NPQs

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DRET Teaching School Hub work in partnership with the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) as an Associate College to deliver NPQ Programmes. The NIoT are rooted in schools; they know the unpredictability of school life – the day-to-day challenges that teachers face. Their time-efficient NPQs have been drawn up specifically to meet the needs of teachers and leaders. Teachers know best what teachers need – our programme will give you only the information essential to providing the best education possible for your pupils.

Which NPQ is right for you?

Specialist NPQs:

Leading Teacher Development – for teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading the development of other teachers in their school. They may have responsibilities for the development of all teachers across a school or specifically trainees or teachers who are early in their career. Find out more here
Leading Teaching – for teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading teaching in a subject, year group, key stage or phase. Find out more here.
Leading Behaviour and Culture – For teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading behaviour and/or supporting pupil wellbeing in their school. Find out more here.
Leading Literacy - for teachers who lead, or are aspiring to lead, literacy in any phase of education. Find out more here.
Leading Primary Mathematics - For teachers and leaders who have, or aspire to have, responsibility for leading numeracy in primary schools. Find out more here.

Leadership NPQs:

Senior Leadership – for school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a senior leader with cross school responsibilities. Find out more here.
Headship – for school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a head teacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school. Find out more here.
Early Years Leadership - for those who are, or are 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 or a childminder with leadership responsibilities. Find out more here.
NPQ SENCO - for experienced teachers and leaders who are seeking to develop their expertise in leading special educational needs and disability (SEND) provisions in their school, or to become a SENCO. Find out more here.

The Department for Education (DfE) has now confirmed funding arrangements for the November 2026 National Professional Qualification (NPQ) cohort, including expanded scholarship funding across a number of programmes.

Here is what schools and teachers need to know.

What has changed for 2026/27?

The next NPQ cohort will begin in November 2026, with registration opening on Tuesday, 23 June 2026 at 10:00.

The DfE has confirmed continued and expanded scholarship funding for several NPQs.

For the November 2026 cohort:

NPQ for Headship (NPQH) will remain fully funded for all eligible participants, regardless of pupil premium eligibility.
NPQ for SENCO (NPQSENCO) will remain fully funded for all eligible participants, regardless of pupil premium eligibility.
NPQ for Senior Leadership (NPQSL) will now also be fully funded regardless of pupil premium eligibility.
NPQ for Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL) will now also be fully funded regardless of pupil premium eligibility.

Scholarship funding will also continue to be available for participants working in disadvantaged settings through the pupil premium 50 (PP50) eligibility criteria.

This means more teachers and leaders will be able to access professional development at no cost to themselves or their school.

Which schools and settings are eligible for scholarship funding?

Scholarship funding remains available across all NPQs for:

State-funded schools in the top 50% of settings by pupil premium.
Eligible further education settings.
Eligible early years settings receiving disadvantage-related funding.

Funding is also available for teachers and leaders working in:

Schools receiving targeted Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) intervention.
Hospital schools.
Young offender institutions.
Virtual schools.
Local authority teaching roles.

Additional funding arrangements continue for:

Lead mentors working with accredited Initial Teacher Training providers.
Eligible early years childminders undertaking the NPQEYL.

Full eligibility guidance is available on gov.uk.

Apply now!

Both applications must be completed.

Provider application: NPQ – The National Institute of Teaching

DfE registration: Register for a national professional qualification