Leadership NPQ Suite

Our leadership NPQ programmes ensure that participants focus their attention on the things that matter the most and have the greatest impact on student outcomes in highly effective school leadership - ensuring there is an excellent teacher in every classroom.

The research on effective school leadership is compelling and our programmes draw upon the best available evidence to ensure leaders develop the essential knowledge and practice to raise outcomes, empower their staff and reduce workload.

All our NPQs immerse participants in the essential knowledge required to ensure teachers are highly effective, receive high-impact professional development and deliver improvement effectively. 

NPQ programmes are underpinned by design principles that fulfil all the recommendations of the EEF Effective Professional Development guidance report. 

 

Summative Assessment:

At the end of the programme, participants are required to complete a 1500-word, open book, non-invigilated response to a school improvement case study. Participants need to have achieved 90% of activity credits to be eligible for assessment. Those that do not achieve this automatically defer to the next assessment window. We provide full support and preparation to participants including pre-assessment tutoring, optional webinars to model a response and suggested writing frames to structure your summative assessment. Participants are given 8 calendar days to formulate and submit their response and are able to liaise with other programme members during this time. Pass or fail judgement sure shared with participants by the lead provider within 3 months following marking, lead provider moderation and external moderation by DfE associates.  

For school leaders who are, or aspire to be, an executive headteacher or to have a CEO role within a school trust with responsibility for leading several schools. 

Duration: 18 months (plus 3 months for summative assessment process) 
Hours of study: 87 including 6 hours of 1:1 coaching 
Cost: Free to those who meet the scholarship eligibility criteria. The cost for school or self-funded participants outside of the criteria is £3,890 

What will the programme members learn?

This 21-month programme (18 months’ delivery and three months for assessment) consists of a series of modules based on the DfE’s NPQ frameworks. Each module cycle features: 

• evidence-based online content to refresh and build knowledge, as well as exemplify what this looks like for your role and level of leadership
• a formative assessment task to support your learning
• a face-to-face seminar with a group of peers, facilitated by a serving school leader or Teach First Development Lead – you’ll analyse and reflect on the task and hear further examples of good practice
• the opportunity to record reflections and consolidate learning

This cycle repeats throughout the programme, with implementation a consideration in every module. Towards the end of the programme, you’ll also take a module focused specifically on effective implementation. This provides an opportunity to plan a strategic improvement, focused on your context and pupils. There will be ongoing support through a seminar group and discussion forum.

What will I learn?

You’ll develop expertise in the knowledge, skills and concepts for areas of trust-level responsibility related to your role. These include trust culture, working in partnership and organisational management. Our content is informed by the best and most recent evidence and developed with input from school leaders and subject matter experts. Our programmes have a practical focus. You’ll be supported to make small but important changes to your and others’ practice throughout the programme. This is concluded by the implementation of a more significant but manageable change project as part of your role.  

What are the objectives and the content of the NPQEL programme?

This programme will help you to:

• develop as a leader with trust-level responsibility
• access content across a breadth of areas such as organisational management, working in partnership, and additional and special educational needs and disabilities
• effectively implement change and improvement in an area you identify as a trust priority.

Modules include:

• Trust culture
• Teaching
• Curriculum and assessment
• Behaviour
• Additional and special needs
• Professional development
• Organisational management
• Implementation
• Working in partnership 
• Governance and accountability

What are the NPQEL programme benefits?

“I highly recommend it. Much of what we’re covering is familiar after 9 years of headship but lots of little gems, fresh perspectives, affirmation, reassurance etc.  I’m impressed with approach/values/philosophy of Teach First as chosen deliverer too. ” 

 

Delivery model, duration and programme breakdown

The NPQEL is delivered using a blend of online ‘live’ seminars, flexible online learning and face-to-face conferences.  Over 18 months, you’ll take part in the following learning activities:

Duration: 18 months (plus 3 months for summative assessment process) 
Hours of study: 81 
Cost:  Free to those who meet the scholarship eligibility criteria. The cost for school or self-funded participants outside of the criteria is £1,885.

Scholarship eligibility criteria: 

• Scholarships will continue to be available to all teachers and leaders from publicly funded schools and 16 to 19 educational organisations

Who is it for?

School leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school.

What will the programme members learn?

This 21-month programme (18 months’ delivery and three months for assessment, with flexibility to extend by up to six months for teachers new to the role of headship) consists of a series of modules based on the DfE’s NPQ frameworks. Each module cycle features: 

• evidence-based online content to refresh and build knowledge, as well as exemplify what this looks like for your role and level of leadership
• a formative assessment task to support your learning
• a face-to-face seminar with a group of peers, facilitated by a serving school leader– you’ll analyse and reflect on the task and hear further examples of good practice
• the opportunity to record reflections and consolidate learning

This cycle repeats throughout the programme, with implementation a consideration in every module. Towards the end of the programme, you’ll also take a module focused specifically on effective implementation. This provides an opportunity to plan a strategic improvement, focused on your context and pupils. There will be ongoing support through a seminar group and discussion forum.

What will I learn?

You’ll develop expertise in the knowledge, skills and concepts for areas of whole school responsibility related to your role as an aspiring or current headteacher. These include curriculum and assessment, professional development and governance and accountability. Our content is informed by the best and most recent evidence, and is developed with input from school leaders and subject matter experts. Our programmes have a practical focus. You’ll be supported to make small but important changes to your and others’ practice throughout the programme. This will conclude with the implementation of a significant but manageable change project as part of your role.

What are the objectives and the content of the NPQH programme?

This programme will help you to:

• develop as a leader with whole-school responsibility
• access content across a breadth of areas such as school culture, curriculum and assessment, and organisational management
• be supported to effectively implement change and improvement in an area you identify as a school priority

Modules include:

• School culture
• Teaching
• Curriculum and assessment
• Behaviour
• Additional and special needs
• Professional development
• Organisational management
• Implementation
• Working in partnership
• Governance and accountability

 What are the NPQH programme benefits?

“The NPQH covers a whole range of issues which are crucial to consider when leading a school. Embarking on the NPQH has afforded me the opportunity to work with colleagues from other schools and discuss a plethora of hypothetical situations as well as to share our own real-life experiences. The course is designed following a blended learning approach, with activities to complete before and after the live seminars which maximises the benefits of the time during the sessions. The NPQH has challenged me to think about what school leadership is all about and gives reflection time to develop your own leadership traits. If you are already a senior leader and feel ready for the next stage of your career, then the NPQH is for you!” 

 

Delivery model, duration and programme breakdown

The NPQH is delivered using a blend of online ‘live’ seminars, flexible online learning and face-to-face conferences.  Over 18 months, you’ll take part in the following learning activities:

We believe it is crucial to provide high quality, evidence based support for new Headteachers to support their development and ability to lead great schools. After all, we need to ensure those tasked with looking after everybody else, are also the recipients of high quality support.

Our Early Headship Coaching Offer (EHCO) is a 12-month programme of targeted support for headteachers in their first five years of headship. It is not assessed! This is all about helping you embed the learning from your NPQ for Headship, sharing and receiving support from your peers, gaining confidence and achieving early success in your role. Our EHCO programme has been designed by  school leadership expert Maggie Farrar, former Chief Executive of the National College for School Leadership. It is tailored to augment the knowledge and skills developed on your NPQH journey.

Duration: 12 months
Hours of study:  30 hours of support
Assessment: No assessment - this is a support programme

Cost: Free to those who meet the scholarship eligibility criteria. The cost for school or self-funded participants outside of the criteria is £800

Scholarship eligibility criteria: 

You are eligible for this targeted support package if you meet the following criteria:

• are in your first five years 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 Early Headship Coaching Offer previously

This programme offers you: 

• local mini-groupings that will help you to establish relationships and foster networks
• a bespoke online diagnostic survey assessing your strengths, confidence and development needs
• an enhanced Community of Practice led by experienced serving Executive Leaders/National Leaders in Education
• in-person sessions providing guided professional dialogue and additional mentoring support
• enhanced collaboration opportunities through shadowing and online spaces for resource sharing and chat
• a local peer review trio supporting the application of the content underpinning the NPQH framework into the context of your own school setting

Delivery of EHCO support

Content overview
Term 1	Half day - Coaching group session 1 (Apply) & Diagnostic self-evaluations survey
Term 1	Full day - Coaching group session 2 (Apply) - followed by school visit 1
Term 2	Full day - Coaching group session 3 (Thrive) - followed by school visit 2
Term 2	Full day - Coaching group session 4 (Thrive) & diagnostic self-evaluation against pre-programme survey
Term 3	Full day - Coaching group session 5 (Sustain) - followed by school visit 3
Term 3	Half day - Coaching group session 6 (Sustain),  diagnostic self-evaluation and supported practice and well-being planning

Becoming a headteacher is a massive achievement and an exciting opportunity. It also comes with a raft of new responsibilities – yes, striving for excellence, but also a responsibility to recognise the challenges that come with the role and consider your own professional and personal needs.

Our Early Headship Coaching Offer addresses the complexities of headship and will help you navigate your first years in the role, ensuring that you are equipped to flourish throughout your career as a headteacher.

The programme is built around three core strands which will help you to face the challenges of new headship:

• Apply. We will help you to apply what you already know and what you learn from the NPQH in a sustainable, creative and practical way. We will match you with two more new headteachers to embed support and peer review. You will visit each other’s schools to observe and provide follow-up feedback and take part in peer review conversations. We know from our extensive experience that peer support is a powerful tool to help new headteachers hone their skills and sustain them going forward.

 

• Thrive. Being a headteacher brings new and unforeseen challenges. Never has this been more true than over the last few years. However, these challenges provide opportunities to test yourself, grow personally and professionally and embed a strong culture of excellence and inclusion in your school. We will introduce you to the practice of collaborative problem solving, learning how to involve others in tackling challenges and making sure everyone feels part of the process. 

 

• Sustain. This strand will help you cultivate the qualities you need to support yourself in leading for a lifetime, able to take care of yourself and others. As a new headteacher, you may be inclined to put your own personal needs last. We will teach you and encourage you to honour your needs to benefit not just yourself but your entire school community.

The National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL) is designed for school leaders who are, or aspire to be, a senior leader with cross-school responsibilities.

Duration: 18 months (plus 3 months for summative assessment process) 
Hours of study: 81 
Cost: Free to those who meet the scholarship eligibility criteria. The cost for school or self-funded participants outside of the criteria is £1,090 

What will programme members learn?

This 21-month programme (18 months’ delivery and three months for assessment) consists of a series of modules based on the DfE’s NPQ frameworks. Each module cycle features: 

• evidence-based online content to refresh and build knowledge, as well as exemplify what this looks like for your role and level of leadership
• a formative assessment task to support your learning
• a face-to-face seminar with a group of peers, facilitated by a serving school leader– you’ll analyse and reflect on the task and hear further examples of good practice
• the opportunity to record reflections and consolidate learning

This cycle repeats throughout the programme, with implementation a consideration in every module. Towards the end of the programme, you’ll also take a module focused specifically on effective implementation. This provides an opportunity to complete a significant but manageable change project as part of your role. There will be ongoing support through a seminar group and discussion forum.

What will I learn?

You’ll develop expertise in the knowledge, skills and concepts for areas of cross- and whole-school responsibility related to your role. These include school culture, behaviour and professional development. Our content is informed by the best and most recent evidence and developed with input from serving school leaders and subject matter experts. Our programmes have a practical focus. You’ll be supported to make small but important changes to your and others’ practice throughout the programme. This provides an opportunity to plan a strategic improvement, focused on your context and pupils. 

What are the objectives and the content of the NPQSL programme?

This programme will help you to:

• develop as a leader with some areas of cross and whole school responsibility 
• access content across a breadth of areas, such as teaching, behaviour and professional development
• be supported to effectively implement change and improvement in an area related to your role

Modules include:

• School culture
• Teaching
• Curriculum and assessment
• Behaviour
• Additional and special needs
• Professional development
• Organisational management
• Implementation
• Working in partnership 
• Governance and accountability

 What are the NPQSL programme benefits?

“The great advantage of taking part in an NPQ is the blended approach to learning. The modules for self-learning can be picked up and put down to suit your work-life with the system knowing where you were last up to, which makes it quick and simple to continue your learning journey.  The online sessions I have attended have been great at providing opportunities for colleagues to openly discussion possible leadership scenarios, give you ideas and gain insights from other professionals that can help you to challenge and reflect upon your thinking and approaches to leadership.” 

 

Delivery model, duration and programme breakdown

The NPQSL is delivered using a blend of online ‘live’ seminars, flexible online learning and face-to-face conferences.  Over 18 months, you’ll take part in the following learning activities:

The National Professional Qualification for SENCo (NPQSENCo) is primarily for SENCOs, schools leaders and aspiring SENCOs.

Duration: 18 months (plus 3 months for summative assessment process) 
Hours of study: 81 
Cost: Free to those who meet the scholarship eligibility criteria. The cost for school or self-funded participants outside of the criteria is £1,265. 

Grow your expertise as a leader of SEND

Broaden your leadership knowledge and develop expertise across specialist areas, such as the identification of SEND, as well as leading and managing provision.

Create a culture where pupils with SEND can thrive

Learn how to establish and sustain a supportive culture where everyone feels welcome, safe and that they belong.

Learn about the statutory framework for SEND

Develop confidence to give statutory guidance and ensure that school policies and practices take account of the relevant legislation.

Develop effective working partnerships

Explore approaches to working collaboratively with colleagues, families, external agencies and specialists.

Free one-to-one support and coaching

If you work in a school serving disadvantaged communities, you can apply for our free one-to-one support which runs alongside the NPQ for Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (NPQ for SENCOs).

This free support comes in the form of an experienced former school leader with strategic SEND experience who will coach and guide you throughout the programme.

You can apply for this additional support in your application.

On-going support through seminars and professional networks

Share experiences with other school leaders and experienced SENCOs.

Learn how they’ve faced similar challenges and build a professional network that will support you throughout your career.

The NPQ SENCo will be available for eligible applicants from from Autumn 2024

What will I learn?

You'll develop essential knowledge, skills and concepts that underpin successful SEND leadership within a school.

Throughout the programme, you will work alongside other leaders to build a school culture in which pupils with SEND can:

• participate meaningfully in the full life of the school
• achieve ambitious outcomes
• make successful transitions to their next steps

Modules include:

• How to develop an inclusive culture
• The identification and assessment of SEND
• Understanding and implementation of statutory SEND legislation
• A focus on working in partnership with leaders, families and external agencies

Our content is informed by a strong and up to date evidence base, developed with input from practising SENCOs and inclusion experts such as the National Association for Special Educational Needs (nasen).

Our programmes have a practical focus. You’ll be supported to understand what makes an effective SENCO and the operational and strategic role you play or will play once in post.

What are the training commitments?

The course consists of 10 modules. Each module involves approximately 4 hours of independent study, followed by an online seminar where you will discuss your learning with peers and experienced SEN leaders.

You will also attend two conferences and complete visits to different settings.

How will I be assessed?

To get your NPQ accreditation, you’ll need to complete the course and pass a written assessment (between 1,500 and 2,500 words).

As announced in the SEND and alternative provision improvement plan, the NPQ will replace the existing national award for SEN coordination (NASENCO) as the mandatory qualification for SENCOs.