The NPQSL qualification is for those who are, or are aspiring to be, a senior leader with cross-school or cross-trust level responsibilities.
Through exploring case studies with peers, learning about the latest educational research, and reflecting on your leadership practice, you’ll gain new skills and insights which will empower you to make positive change as you take the next step in your career.
“The quality of the NPQSL content is first class. It is knowledge rich and research driven.”
– Wayne McAllister, Subject Lead, Birmingham
The NPQSL Qualification
Lead successful whole school improvement and change
NPQSL are for those who are, or are aspiring to be, a senior leader with cross-school or cross-trust responsibilities
- Gain a nationally recognised, prestigious, government-backed qualification and make progress in your career
- Strengthen your expertise as a senior leader, helping you to support a culture where pupils and staff can thrive, learning how to bring staff with you on the journey
- Learn flexibly around your job with a blend of online learning, virtual sessions and local face to face workshops
Benefits for you
- During the NPQSL Qualification, you will develop knowledge and understanding of how to apply the evidence on school improvement through people development. You will learn how to lead everything from whole school programmes to specialist areas
- A blended learning experience which fits around your role where you learn and discuss key content online, delivered in a way that suits the busy working lives of teachers and school leaders
- Local virtual and face to face sessions that focus on real problem-solving, creating understanding, connecting with your peers and gaining depth of knowledge
- Ongoing preparation to give you confidence to pass the final assessment
- Facilitation and support from serving school leaders in excellent schools and delivery at local venues
Benefits for your school or trust
- A skilful and research-informed leader who can contribute to a cohesive, impact-focussed school leadership team
- Practical capability to get on with the job of developing others with the skills to lead people and teams, creating change and impact
- A professionally aware and informed leader who can make evidence-based decisions and approach leadership in an effective and efficient manner
- The ability to review and evaluate practice in order to bring about change and get the best outcomes for young people and staff within the organisation
Not all NPQSLs are equal. As the national charity for teacher development, we know the value of your time and care deeply about providing a course that empowers your leadership practice and helps you to implement lasting positive change at your school. This means:
- Evidence-Based Course Content – You’ll be looking at relevant research and case studies from real schools to guide your leadership role. We review our content regularly to ensure it reflects current best practise and the latest educational research.
- Flexible Online Learning Modules – Learn at your own pace, in your own time with our online study modules. We even provide our units as podcasts to help you learn on the go.
- Local Face-to-face Sessions – While we love the flexibility of online learning, there’s something unique about the professional discussions which occur in-person. Rather than covering new material, these workshops are entirely focused on participants discussing what they’ve learned with their peers and expert facilitators. Leaders reflect on what’s working well in their different settings and how new ideas can be successfully put into practice.
- A Smart, Heart, Humble Approach – From our facilitators, to our course writers, to our operations team, everyone behind a TDT NPQ puts our values first. We follow the evidence, we care about doing right by the people we support, and we listen thoughtfully to feedback.
The NPQSL is a blend of flexible online learning, online discussion, virtual workshops and face to face workshops, for a few hours study each week over 18 months. This is followed by an assessment window where you will complete a 1500-word case study assessment to demonstrate your understanding of real leadership and change.
Our online modules guide you and your colleagues through understanding and implementing effective approaches to people-powered school improvement.
This completely reformed Leadership NPQ has an evidence-based curriculum design, connecting you to the latest research and best practice. Our research-rich course covers all of the core content in the government’s Framework for this qualification. It will help you to:
- Create the environment need to ensure effective teaching, curriculum, assessment and culture
- Lead effective professional development, change and implementation
- Manage a school’s systems and processes, working with parents and governors
Funding and Cost
Funding for Autumn 2024 will target those teachers and leaders who work in the most challenging schools or educational settings, serving more disadvantaged communities.
Scholarship funding to cover the full NPQ course cost will be available to teachers and leaders from:
- the 50% of schools with the highest proportion of students who attract pupil premium funding
- 16 to 19 educational settings identified as having high disadvantage
Full eligibility for scholarship funding and targeted support funding details HERE
The course fee is £1,149 for all others.
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More information
The Teacher Development Trust is an internationally leading charity in the fields of staff development and school improvement through people development. Founded by practising teachers and leaders in 2012, we’ve helped hundreds of schools and leaders to create lasting improvement.
Key Information: A Quick Guide
Course Length
Study Time
Accreditation
Programme Start Date
Other Key Dates
Cost
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As of the end of our Autumn 2024 intake, TDT are no longer accepting new applications for NPQs.
Find a Delivery Partner near you
Our carefully selected network of Delivery Partners deliver our courses across over 21 locations across England 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.
Upcoming Key Dates for current NPQSL participants
Autumn 2023 NPQSL Cohort