NPQ in Leading Teacher Development
Pave the way for successful teacher progression and development in your school.
- Increase your expertise in leading successful teacher development.
- Get practical skills to take you to the next level as a leader.
- Access training rated outstanding by Ofsted.
- Opportunities for free 1:1 support and coaching.
- Join a passionate network striving for educational equality.
- DfE funding will target teachers and leaders serving schools in more deprived communities.
For further details on our next cohort, register your interest.
Create professional learning opportunities for all staff in your school.
Benefits
Gain a prestigious professional qualification
We’re one of a select group of providers accredited by the DfE to deliver the improved NPQ for Leading Teacher Development. Be part of the first generation of school leaders to gain the qualification.
Increase your expertise in leading successful teacher development
Benefit from our programme’s blended approach, learn about the core research on how to design and deliver effective professional learning, with practical examples of how to put these approaches into action.
Access training rated outstanding by Ofsted
Equip yourself with the knowledge and expertise to make a real difference in your school.
Get practical skills to take you to the next level as a leader
Build expertise in developing others, including practical skills in how to sequence, plan and develop a high-quality CPD offer (Continuing Professional Development) for all staff. In addition, for anyone mentoring trainee teachers – whether in a school or other setting – we offer optional deep dive content to equip you to lead teacher training.
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 in Leading Teacher Development (NPQLTD). This free support comes in the form of an experienced former school leader who will coach and guide you throughout the programme. Your delivery partner will confirm how you can be nominated for this support offer.
Join a passionate network striving for educational equality
Share experiences with other school leaders, learn how they’ve faced similar challenges and build a professional network that will support you throughout your career.
Interested in an NPQ?
Registrations for our 2024 autumn cohort are now closed. For further details, register your interest.
Need more information?
If you can’t find the information you need, please contact us.
Programme
Is the NPQLTD programme for me?
This programme is for teachers and leaders interested in developing others, including those who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading the development of other teachers in their school. You may have responsibilities for the development of all teachers across a school, or specifically trainees or teachers who are early in their career.
The NPQLTD is also aimed at current and future initial teacher training (ITT) lead mentors based in other settings such as universities. As the largest ITT provider in the country, we’ve developed additional ITT-specific content and learning opportunities to equip you with everything you need to successfully lead initial teacher training.
How does the NPQLTD work?
This programme consists of a series of courses based on the DfE’s NPQ frameworks.
It’s delivered over 12 months, and you’ll then complete a summative assessment within a fixed eight-day window. This will be marked and moderated and your result confirmed within three months.
Each course 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 course. Towards the end of the programme, you’ll also take a course 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.
What will I learn?
You’ll develop expertise in the knowledge, skills and concepts for specialist areas related to your role. These include planning, sequencing and delivering a high quality CPD programme. 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 will conclude with the implementation module and practical implementation cycle of the programme.
Find out more about the DfE’s NPQLTD content framework:
What are the training commitments?
The programme is designed to fit around your teaching and other school commitments. Over the course of the whole programme (spread over three terms), you‘ll undertake approximately 55 hours of learning. This includes a combination of seminars, learning modules, conferences and a practical implementation cycle.
We also offer optional deep dive content to support individuals who are or have ambitions to mentor trainee . This additional learning is designed to equip lead mentors with key initial teacher training knowledge.
How will I be assessed?
At the end of the programme, you will complete your summative NPQ assessment during a fixed 8-day window. Your assessment submission is a written response to a case study related to the content covered in your NPQ, and is an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the NPQ Framework. Detailed dates will be shared with you before the start of the programme.
In order to be eligible to complete the assessment, you will need to have engaged with at least 90% of the course content. Diagnostic tasks contribute 30%, reflective tasks 20%, and attendance at events 50% to this total.
The assessment process for all NPQs has been refreshed to reduce the workload burden on teachers while still providing an opportunity to apply their knowledge. To pass the programme, you’ll need to evidence at least 90% of the course and pass one summative assessment.
At the start of your training, we’ll also provide you with the dates of the summative assessment so you can plan for this with your school. The summative assessment will take the form of a case study. It will represent a likely situation that a leader might encounter at the relevant NPQ qualification level. The summative assessment is designed to give you an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the relevant NPQ framework and how this can be applied to school improvement.
You will have an eight-day window to provide a written response of a maximum of 1500 words for the case study. It is an ‘open book’ approach so you can refer back to your course materials when completing your response.
Interested in an NPQ?
Registrations for our 2024 autumn cohort are now closed. For further details, register your interest.
Need more information?
If you can’t find the information you need, please contact us.
Cost
DfE scholarship funding
A limited number of DfE scholarship funded places will be available to teachers and leaders from:
- the 50% of schools with the highest proportion of students who attract pupil premium funding
- the 16 to 19 educational settings identified as having high disadvantage
In addition, scholarship funding is available for people who are, or will be, taking on the role of lead mentor for an initial teacher training provider accredited to deliver initial teacher training from September 2024.
For further information, guidance and to check if your setting is eligible for scholarship funding, please see the information on funding for NPQs on the GOV.UK website.
The cost for someone who is not accessing a funded place is £899.
Interested in an NPQ?
Registrations for our 2024 autumn cohort are now closed. For further details, register your interest.
Need more information?
If you can’t find the information you need, please contact us.
Apply
Am I eligible to apply for an NPQ?
To apply for an NPQ, applicants must have:
- full support from their school/organisation, as confirmed via a written agreement.
- Teacher Reference Number (TRN)
- relevant experience, as detailed under the 'Our Programmes' section of the website.
Is my school or organisation eligible for funding?
You may be able to get your NPQ course fees paid for by the Department for Education (DfE). This is called scholarship funding. You do not need to apply for it.
When you register for an NPQ, DfE will tell you if you are eligible for funding.
How can I apply?
Registrations for our 2024 autumn cohort are now closed. For further details, register your interest.
Need more information?
Leaders have explicitly woven the principles of inclusion, diversity and equality through all NPQ programmes.
