NPQ for Headship

National Professional Qualification for Executive Leadership

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: our organisation was founded by four leading multi-academy trusts, and our programmes are designed and delivered with a focus on the realities of schools. 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.

Executive Leaders provide a vital role in school improvement, working with colleagues to develop their leadership and their ability to shape schools that best serve the needs of their communities.

Through this course, you will develop your knowledge of all the key leadership areas required for Executive Leaders, as well as developing your ability to lead others in a broad and varied remit. You will work with colleagues from across the country in part of a national cohort of aspiring leaders, learning from one another as well as benefitting from the expertise of the top performing Executive Leaders who design and deliver this programme.

Benefits

• 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.
• Essential knowledge: There is no fluff – every minute spent working towards an NPQEL enables you to make a greater impact in your job.
• Realise your vision: You will learn the skills necessary to set an ambitious vision for your schools or trust, creating an environment where staff and pupils can thrive.
• Follow in large footsteps: Successful leaders from trusts in a range of contexts will offer insights based on their own experience.
• 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

How to create a Trust culture where colleagues and pupils can thrive across schools

• How to embed effective teaching, curriculum and assessment across multiple schools
• How to implement and sustain practices which lead to excellent pupil behaviour across schools
• How to support all children in your schools to succeed, including those with additional and special educational needs
• How to support and develop colleagues through trust-wide professional development
• How to run a large organisation, such as a number of schools or as a trust-wide leader
• How to work effectively with colleagues and other stakeholders to secure a great education for the children in your schools
• What governance and accountability mean in the context of multiple schools

How you'll learn: 

The course is made up of six modules, studied over 18 months. Each module usually contains a combination of self-study units, nationally delivered in-person conferences, online masterclasses delivered by specialists, individual and group coaching, and virtual visits to trust schools.

National seminars: extend your learning with an expert, school leader facilitator, build your network and apply your learning to your own context.

Virtual school visits: visit some of the country’s leading schools, learning about how they have developed and improved their practice over time to deliver exceptional outcomes and experiences for young people.

Online masterclasses: hear school-based sector experts sharing best practice from their context and experience.

One to one coaching: apply your learning to scenarios and to your own context, with the feedback and guidance of an expert serving Executive Leader.

Online self-studies: learn cutting-edge research and how it is being applied successfully in schools.

Assessment

In order to receive NPQEL 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.

We will support participants with writing clinics 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

For staff from state-funded schools or 16-19 organisations in England, places are fully funded by the DfE. There will be no cost to the participant.

You can study towards more than one NPQ, but will only be eligible for funding for each NPQ once. If you withdraw from or fail your course, you will not be funded again for the same NPQ.

Apply

To apply, you must be a school leader who is, or is aspiring to be, an executive headteacher or have a school trust CEO role with responsibility for leading several schools. 

The National Institute of Teaching run a central cohort for the NPQ Executive Leadership. You can complete the NIoT's application form.