National Professional Qualifications (NPQ)
ALL NPQs are fully funded for teachers and leaders in state schools until 2024
Apply here for the next cohort
Cohorts will run in Spring 24 and Autumn 24
More information about each NPQ
NPQs in 60 Seconds:
National professional qualifications (NPQs) are a national, voluntary suite of qualifications designed to support the professional development of teachers and school leaders.
They equip teachers with the expertise to lead sustainable improvement in their schools.
FAQs:
What is the time commitment?
For all programmes, the commitment for a participant is 50 minutes per week. Each weekly module is 50 mins and accessed on Steplab. The insight modules; Week 1, 3, and 5 are independent, and can be accessed whenever they want during the week. The ‘application modules’- Wk 2, 4, and 6 are completed with a ‘buddy’, so you will pair up and spend those 50 mins (max) together either virtually or in person.
How many days will I be required to be out of school?
NPQLT, NPQLTD, NPQLBC, NPQLL, NPQLPM: The only time out of school will be 1 day for the kick-off conference. All clinics are run inside the working day but outside of teaching time (4.30-6.30pm) to minimise the impact on pupils. Clinics are roughly once a half-term. The course is 12 months.
NPQSL, NPQEYL: 2 days out of school, the kick-off conference and a conference at the 3/4 point of the programme. All clinics are run inside the working day but outside of teaching time (4-6pm) to minimise the impact on pupils. Clinics are roughly once a half-term. The course is 18 months.
NPQH: 3 days out of school, the kick-off conference and a conference at the 3/4 point of the programme. These dates will be set. You will also be required to make a school visit to another school and can timetable that yourself. All clinics are run inside the working day but outside of teaching time (4-6pm) to minimise the impact on pupils. Clinics are roughly once a half-term. The course is 18 months.
What does the assessment look like?
The assessment is a case study of 2000 words which you read, and have 7 days to respond to in no more than 1500 words (essay style-continuous prose). The clinics that you will attend every 6 weeks take you though problem-solving/scenario-based approaches to problem-solving, so this is great preparation for the assessment. The assessment clinic at the end of the programme will also prepare you for your 1500 word response. You must also engage with at least 90% of the course content, clinics and conferences throughout your course to pass.
How do I use Steplab?
Why apply for an NPQ?
