NPQ for Leading Primary Maths

Strengthen maths teaching across your school and help more pupils develop confidence, fluency and enjoyment in mathematics.

The NPQ in Leading Primary Maths is designed for teachers and leaders who want to improve the quality of maths education in primary settings. This specialist leadership qualification will help you build the knowledge, skills and confidence to lead maths effectively, support colleagues’ development and improve outcomes for all pupils.

You’ll learn how to lead high-quality maths teaching, develop a coherent curriculum, use assessment effectively and create the conditions for sustained improvement across your school.

Whether you are already leading maths or preparing to step into a subject leadership role, this programme will help you translate evidence into practice and lead improvement in your context.

The NPQ in Leading Primary Maths is for teachers and school leaders in primary schools who lead, or aspire to lead, maths, such as primary maths leads, numeracy coordinators and teachers leading improvements in mathematics.

This may include:

• primary maths subject leaders who want to deepen their expertise and lead improvement more effectively
• classroom teachers preparing for a maths leadership role
• senior leaders with responsibility for teaching, curriculum or standards in primary maths
• leaders in trusts or groups of schools supporting maths improvement across multiple settings

This programme is particularly relevant if you want to develop a stronger evidence-informed approach to leading maths and improving pupil outcomes across key stage 1 and key stage 2.

On this programme, you'll learn:

• how to lead improvement in primary maths teaching and learning
• how to develop a high-quality primary maths curriculum that is coherent, sequenced and ambitious
• how pupils learn maths, including the importance of fluency, reasoning and problem-solving
• how to identify and address common barriers to success in primary mathematics
• how to use assessment in primary maths to understand pupil progress and inform next steps
• how to support colleagues to strengthen classroom practice in maths
• how to implement change effectively so improvements are sustained over time
• how to ensure more pupils experience success and confidence in maths, including those who need additional support

The NPQ in Leading Primary Maths is designed to fit around school life and combine flexible study with meaningful collaboration.

The programme consists of five modules and a final assessment. It includes 34 hours of online self-study, plus virtual school visits and masterclasses, plus three in-person days (each six hours), featuring practice clinics and coaching.

The programme includes:

• Local seminars – learn with expert facilitators and apply your learning in context
• Virtual school visits – see high-quality teaching and leadership in practice
• Online masterclasses – hear from experienced school leaders and subject experts
• Self-study modules – engage with research and evidence-informed teaching approaches
• Implementation discussions – structured support to help you apply your learning in your school

You’ll also have access to a library of masterclasses and resources throughout the programme.

There are typically two to three scheduled sessions each half term, combining online and in-person learning. You should also expect around 4-6 hours of self-study per half term.

Local seminars take place during the working week and during term time. Schools should plan for participant attendance as part of their professional development commitment.

The programme is designed to be manageable alongside your existing role.

To complete the NPQLPM, you will:

• Engage fully with the programme
• Complete a written, ‘open book’ assessment (up to 1,500 words)

The assessment:

• Takes place over an eight-day window
• Assesses your understanding and application of programme content
• Includes two opportunities to pass

We will support you with writing clinics, provide you with live assessment support webinars and self-directed guidance materials before you gain your accreditation.

By completing the NPQ in Leading Primary Maths, you will be able to:

• build expertise in leading primary maths
• strengthen your ability to improve maths teaching across your school
• gain a nationally recognised qualification
• develop confidence as a subject leader or aspiring leader
• use evidence more effectively to shape curriculum, teaching and assessment in maths
• make a bigger difference to pupils’ mathematical understanding, confidence and outcomes

This programme can help your school to:

• improve the quality and consistency of primary maths teaching
• strengthen curriculum planning and implementation in mathematics
• develop internal leadership capacity in a key subject area
• support better pupil progress and attainment in maths
• embed evidence-informed approaches to teaching, assessment and improvement
• retain and develop talented teachers through high-quality professional development

The NPQ in Leading Primary Maths is intended for teachers and leaders working in primary education who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibility for leading maths. This should come through a minimum of 1 year's participation of the Maths Hubs Teaching for Mastery programme, or a programme equivalent.
Your school may be eligible for scholarship funding, please click here to find out more.

For the November 2026 cohort, funding is 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. Find out more about funding and eligibility criteria here.

If your school is not eligible for funding, the NPQ for Leading Primary Maths costs £850.

We have a wide network of delivery locations that allow us to reach participants from most areas. Reach out to your regional delivery team to find out which is closest to you.

North and West: Blackburn, Bolton, Bradford, Liverpool, Manchester, Preston. Contact [email protected] to find out more.

South, East and London: Essex, Hertfordshire, North East London, Norwich, South East London, Suffolk, Sutton, Surrey. Contact [email protected] to find out more.

North and East: Doncaster, Gateshead, Grimsby, Halifax, Leicestershire, Newcastle, Peterlee, Redcar, Tyne and Wear, Washington. Contact [email protected] to find out more.

South and West: Birmingham, Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dudley, Gloucestershire, Sandwell, Somerset, South Staffordshire, Swindon, Walsall, Worcester. Contact [email protected] to find out more.

Applications for the November 2026 cohort are now open. You can apply here.

To apply, you will need:

• full understanding of eligibility criteria
• agreement from school/employer to apply for this programme
• support from school to take part in the programme and implement learning
• your Teacher Reference Number (A TRN is a 7-digit number that uniquely identifies you in the education sector in England. This will be validated with the Department for Education, please ensure you enter the correct TRN. Not sure what your teacher reference number is? You can find out here)
• school/setting unique reference number (URN), address, contact number, number of pupils on roll, % of pupils eligible for free school meals
• a summary of your current leadership responsibilities and a 200-word statement about why you wish to complete this programme
• name, job title and email address of nominated implementation advisor, name, job title and email address of referee and invoicing contact name, address and email address.

The National Institute of Teaching is a higher education provider founded by schools, for schools.

• School-led – learn from experienced practitioners working in schools today
• Evidence-informed – grounded in the latest research on literacy and learning
• Designed for impact – apply your learning directly in your classroom and school
• Built around your role – manageable alongside your teaching commitments
• Collaborative – learn with peers and build a strong professional network

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