Guidance

Leading teaching national professional qualification

A course to help teachers learn how to lead the teaching and learning of a subject, year group or phase.

From:
Department for Education
Published
20 September 2023
Last updated
16 December 2024 — See all updates

Applies to England

Who this course is for

This course is for teachers and middle leaders who have, or want to have, responsibilities for leading teaching in a:

  • subject
  • year group
  • key stage
  • phase

Overview

This one-year course will help you gain confidence and develop skills in:

  • creating a culture of high expectations
  • supporting colleagues with all aspects of their teaching
  • contributing to effective professional development linked to teaching, curriculum and assessment

This course will:

  • take 12 months to complete
  • involve an average of 1 to 2 hours of study each week
  • be a mix of self-study and group sessions
  • involve 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

Effective teaching

You’ll gain:

  • an understanding of the core principles behind the science of learning
  • techniques to plan lessons that stimulate your pupils’ thinking
  • practical tools and guidance to sequence your curriculum and plan for assessment
  • an understanding of how to align your professional development with wider school improvement priorities

Leadership

You’ll build the expertise to:

  • identify and implement good teaching practice
  • support colleagues in designing a broad and coherent curriculum
  • effectively manage a team of teachers
  • create a culture of professional learning and continuous improvement in your school
  • contribute to the design of effective school assessment systems

Supporting colleagues

You’ll develop the skills to help colleagues:

  • plan effective lessons
  • meet individual pupil needs
  • provide opportunities for all pupils to succeed
  • adapt their teaching to different needs

Course structure

The course includes 9 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:

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 (1,500 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 NPQ start date to February 2024.

  5. First published.

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