Guidance

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聽

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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鈥檒l 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鈥檒l be equipped with school-focused leadership knowledge, which you can use to establish the culture and conditions where staff and pupils can thrive.

You鈥檒l be encouraged to apply and translate what you鈥檝e learned to your own school context. Your training provider will give you models and examples that鈥檒l help you translate theory into practical skills you can use in your school鈥檚 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鈥檒l 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鈥檒l 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聽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鈥檒l need to spend 1 to 2 hours a week working on this NPQ.

Providers

You can train with one of the following providers:

They work with delivery partners, such as teaching school hubs, to provide training.

Assessment

To get your NPQ accreditation, you鈥檒l 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

Published 20 September 2023
Last updated 16 December 2024 show all updates
  1. Updated information about funding and removed one provider.

  2. Removed 'Education Development Trust' from the list of providers.

  3. Updated with details of the course due to start in autumn 2024.

  4. Updated the NPQ start date to February 2024.

  5. First published.

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