XClose

IOE - Faculty of Education and Society

Menu

NPQLTD: National Professional Qualification for Leading Teacher Development

For teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading the development of other teachers, curriculum leads, mentors or trainees in their school.

Autumn cohort 2024

Pre-register

About the programme

Why join UCL?

The UCL Centre for Educational Leadership looks forward to working with you on their newly designed NPQ supporting you to deepen your knowledge of Leading Teacher Development within a collaborative and open learning environment.

Based on the latest research and evidence this new programme will enable you to take your new learning and develop your skills and put them into practice.

Our programmes put you and your school at the heart of the programme through a professional learning group approach that helps you to share your thinking and understanding within a well-planned framework. You will experience a blended approach of face to face, self-directed study materials and in school support to enable you to progress professionally and develop networks to enhance your career.

What will you learn?

  • Teaching - you will learn how to develop teachers at all levels in your school, building strong systems that underpin their professional development.
  • Designing professional development - you will strengthen your ability to design effective CPD that makes a genuine difference to pupil outcomes.
  • Delivering effective professional development - you will deepen your knowledge of the best ways to develop models of professional development and dialogue that inspires teachers to become the experts that their pupils need.
  • Implementation - you will learn how to implement change successfully within your context by understanding the stages of implementation and applying them with the support of your facilitators and colleagues.

What are the benefits for you?

Our participants have outlined many benefits to studying for an NPQLTD. Overall, they outline how the programme has given them professional confidence, time and space to reflect on themselves and the kind of leader they want to become and increased knowledge in their chosen area of study.

You will be able to:

  • Develop the skills, confidence and knowledge to implement new professional development initiatives successfully through a supported implementation project.
  • Understand the key principles of how to design and deliver effective professional development programmes.
  • Appreciate the value of sharing ideas, best practice and have thoughts and current practice challenged in a professionally safe space.
  • Learn how to think and plan in a structured way and apply that learning in your own school context.
  • Reflect on the importance of how important effective professional development is to student attainment.
  • Access research and materials and have many opportunities to discuss a variety of professional development approaches and models with other teachers.

What are the benefits for your school?

We know that our children and young people need teachers who are committed to their education and are confident learners themselves. Our programmes have been developed with teachers and leaders to:

  • Create professionally confident teachers and leaders.
  • Grow the next generation of leaders with the skills and knowledge to use the evidence-base for the benefit of their children and young people.
  • Retain the best teachers who are excellent, collaborative role models for their schools and communities.
  • Inspire leaders who can harness the power of rich learning environments for their children and young people no matter the current circumstances.

Is this programme for me?

Yes, if you are responsible for developing teachers at any stage of their career.

How long will it take?

12 months followed by an 8 day open book summative case study task.

Summary of programme and learning hours

Audit before start of the programme

Total hours (three terms): 1 hour.

One day induction conference at the beginning of year one

Total hours (three terms): 5 hours.

One day consolidation conference at the end of year one

Total hours (three terms): 4 hours.

Self-directed learning, learning journal and implementation project

Every term (three terms): 9 hours per term (minimum).
Total hours (three terms): 27 hours.

Online learning community: discussion session

Every term (three terms): 1 hour each term (minimum).
Total hours (three terms): 3 hours.

Peer learning group and live session

Every term (three terms): 3 hours in term one and term three, 6 hours in term two.
Total hours (three terms): 12 hours.

Line manager sessions

Every term (three terms): Termly 1 hour meeting.
Total hours (three terms): 3 hours.

Total programme hours

Every term (three terms): 55 hours.

When will it start and how much will it cost?

The programme will start in October 2023. There will be an induction conference taking place on two dates in November 2023 which will be confirmed during the application process. Participants are required to attend one of these conferences.

The cost is £902 for those in independent schools, please contact your preferred International Delivery Partner. The programme is fully funded in English state schools (read more below).

Are scholarships available for this programme?

Full scholarship funding, with no cost to the participant, for the NPQ in Leading Teacher Development is available to all teachers who meet the following criteria:

  • Have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading the development of other teachers in their school.
  • Work in a state funded school and state funded organisations that offer 16-19 places in England.
  • You are a lead mentor for a provider who is accredited to deliver initial teacher training from 2024. Check your ITT provider here. 

Programme route map

NPQLTD route map, spring 2024.
Route map (text version)
NPQ Programme Induction (February 2024)

Watch online programme information webinars

Induction Conference 2.5hrs – February 2024

Module 1 (February 2024 - March 2024)

Self-directed Study - UCL eXtend
Learning Audit 30 mins – February 

Self-directed Study - UCL eXtend
Online Self-directed Study: 8hrs – February 2024 – May 

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Peer Learning Group 1: 3hrs – March 

Self-directed Study - UCL eXtend
Formative Assessment Tasks: 1hr – April/May 

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Line Manager / Mentor Check-in: 1hr – May 

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
End of Module Evaluation: 15 mins – May

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Programme Impact Report*: 15 mins – May

Module 2* (May 2024 – October 2024)

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Learning Audit: 30 mins – May

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Peer Learning Group 2: 3hrs – May/June

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Online Self-directed Study 8hrs – June/October

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Formative Assessment Tasks: 1hr – June/July

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Line Manager / Mentor Check-in: 1hr – July

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Peer Learning Group 3: 3hrs – September/October

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
End of Module Evaluation: 15 mins – October

Module 3* (October 2024 2024 - January 2025)

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Learning Audit: 30 mins – October  

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Online Self-directed Study: 8hrs – October/January 

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Peer Learning Group 4: 3hrs – October/November

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Formative Assessment Tasks: 1hr – November/December

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Line Manager / Mentor Check-in: 1hr – November/December

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Consolidation Conference: 5 hrs – November/December 

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
End of Module Evaluation: 15 mins – December/January

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Programme Impact Report*: 15 mins – December/January

Final Assessment Preparation (January 2025 – February 2025)

Ensure 90% engagement– January/February

Ensure Access to Assessment Platform – January/February

*Please note, Line Managers / Mentors will be asked to complete a short Programme Impact Report at the end of module 1 and 3 to gauge how engagement with the programme is supporting School / Improvement. This is separate from the Line Manager / Mentor Check-in which is more participant focused.

Runs over 12 months: Implementation Project: Work-based reflective learning, integrating research with practice and aligned to the EEF process model for school improvement (not assessed).

After 12 months: Final Summative Assessment (February 2025)

How to apply

Although the DfE registration portal is currently displaying as open, it is only available to accommodate amendments to Spring’s 2024 registrations. It does not allow registrations for the Autumn 2024 cohort. The DfE portal will re-open in July; however, until then, please complete this short pre-registration form where you can register and secure your place for your preferred NPQ. Once the portal re-opens we will email you to advise you to register on the DfE portal.

What do participants say?

“I found the reading in this module particularly interesting and it made me consider and question how we deliver our CPD, particularly INSET days. It was very interesting to read how other schools have explored and implemented their observation and appraisal changes and is something that I will take back to school with me. I also found exploring the models interesting as they provided a clearer platform for delivering my own CPD. It prompted me to re-familiarise myself with the ECT program currently being delivered in my setting and how we could be better supporting our ECTs. "

Participant Autumn 2022
“Great to meet other practitioners and share our experiences, challenges and successes with a view to self-developing. The course has made me consider other perspectives on features of teaching practice which I just took for granted. Leadership accreditation will look brilliant on your C.V. and the expert course leaders are welcoming, engaging and entertaining."

Participant