best available evidence about what makes an effective headteacher.

You can complete it alongside the national professional qualification (NPQ) for headship, or recently after taking the NPQ in headship.

The support you receive will differ depending on your chosen provider. It may include:

• group coaching
• one-to-one support
• peer networking

Eligibility

To take the early headship coaching offer, you need to be doing or have done the headship NPQ and be in your first five years of headship.

Funding

Funding to cover the course fees is available if you are:

• in your first 5 years of headship in England
• in a state-funded school or state-funded 16 to 19 organisation in England
• doing or have done the headship NPQ

Contact STSN npq@stsn.co.uk to find out more.