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About National Professional Qualifications
National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) are the most widely recognised qualifications in the education sector for aspiring and current leaders. They are accredited by the DfE who provide fully-funded scholarships for all staff in state schools.
They are designed to support your professional journey as you move from ITT and ECT right through to executive leadership of a multi-academy trust. Whether you are interested in developing your practice in teaching or behaviour management, or developing your skills at the very highest levels of leadership, there is an NPQ for you.
They are designed to support your professional journey as you move from ITT and ECT right through to executive leadership of a multi-academy trust. Whether you are interested in developing your practice in teaching or behaviour management, or developing your skills at the very highest levels of leadership, there is an NPQ for you.
How is NPQ learning structured?
NPQs are designed with the needs of busy school staff in mind. They follow a blended learning model. You can study each online module at a time and pace that suits you. You discuss your learning with colleagues in online seminars and in-person conferences throughout the course. Your NPQ is awarded after your attendance and engagement are combined with an online assessment exercise to see if you have met the benchmarks.
The best of local and national
The DfE has appointed national lead providers to design the NPQ curriculum. They partner with local Teaching School Hubs who know your school and its context, so you get the best of local and national to meet your needs.
Four Teaching School Hubs Kingsbridge and Colyton, (known as SWIFT) Trenance and Roseland (known as OneCornwall) - have teamed up with Leading Schools South West to ensure that all schools in the South West get the very best NPQs on offer.
Leading Schools South West is a charitable company formed by schools in 2012 to offer NPQs. Over 4,000 South West leaders have successfully participated since then.
LSSW and its partners have chosen to work with Teach First and the National Institute of Teaching as lead providers. LSSW has over 600 South West leaders and teachers participating in its reformed NPQ programmes in the first year. In our quality survey, 99.5% of them say the courses are well-facilitated with appropriate materials. Over two-thirds strongly agree that this is so.
Four Teaching School Hubs Kingsbridge and Colyton, (known as SWIFT) Trenance and Roseland (known as OneCornwall) - have teamed up with Leading Schools South West to ensure that all schools in the South West get the very best NPQs on offer.
Leading Schools South West is a charitable company formed by schools in 2012 to offer NPQs. Over 4,000 South West leaders have successfully participated since then.
LSSW and its partners have chosen to work with Teach First and the National Institute of Teaching as lead providers. LSSW has over 600 South West leaders and teachers participating in its reformed NPQ programmes in the first year. In our quality survey, 99.5% of them say the courses are well-facilitated with appropriate materials. Over two-thirds strongly agree that this is so.
Funding and Eligibility
Prior to 2021, the National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) were fee-paying programmes to support the development of teachers and leaders in schools. In 2021, the DfE introduced reformed National Professional Qualifications and to date, these have been fully funded by the DfE through Post-Covid Recovery funding scholarships.
For the Autumn 2024 cohort, this will change, and the DfE have announced two categories of funded scholarships:
1. Funded places will continue to be available for all teachers and leaders from publicly funded schools and settings for the following NPQs:
2. Funding for teachers and leaders who work in the most challenging schools or educational settings, serving more disadvantaged communities. Therefore, funding to cover the full NPQ cost is available to teachers and leaders from the 50% of schools with the highest proportion of students who attract pupil premium funding. Comparative disadvantage measures will be applied for Early Years and 16-19 educational settings.
For October 2024, the DfE have committed to funding up to 10,800 places in total. This encompasses the full suite of NPQs and individuals from both groups outlined above.
For full details, visit Funding for national professional qualifications (NPQs) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Lead providers are currently waiting for confirmed allocations of funded places from the DfE and guidance on the practical arrangements for funding. The DfE will release course eligibility and funding information from July after the general election. Leading Schools South West is working closely with lead providers Teach First and the National Institute of Teaching to provide updates as soon as information is released by the DfE.
For the Autumn 2024 cohort, this will change, and the DfE have announced two categories of funded scholarships:
1. Funded places will continue to be available for all teachers and leaders from publicly funded schools and settings for the following NPQs:
- Leading Primary Maths
- SENCO
- Headship
- Early Headship Coaching Offer
2. Funding for teachers and leaders who work in the most challenging schools or educational settings, serving more disadvantaged communities. Therefore, funding to cover the full NPQ cost is available to teachers and leaders from the 50% of schools with the highest proportion of students who attract pupil premium funding. Comparative disadvantage measures will be applied for Early Years and 16-19 educational settings.
For October 2024, the DfE have committed to funding up to 10,800 places in total. This encompasses the full suite of NPQs and individuals from both groups outlined above.
For full details, visit Funding for national professional qualifications (NPQs) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Lead providers are currently waiting for confirmed allocations of funded places from the DfE and guidance on the practical arrangements for funding. The DfE will release course eligibility and funding information from July after the general election. Leading Schools South West is working closely with lead providers Teach First and the National Institute of Teaching to provide updates as soon as information is released by the DfE.
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Why complete your NPQ with LSSW?
Working with Teach First and the National Institute of Teaching combines the best of local and national
Teach First and the National Institute of Teaching are renowned providers with strong moral purpose
Over 4,000 South West leaders have already found success with LSSW
Facilitators are active leaders in South West schools
Blended learning gives you the flexibility to work when it suits you
Become part of an ongoing South West network of leaders
Teach First and the National Institute of Teaching are renowned providers with strong moral purpose
Over 4,000 South West leaders have already found success with LSSW
Facilitators are active leaders in South West schools
Blended learning gives you the flexibility to work when it suits you
Become part of an ongoing South West network of leaders
