More than just a qualification
What does it take to pass an NPQ with flying colours?
Caroline Amos-Wilkins, a dedicated teacher and Head of PE at St Michael’s Catholic School in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, recently achieved just that remarkable feat by passing her NPQ in Leading Teaching (NPQLT) with the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) with full marks.
Here Caroline shares her experiences, reflecting on the invaluable benefits of her journey, highlights of her course and how it has positively impacted her career.
"Everyone’s thoughts and opinions were heard and valued"
A standout feature of the course was the blended learning approach, combining in-school experience, in-person seminars and off-the-job training. These were more than just educational sessions, creating a rich tapestry of everyone’s experiences, making each contribution valuable and enlightening.
“These were not only an opportunity to share and exchange good practice and gain insights from other people’s diversity of experience, but also a platform to discuss and debate a wide array of topics including practical teaching strategies to broader educational issues and where we could voice aspirations, what you'd like to change or implement in your own school. It was a place where everyone’s thoughts and opinions were heard and valued," Caroline said.
Supportive environment
Caroline said support at the NIoT was exceptional and provided an environment that was nurturing and challenging. Resources provided were comprehensive and expectations were clear.
"Everyone at the NIoT was super supportive. They were really easy to access," Caroline says. "They provided all necessary resources, all that was really expected of you was your active participation in discussions and that you applied what you’d learned. The facilitators, seasoned headteachers and senior leaders, were also approachable, attentive and genuinely listened to our perspectives whether they agreed or not - fostering a rich environment for high-level debates on pressing educational issues.”
Practical application of knowledge, research and sustained impact
Caroline highlights how the course content was directly applicable to real-life situations.
"The practical applications were immense. As the only PE practitioner in my face-to-face courses, I found debates about teaching and learning issues and insights from other subjects immensely valuable, highly applicable and these helped me consider approaches that could benefit our students by applying the learning to real-life scenarios. I've been going back to the stuff we covered and thinking about sustainable changes. At the time I was working in an Islamic school, so faced unique challenges. The course allowed me to learn from other subjects and schools, with discussions on assessment strategies and student engagement particularly beneficial, helping me address challenges of promoting sports and physical education and improving participation in sports, despite the diverse backgrounds.”
"The course taught me to ask important questions about sustainability and effectiveness"
“I’ve always loved educational research and the course fed this passion. I love to read summaries of articles and, if it piques my interest I'll read it, if it doesn't I won't. Lots of the research we were supplied with was so relatable and interesting that you couldn't not engage with it, and you could put it into your situation. It wasn't completely far-fetched and wouldn't work in every setting.
"Since finishing, I've been going back to stuff we covered and thinking critically about applying theoretical knowledge and the changes we implement. The course taught me to ask important questions about sustainability and effectiveness, ensuring we don't set ourselves up for failure, so I've used that in my everyday teaching life. Sometimes you do these courses and you think I'm never going to use this stuff ever, but this qualification has been more valuable to me than anything. So, for that, I'm really grateful.”
Flexibility and understanding
The understanding of course leaders, flexibility and accommodation with deadlines was another significant advantage for Caroline, making it possible to balance the demands of teaching with coursework requirements.
"Deadlines were manageable”, Caroline notes, “The structure allowed me to complete tasks at my own pace. If there was a deadline you couldn’t meet, then you had that conversation and they helped you out. We had dedicated reading before in-person seminars, but if you hadn't finished they were supportive and they would agree a later date. This flexibility was something I wasn’t expecting but so welcomed at parts of the year, like when you had an exam period, or teaching a coursework subject that's taken hours of your life.”
Course structure and final assessment
The structured and well-organised resources were a lifesaver for Caroline, making it easy to complete the qualification.
“It gave loads of information without being overwhelming. That's essentially how I managed to complete my qualification because I was able to look back at the very sequential and well-structured course plan and pick and choose bits I wanted to include in my final assessment.”
Caroline said the final assessment was a problem-solving exercise and particularly well-designed as it could be tailored to fit any educational setting, allowing participants to draw on personal knowledge and apply what they had learned to a real-world context.
“You get a few days or week to do it, so you had time to properly digest what the questions were asking you and plan it properly before you wrote it. There were several ways you could have gone but, as it was applicable to anybody as it was based in your role, it was open to interpretation and made the assessment relevant and insightful. Although the thought of an unseen question was daunting, the structured format with clear guidelines on what to include gave clarity making the task manageable, even enjoyable, and aided in formulating comprehensive responses.”
Future aspirations
Reflecting on her future, Caroline has set her sights on ascending the teaching career ladder.
"I am career driven; I would like to move into leadership. As much as I love being in the classroom, I want to influence academic change at the highest level, so we get the best outcomes for kids. Initially, I thought my path would be the pastoral route, but the more academic research I'm doing the more interested I'm becoming in shifting my focus and implementing continual professional development. I really would like to do my NPQ for Senior Leadership (NPQSL) and be an assistant head in the next two to three years. I believe this course has been a valuable stepping-stone on the journey, equipping me with the confidence, knowledge and skills to achieve that goal and prepared me for future leadership. I'm more than capable of doing so and I just need that opportunity to get there.”
More than just a qualification
Caroline’s journey through the NPQLT highlights the profound impact of supportive learning environments, practical application of knowledge and power of networking. It is a testament to the transformative potential of CPD in shaping future leaders in education. As Caroline continues to strive towards her goals, she remains an inspiring example of dedication and passion in the teaching profession.
She said: “The NPQLT has been an incredible journey, was more than just a qualification and a transformative experience that shaped my approach to teaching and leadership. The support, flexibility, and applicability of the course has been invaluable, and I am truly grateful for the experience. If you’re considering this qualification, I highly recommend it - it could be the key to unlocking your potential in educational leadership.”
Find out more about our NPQLT, apply or browse all of our NPQ programmes here.