Headship national professional qualification
A course to help school leaders and headteachers develop the knowledge behind expert school leadership and apply it to become an outstanding headteacher.
Applies to England
Who this course is for
This course is for school leaders who are, or want to be a:
- headteacher or head of school
Overview
This 18-month course will help you gain confidence and develop skills in:
- curriculum and assessment
- behaviour
- professional development
- governance and accountability
- implementing school improvements
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 school leaders in many state funded settings in England will be 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:
- school culture
- effective teaching
- supporting curriculum and assessment development
- establishing and sustaining a positive, predictable and safe environment for pupils
- additional and special educational needs
- 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 school
Deliver meaningful change in your school
You’ll be equipped with school-focused 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 school context. Your training provider will give you models and examples that’ll help you translate theory into practical skills you can use in your school’s 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 at your school.
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
- Church of England
- LLSE
- National Institute of Teaching
- 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.
Updates to this page
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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.