National Professional Qualifications

Empowering teachers and leaders through NPQs

The National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) are a suite of widely recognised professional qualifications designed to meet the needs of education leaders. NPQs provide extensive training and support for current and aspiring leaders at all levels.

We work with Education Development Trust, an NPQs Lead Provider that shares our values and has a track record of delivering high-quality professional development. As a delivery partner, we will host training events with experienced local facilitators and ensure materials are adapted to fit the needs of educators and pupils in our area.

All programme content is developed in collaboration with schools from a wide range of contexts. Education Development Trust also have strategic partnerships with a number of leading national and international organisations to ensure that participants have access to exceptionally high-quality expertise and content, carefully designed to address the real issues teachers and leaders face each day. These organisations include Evidence Based Education, Sheffield Hallam University, Institute of Education, National Literacy Trust and Pen Green Centre.

The NPQs in leadership have been reformed to accommodate the latest evidence-based findings and reflect the new Headteachers’ Standards.

The leadership NPQs available are:

NPQ for Early Years Leadership

This programme is designed for leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, managers of private, voluntary and independent nurseries, headteachers of school-based or maintained nurseries, or child minders with leadership responsibilities.

NPQ for Early Headship Coaching Offer

This programme is designed for school leaders who are, or aspire to be, a headteacher. This NPQ is delivered centrally by Education Development Trust.

NPQ for Senior Leadership

This programme is designed for school leaders who are, or aspire to be, a senior leader with cross-school responsibilities.

In addition to the above NPQs, Education Development Trust also offer the Early Headship Coaching Offer (EHCO), which is suitable for any headteacher in their first five years of headship who has either previously completed an NPQH, is currently studying an NPQH, or would like to study both the NPQH and EHCO concurrently.

Specialist NPQs are designed for teachers who want to broaden and deepen their expertise in specialist areas within educational settings.

The specialist NPQs available are:

NPQ in Leading Primary Mathematics

The NPQ Leading Primary Mathematics is designed for Primary teachers and leaders with responsibility for leading maths across a key-stage or school, or those who want to have this responsibility. This NPQ is written in partnership with White Rose Education.

NPQ for Leading Literacy

This programme is designed for teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading literacy across a school, year group, key stage or phase.

NPQ for Leading Teaching

This programme is designed for teachers who have, or aspire to have, responsibilities for leading teaching in a subject, year group, key stage or phase.

NPQ for Leading Teacher Development

This programme is designed for teachers who have, or aspire 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.

NPQ for Leading Behaviour and Culture

This programme is designed for teachers who have, or aspire to have, responsibilities for leading behaviour and supporting pupil wellbeing in their school.

These programmes have been designed to work for you, and some common features include:

· Local cohort groups, meaning less travel time, and online self-study that can be accessed at any time and from anywhere, for easy access and reference whenever needed.

· Tailored content through regular formative assessments and surveys and real-life situations so you can see yourself in examples which in turn support you to apply new techniques quickly.

· Access to national specialist tutors for selected specialisms who will provide additional support throughout each programme.

· Supportive scheduling with part-time options to suit you, recorded/additional sessions in case of last-minute unavailability, and enhanced well-being and workload reduction resources.

Here is a summary of the time commitments of each of our NPQ programmes: