Take the next step...
Unlock your potential as a school leader and apply for our innovative, impact-focused National Professional Qualifications (NPQs). To register your interest, please complete the 'Find out more' form and we'll get in touch with more information.
Overview
We offer five leadership NPQs (in Senior Leadership, Headship, Executive Leadership, Early Years and for SENCOs) as well as five NPQs for teachers and leaders who wish to develop their expertise in specialist areas (Leading Literacy, Leading Behaviour and Culture, Leading Teaching, Leading Teacher Development and Leading Primary Maths).
Browse our programmes here.
Location
We can confirm that we will be delivering NPQs in schools near the following locations:
- North and West: Blackburn, Preston, Bolton, Wigan, Liverpool, Leyland and Skelmersdale
- South, East and London: Norwich, London and South Essex
- North and East: Tyne and Wear, Doncaster, Redcar, Halifax, Gateshead, Washington, Peterlee and Grimsby
- South and West: Bath & North East Somerset, Birmingham, Bristol, Devon, Dudley, Cornwall, Swindon, South Gloucestershire, Sandwell, Somerset, South Staffordshire, Worcester and Walsall
Assessment
Typically, participants will need to complete the programme and achieve a pass mark in a written, ‘open book’ style, structured assessment of up to 2,500 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.
Rachel Norton-Smith, Headteacher - Anderton Primary School
"The time seems right for me to take that next step and continue my own learning and CPD. I want to be prepared for the next adventure."
Asad Mahmood, Director of learning - Maths, Laisterdyke Leadership Academy
"Currently studying for my NPQSL with the NIoT, I am thoroughly enjoying it. Communication is excellent, the support is always there, the written material is of a high quality and the best part is the face to face sessions where the material is brought to life while you are accompanied by other leaders in education."Cost/Funding
For the April 2025 cohort:
- Funding scholarships have not yet been confirmed by the DfE. We will update this page as soon as we have more information on eligibility criteria. Alternatively, you can check here for the latest updates.
- For the Autumn 2024 cohort, funding was made available to schools with the highest 50% of pupil premium pupils as well as early years and 16 to 19 educational settings identified as having high disadvantage.
For those who are not eligible to receive funding, prices can be found on each of our programme pages.
You can find the DfE messaging and a list of schools eligible for funding here: Funding for national professional qualifications (NPQs) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Benefits
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.
Essential knowledge
We offer programmes developed by professionals designed to 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.
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.