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  2. National Professional Qualifications

 

We are working in partnership with the Exchange Teaching Hub to deliver the new suite of National Professional Qualifications.

 

Applications to join the Autumn 2025 cohorts will open soon on 8th September 2025!

This year there will only be one recruitment window. The next time you will be able apply for an NPQ will be in November 2026, so it is essential that you register for your NPQ before the deadline (date to follow)

 

You can register for one of our NPQs by selecting UCL and the Barnsley and Doncaster Teaching School Hub on the DfE NPQ Registration Service.

 

 

Overview

The qualifications are designed and delivered through collaborative partnerships between UCL, regional, national and international delivery partners.

Together, UCL and school partners have drawn on their leadership professional learning expertise to design the current programmes ensuring they are informed by research and practice.

NPQ Programmes

NPQs can be divided into two groups:

Leadership programmes, covering senior leadership; headship; executive leadership; SENCO and early years leadership.

  • NPQ Senior Leadership (NPQSL) – designed for school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a senior leader with cross-school responsibilities.
  • NPQ Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL) – designed for early years leaders qualified to at least Level 3 with full and relevant qualifications working in a wide range of Early Years (EY) settings including Private, Voluntary or Independent (PVI) with leadership responsibilities.
  • NPQ Headship (NPQH) – designed for school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school.
  • NPQ Executive Leadership (NPQEL) – designed for school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, an executive headteacher or a school trust CEO with responsibility for leading several schools.
  • NPQ Special Educational Needs Coordinator (NPQSENCO) – designed for Special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs), teachers interested in developing expertise in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or undertaking a SENCO role in the future and School leaders.

Specialist programmes, covering the leadership of teaching; behaviour and culture; teacher development; primary mathematics and literacy.

  • NPQ Leading Literacy (NPQLL) – this programme will develop participants’ expertise in leading literacy by developing a deep understanding of evidence-based practice in language reading and writing.
  • NPQ Leading Teaching (NPQLT) – designed for teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading teaching in a subject, year group, key stage or phase.
  • NPQ Leading Teacher Development (NPQLTD) – designed for teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading the development of other teachers in their school. They may have responsibilities for the development of all teachers across a school or specifically trainees or teachers who are early in their career.
  • NPQ Leading Behaviour and Culture (NPQLBC) – designed for teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading behaviour and/or supporting pupil wellbeing in their school.
  • NPQ Leading Primary Mathematics (NPQLBC) – designed for teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading behaviour and/or supporting pupil wellbeing in their school.

How to register for a NPQ – A step-by-step guide

Scholarship funding for Autumn 2025

Scholarship funding is still available for teachers and leaders in publicly funded schools (including maintained nursery schools) and 16 to 19 educational settings in England for the following NPQs:

  • SENCO  (NPQSEN)
  • Headship (NPQH)

Find out more information on funding for the full suite of NPQs please click here