National Professional Qualifications (NPQs)
What are the latest reforms to NPQs?
Reformed National Professional Qualifications (NPQs)
From September 2021, a reformed suite of national professional qualifications (NPQs) will be available for teachers and leaders who want to develop their knowledge and skills in school leadership and specialist areas of teaching practice.
The three existing NPQs in Senior Leadership, Headship and Executive Leadership have been refreshed, ensuring that they are underpinned by the latest evidence. The existing Middle Leadership NPQ has also been replaced with three new specialist NPQs to best address the broad range of responsibilities of current and aspiring middle leaders. These specialist areas cover:
- National Professional Qualification for Leading Teacher Development: Supporting the training and development of others, including early career teachers.
- National Professional Qualification for Leading Teaching: Developing teachers who are subject leads or responsible for improving teaching practice in a subject or phase.
- National Professional Qualification for Leading Behaviour and Culture: Developing teachers who have responsibilities for leading behaviour and culture.
Scholarship funding to support participants to access the reformed suite of NPQs will be in place from September 2021 and details can be found below.
The NPQ qualifications are in important aspect of the government's golden thread of teacher and leader development:
SFET Teaching School Hub is delighted to announce that we will be delivering the new specialist NPQs and reformed suite of leadership NPQs in partnership with STSN and Teach First. This partnership brings together the best local knowledge and context with the experience and programmes of Teach First.
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.
Our NPQs support teachers and leaders who want to take the next step on their leadership journey and are motivated to make a difference in their school. Participants will develop core knowledge and skills to prepare them for the long term, as well as gaining the tools, examples and practice to start making a positive impact in their school straight away.
Our programmes are underpinned by some key factors:
- High-quality, evidence-led training designed by experts
- Strengthening leadership and culture in your school
- Broadening and deepening expertise in your specialist area
- Flexible training that fits around your schedule and prior knowledge
- Free one-to-one support and coaching
- Joining a passionate network striving for educational equality
NPQ Specialist Qualifications (NEW - replacing NPQML)
The three new specialist NPQs replace the current NPQML. Please click on each of the images below to view the national framework for each qualification.
NPQLBC: Leading Behaviour and Culture
This is for teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading behaviour and/or supporting pupil wellbeing in their school allowing you to broaden and deepen expertise in your specialist area and create a culture in which staff and pupils thrive.
NPQLT: Leading Teaching
This offers teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading teaching in a subject, year group, key stage or phase allowing them to build expertise in their specialist area.
NPQLTD: Leading Teacher Development
The qualification is for teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading the development of other teachers in their school. They may have responsibilities for the development of all teachers across a school or specifically trainees or teachers who are early in their career.
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 (November) and Spring (February). These programmes last for 12 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
Full scholarship funding, with no cost to the participant, is available to all teachers who work in a state-funded school in England that is within the top 30th percentile in relation to pupils on pupil premium as of the end of the previous academic year.
Additionally, full scholarship funding, with no cost to the participant, for the NPQ in Leading Teacher Development is available to all teachers who work in a state-funded school in England.
If you are not eligible for scholarship funding, participants are able to self-fund courses. Please click here to see the most recent information regarding prices for each course and funding available.
Please register your interest by emailing npq@stsn.co.uk or click here.
NPQSL
NPQSL: National Professional Qualification for Senior Leaders
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 (November) and Spring (February).
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
Full scholarship funding, with no cost to the participant, for the NPQ in Senior Leadership is available to those who meet the following criteria:
- are, or are aspiring to be, a senior leader with cross-school responsibilities
- work in a state-funded school in England that is within the top 30th percentile in relation to pupils on Pupil Premium as of the end of the previous academic year
If you are not eligible for scholarship funding, participants are able to self-fund courses. Please click here to see the most recent information regarding prices for each course and funding available.
Please register your interest by emailing npq@stsn.co.uk or click here.
NPQH
NPQH: Headship (including a new programme of support for newly appointed Headteachers)
NPQH is for school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school. With this 18-month+ programme participants will deliver meaningful change in their schools and join a network of like-minded leaders. NPQH is 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 November and February.
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 (November) and Spring (February).
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
Full scholarship funding, with no cost to the participant, for the NPQ in Headship is available for those who meet the following criteria:
- are, or are aspiring to be, a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school
- work in a state-funded school in England that is within the top 30th percentile in relation to pupils on Pupil Premium as of the end of the previous academic year
OR:
- are a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school
- are in the first 24 months of headship
- work in a state-funded school in England
If you are not eligible for scholarship funding, participants are able to self-fund courses. Please click here to see the most recent information regarding prices for each course and funding available.
Please register your interest by emailing npq@stsn.co.uk or click here.
Additional support offer for the NPQ in Headship
In addition to the reformed suite of NPQs, the department is introducing an additional support offer for new headteachers from autumn 2021. This is a targeted support package for teachers new to the role of headship.
You are eligible for this targeted support package if you meet the following criteria:
- are in your first 24 months of headship
- work in a state-funded school in England upon starting the training
- have either completed an NPQH before taking up your first headship post or are currently taking the NPQH
- have not withdrawn from the additional support programme previously
The offer provides structured, unassessed face-to-face support based on the best available evidence about what makes an effective headteacher. While the exact content of this support will depend on the provider chosen, activities could include a combination of group coaching, one-to-one support discussions and peer network support.
NPQEL
NPQEL: Executive Leadership
The 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 (November) and Spring (February).
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.
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
Full scholarship funding, with no cost to the participant, for the NPQ in Executive Leadership is available to those who meet the following criteria:
- are, or are aspiring to be, an executive headteacher or have a school trust CEO role with responsibility for leading several schools
- work in a state-funded school in England that is within the top 30th percentile in relation to pupils on pupil premium as of the end of the previous academic year
If you are not eligible for scholarship funding, participants are able to self-fund courses. Please click here to see the most recent information regarding prices for each course and funding available.
Please register your interest by emailing npq@stsn.co.uk or click here.
Where can I find the DfE guidance regarding NPQs?
Please click on the image below to visit the Department for Education's NPQ online service guidance:
