Headship national professional qualification
A course to help headteachers and leaders in educational settings develop the knowledge behind expert leadership and apply it to become outstanding headteachers.
Applies to England
Who this course is for
This course is for educational leaders who are, or want to be a:
- headteacher or head of an educational setting
Overview
This 18-month course will help you gain confidence and develop skills in:
- curriculum and assessment
- behaviour
- professional development
- governance and accountability
- implementing improvements in educational settings
This course will:
- take 18 months to complete
- involve an average of 1 to 2 hours of study each week
- be a mix of self-study and group sessions
- have a written assessment
Funding
Teachers and educational leaders in many state-funded settings in England are eligible for funding to cover their NPQ course fees, subject to eligibility criteria.
Eligibility for funding does not guarantee a place on a funded NPQ course.
Course content
This course covers themes including:
- culture in educational settings
- effective teaching
- supporting curriculum and assessment development
- establishing and sustaining a positive, predictable and safe environment for pupils
- additional and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
- professional development
- organisational management
You’ll also learn about:
- implementation strategies
- working in partnership with parents and carers
- governance and accountability
Benefits for you and your educational setting
Deliver meaningful change in your educational setting
You’ll be equipped with relevant leadership knowledge, which you can use to establish the culture and conditions where staff and pupils can thrive.
You’ll be encouraged to apply and translate what you’ve learned to your own setting. Your training provider will give you models and examples to help you translate theory into practical skills you can use in your own setting.
Flexible training
This programme is designed to be flexible to fit with your busy working role. Training is delivered in bite-sized chunks, and you can learn at a time and pace that suits you.
Access the latest research
Benefit from the latest evidence-based learning and approaches to great teaching and leadership.
Individualised training
You’ll be able to focus on specific areas of leadership where you want to improve your knowledge. This will help you make evidence-informed decisions and action positive change.
Learning backed by evidence
You’ll be introduced to evidence-informed practices. This will enable you to develop strategies to improve teaching and pupil performance in your setting.
Course structure
The course covers 10 topics, outlined in the course framework. Providers use this framework to design their course.
The course includes:
- independent study
- group coaching
- face-to-face sessions with other participants
You’ll need to spend 1 to 2 hours a week working on this NPQ.
Providers
You can train with one of the following providers:
- Ambition Institute
- Best Practice Network
- LLSE
- National Institute of Teaching
- Church of England
- Teach First
- University College London (UCL) Institute of Education
They work with delivery partners, such as teaching school hubs, to provide training.
Assessment
To get your NPQ accreditation, you’ll need to complete the course and pass a written assessment (between 1,500 and 2,500 words).
Apply
Learn how to apply for an NPQ.
Early headship coaching offer
If you are taking the NPQ for headship, you may be eligible for the fully-funded early headship coaching offer.
This targeted support package is tailored to the needs of new headteachers. It provides a year of structured, unassessed support and networking based on the best available evidence about what makes an effective headteacher.
Updates to this page
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Added information about the early headship coaching offer.
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Updated information about funding and removed one provider.
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Removed 'Education Development Trust' from the list of providers.
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Updated with details of the course due to start in autumn 2024.
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Updated the NPQ start date to February 2024.
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First published.