Headship (NPQH)
National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH)
We are delighted to be partnering with the National Institute of Teaching to deliver this programme for the Autumn 2026 cohort.
- Target Audience: school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school.
- Course Length: 18 months, plus 3 months for assessment period
- Brochure: NIoT - NPQ for Headship
Funding for Autumn 2026
The Department for Education has confirmed that the NPQ for Headship will be fully funded for all eligible schools and settings for Autumn 2026.
For full details of NPQ funding for Autumn 2026 and eligibility, see here:
GOV.UK | Funding for National Professional Qualifications
Funding is limited and eligibility does not guarantee a place; early expressions of interest are encouraged.
Programme cost
If your school is not eligible for funding, the NPQ for Headship costs £1,850.
What you'll learn
You’ll develop expertise in the knowledge, skills and concepts for areas of whole-school responsibility related to your role as an aspiring or current headteacher.
Modules include:
- How to establish and drive your school’s strategic direction
- How to set whole-school culture, creating a safe and secure environment for pupils and adults to learn, work and develop.
- How to ensure curriculum and lesson planning is effective across all areas of your school
- How to develop and maintain the quality of teaching in your school
- How to design and implement assessment practices which produce valid and reliable data, and how to drive actions based on this data through others
- How to ensure all pupils experience success and enjoy a positive school experience, including those for whom school is more challenging
- All aspects of statutory compliance you need to know as a headteacher, including safeguarding, exclusions, risk management, HR and finance
- How to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders
- All aspects of governance and external organisations you will need to manage as a headteacher
Programme breakdown
Your Learning Journey
There are two or three scheduled events every half term, some online and some in-person. There are also around four to eight hours of self-study.
Local seminars: extend your learning with an expert, school leader facilitator, build your network and apply your learning to your own context.
Virtual school visits: visit some of the country’s leading schools, learning about how they have developed and improved their practice over time to deliver exceptional outcomes and experiences for young people.
Online masterclasses: hear school-based sector experts sharing best practice from their context and experience.
Online self-studies: learn cutting-edge research and how it is being applied successfully in schools.
Implementation advisor: structured conversations with an identified in-school advisor to support implementation of learning in context.
How will I benefit?
Over 18 months, you will:
- Develop as a leader with whole-school responsibility.
- Get the tools to establish and sustain your school's strategic direction.
- Learn how to create an effective school culture and align your staff in your school's mission.
- Be supported to effectively implement change and improvement in an area you identify as a school priority.
- Join a network of like-minded leaders.
- The programme is delivered by our highly trained and skilled teachers and leaders from our school-based delivery partners.