XClose

IOE - Faculty of Education and Society

Home
Menu

NPQH: National Professional Qualification for Headship

For school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school.

Spring cohort 2024

Apply now

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 Headship 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?

  • School Culture - you will establish and sustain an effective school culture by setting the strategic direction, managing human and financial resources and fulfilling all statutory duties to enable a sustainable and thriving school community.
  • Teaching - you will learn how to establish and support effective teaching across your school to develop and embed your teacher’s pedagogical knowledge and classroom skills to enable the best outcomes for all children and young people no matter what their starting point is.
  • Curriculum and Assessment - you will learn how to support and sustain high quality planning, teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring the implementation of effective and coherent policies. Appropriate and well-designed professional development for the teachers in your school will align with these priorities.
  • Behaviour and Support - you will be able to establish and sustain high standards of behaviour and learning across the whole school community, including liaising with and training key stakeholders to ensure a safe, inclusive learning environment for all.
  • Implementation - you will learn how to implement change successfully within your context by understanding the stages of implementation and aligning it with wider school improvement priorities.

What are the benefits to you?

Our participants have outlined many benefits to studying for an NPQH. 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.
  • Challenge pre-conceived ideas.
  • Understand how to develop a culture in a school and know how to model it as school.
  • Strengthen and affirm your thinking and understanding of high-quality leadership approaches.
  • Learn how to provide a framework that encourages a safe, sustainable learning culture for pupil progress.
  • 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 aspire to leading a school as a head of school or headteacher.


How long will it take?

18 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 in year one/two: 2 hours.

Online induction conference at the beginning of year one

Total hours in year one/two: 4 hours.

Face to face events – terms two, three and four

Total hours in year one/two: 15 hours.

Self-directed learning, learning journal and implementation project

Every term year one/two: 13 hours per term (minimum).
Total hours in year one/two: 39 hours.

Online learning community: discussion session

Every term year one/two: 1 hour each term (minimum).
Total hours in year one/two: 3 hours.

Peer learning group

Every term year one/two: 2 hours each term.
Total hours in year one/two: 8 hours.

Line manager sessions

Every term year one/two: Termly 1-hour meeting.
Total hours in year one/two: 4 hours.

Total programme hours

Total hours in year one/two: 75 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 £1985 for those in independent schools. British International 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 Headship is available for those who meet the following criteria: 

  • Are, or are aspiring to be, a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school.
  • Work in a state funded school and state funded organisations that offer 16-19 places in England.

Or

  • Are a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school.
  • Are in the first 2 academic years of headship.
  • Work in a state funded school and state funded organisations that offer 16-19 places in England.

Programme route map

NPQH route map, spring 2024.
Route map (text version)
NPQ Programme Induction (January/February 2024)

Watch online programme information webinars  

Induction Conference 2hrs – February/March

Module 1 (February 2024 – July 2024)

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

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Online Self-directed Study: 8hrs – February/July 

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

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Face to face Event 1: 5hrs – June 

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

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

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

Module 2 (July 2024 – January 2025)

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

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

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Peer Learning Group 2: 2hrs  – September/October 

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

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

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Face to face Event 2: 5hrs – January

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

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

Module 3* (January 2025 – July 2025)

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

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

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Peer Learning Group 4: 2hrs – March

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Face to face Event 3: 5hrs – April/May

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

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

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

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

Final Assessment Preparation (August 2025 – September 2025)

Ensure 90% engagement – August/September

Ensure Access to Assessment Platform – September


*Please note, Line Managers / Mentors will be asked to complete a short School 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 18 months: Implementation Project: Work-based reflective learning, integrating research with practice and aligned to the EEF process model for school improvement (not assessed).

After 18 months: Final Summative Assessment (September 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?

My learning has led me to have more professional dialogues with senior leaders within the school. From my learning audits, I've had the chance to improve on the areas that needed addressing.  This has been done through having the knowledge to put myself into more challenging/uncomfortable situations, professional development through my mentor meetings and supporting colleagues with my improved confidence/knowledge of the content in module 2."

Participant Autumn 2021
I have enjoyed the module on organisational management and enjoyed the exercise on risk management and considering the different scenarios outlined. "

Participant Spring 2022