NPQ for Early Years Leadership
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National Professional Qualification in Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL)
DRET Teaching School Hub work in partnership with the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) as an Associate College to deliver NPQ Programmes. NPQs at the National Institute of Teaching are school-led: the organisation was founded by four leading multi-academy trusts, and our programmes are designed and delivered with a focus on the realities of schools and nurseries. Because teachers’ time is precious, our programmes are respectful of your time, and designed to have immediate impact on the pupils and colleagues in your school, as well as the colleagues and children you will work with in the future.
As you know, and as a wealth of research supports, there is no time more critical in a child’s life than their early years. As the leader of an Early Years provision, you have the ability to shape their experience, contribute to developing their personal wellbeing and sense of security, and prime them to be ready to learn in a school environment.
Through the NPQEYL, you will develop your knowledge of how children learn and develop, hear from colleagues who have proven track records in working with very young children and babies, as well as visiting exemplary settings to learn more about how leaders have created the environment and learning space for children to thrive. You will benefit from actionable take-aways you can use immediately in your setting, as well as preparing for your future career development.
Benefits
- Essential knowledge: There is no fluff – the programme was developed by early-years professionals, so that every minute spent working towards an NPQEYL will enable you to make a greater impact in your job.
- Research-informed practice: You’ll have access to the latest and best evidence of what works in education, but will also be supported in turning it into real, hands-on practice.
- The best for all children: This course will enable you to devise an ambitious curriculum that will support child development and allow all the children in your care to flourish.
- Stretching a budget: You’ll learn about budgeting, funding and marketing, so that you can ensure your resources go as far as possible.
- Community of educators: You’ll be part of a diverse community of educators, all learning from one another during the course – and potentially afterwards, too.
- Fulfilment: The better and more knowledgeable you are at your job, the more enjoyable and exciting you will find it – and that enthusiasm will be passed on to your pupils.
Curriculum
What you’ll learn:
- How to establish and sustain your nursery’s strategic direction
- How to embed an excellent culture in your nursery
- How to develop a high-quality curriculum which supports the development of very young children, including their language development, communication and literacy
- How to support children’s behaviour and social and emotional development in your setting
- How to monitor the progress children are making in your setting, and how to ensure all pupils’ needs are met without creating unnecessary workload
- How to develop your colleagues’ practice
- How to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders
- All the critical operational aspects of running a nursery, including safeguarding, admissions, risk management, HR and finance
Local seminars: extend your learning with an expert, school or nursery leader facilitator, build your network and apply your learning to your own context.
Virtual school visits: visit some of the country’s leading schools and nurseries, learning about how they have developed and improved their practice over time to deliver exceptional outcomes and experiences for very young children.
Online masterclasses: hear school and nursery-based sector experts sharing best practice from their context and experience.
Online self-studies: learn cutting-edge research and how it is being applied successfully in schools.
Implementation advisor: structured conversations with an identified in-school advisor to support implementation of learning in context.
Assessment
In order to receive NPQEYL accreditation, participants will need to complete the programme and achieve a pass mark in a written, ‘open book’ style, structured assessment of up to 2,000 words.
Assessment support clinics will be provided to participants before they embark on gaining their accreditation.
The assessment itself takes place over an eight-day window. There are two assessment windows per year and participants have two opportunities to take part.
Cost
You may be able to get your NPQ course fees paid for by the Department for Education (DfE). This is called scholarship funding. You do not need to apply for it.
When you register for an NPQ, DfE will tell you if you are eligible for funding. Further funding information can be found here.
Apply
To apply you need to be an early years practitioner who is qualified to at least level three, with a full and relevant early years or teaching qualification.
You will be, or will be aspiring to be:
- A manager of a private, voluntary or independent early years setting
- A headteacher of a school-based or maintained early years setting
- An early years foundation stage leader in a state funded school
- A childminder with leadership responsibilities.
Application information for academic year 2026/2027 will be published in summer 2026.
You can register your interest here and we will be in touch once the application window opens.