Early Headship Coaching Offer (EHCO) image

The Early Headship Coaching Offer is a 12-month programme which provides targeted support for teachers new to the role of headship, or for those in their first five years of headship

You will receive a bespoke programme of support that comprises five hours of one to one coaching with an experienced school leader along with complementary support which can include an online community for support and sharing ideas and guided visits to schools to explore other heads’ leadership on the ground.

The Teacher Development Trust is rooted in our core focus of communication and collaboration, helping you create a culture of improvement in your school where staff thrive and pupils succeed.

Early Headship Coaching Offer (EHCO)

Who is eligible for the Early Headship Coaching Offer?

To be eligible for the Early Headship Coaching Offer you must:

  • Be a headteacher in a state school when you begin the training.
  • Be within the first five years of your headship when you begin.
  • Either have taken the NPQH before beginning your headship, or are currently taking the NPQH
  • Have not previously withdrawn from the Early Headship Coaching Offer.
  • You’ll have a guide to support you as you take your first steps in headship
  • You’ll be supported to apply and embed the learning from your NPQH
  • You’ll connect with other new heads to share ideas and support
  • You’ll have greater impact in your school and achieve your potential as a leader

The following criteria applies for the 2023 to 2024 academic year.

Scholarship funding to cover the course fees is available if you are in your first 5 years of headship in England in:

  • state-funded schools
  • state-funded 16 to 19 organisations
  • You should also be doing or have done the headship NPQ.

For further funding information from the DfE see here

Apply for your ECHO

Applications for Autumn 2023 are now closed. You can continue to apply for TDT NPQs starting in Spring 2024 here. Deadline for Spring applications is 5th February 2024

Express your interest in a TDT NPQ today!



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A note regarding your email address

We ask that you please use the same personal email address throughout your NPQ journey with us, rather than a work or university email address. This ensures we maintain a seamless connection with you, preventing potential issues caused by changes in school or position, duplicate applications, and minimises the risk of our messages being blocked by school firewalls.

This also enables us to align with the DfE who will also ask you to use a personal email address during the application process.   

By using a personal email address, you help us stay consistent, accurate, and timely with the information we send your way. If this poses any challenges for you, don't hesitate to let us know and we will make every effort to accommodate.









Find a Delivery Partner near you

Our carefully selected network of Delivery Partners deliver our courses across over 21 locations in England, Guernsey and the United Arab Emirates. Some Delivery Partners deliver in more than one region, so please ensure you are able to travel to your chosen local delivery location. 

Please use our interactive map below to see where our partners are based and what courses they are offering.