National Professional Qualifications

The National Professional Qualifications are accredited by the Department for Education and offered in conjunction with Ambition Institute.

National Professional Qualifications

We are pleased to confirm that applications are now open for the Autumn 2025 cohort of National Professional Qualifications (NPQs).

Delivered in partnership with Ambition Institute, our NPQ programmes are designed to support teachers and leaders at every stage of their career, with flexible delivery and minimal time out of school.

The DfE portal will re-open on Monday 8th September 2025. If you’ve applied for an NPQ starting in Autumn 2025, please ensure you complete your registration.

Ready to apply for an NPQ? Click the link below to get started!

Apply Now!

Free NPQ Webinar for Prospective Applicants

Wednesday 1 October | 4:30pm – 5:15pm

Join Ambition Institute’s in-house experts for an informative session covering:

An overview of five Specialist NPQs, five Leadership NPQs, and the Early Headship Coaching Offer (EHCO).
Flexible programme options to fit different lifestyles.
The impact of CPD on teaching practice and educational inequality.
Funding eligibility and how to apply.

The session will also include a Q&A opportunity for attendees to ask questions. This is a great chance for anyone considering an NPQ to learn how it can support their development and help them make a difference for pupils.

Specialist Qualifications

Develop your expertise in high-quality teaching practice, drive meaningful impact in your school, and invest in your future:

NPQ in 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 in 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.

NPQ in 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 in Leading Literacy (NPQLL)

Designed for teachers who lead, or aspiring to lead, on literacy in any phase of education. This includes teachers, heads of departments, teaching development leads and senior leaders.

NPQ in Leading Primary Mathematics (NPQLPM)

Designed for teachers who lead on teaching maths in primary schools.

Leadership Qualifications

Develop as a leader and translate your learning to make evidence-led decisions within your school setting:

NPQ for Senior Leadership (NPQSL)

Designed for school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a senior leader with cross-school responsibilities.

NPQ for 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 for Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs)

This NPQ will become the mandatory qualification for SENCOs from September 2024.

NPQ for Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL)

Designed for leaders in early years education. Through evidence-based professional development, you’ll learn what great early years learning looks like and how to lead others and your setting. You’ll also look at what others can learn from you.

Early Headship Coaching Offer (EHCO)

Designed for new Headteachers, our Early Headship Coaching Offer provides you with personalised support to help you solve problems relevant in your school context.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How much time will I need to dedicate to the course each week?

Participants typically spend 1-2 hours per week on activities such as online learning, reading, and project work.

What types of assessments are involved?

At the end of the course, there is an 8-day assessment window with a written assessment based on applying the knowledge gained throughout the course to a case study.

Can I connect with other participants on the course?

Yes, you will be assigned a buddy and can participate in discussions and collaborate on projects. We also host in-person conferences for collaboration and discussion, and a clinic every two months where you work with your peers to apply your learning to case studies.

Where can I obtain my certificate if I have passed?

Certificates are available through the Teacher Self-Service portal (www.gov.uk/guidance/teacher-self-service-portal). You will need your teacher reference number (TRN). If you have issues accessing the portal, contact the Teaching Regulation Agency at 0207 593 5394 or qts.enquiries@education.gov.uk.

NPQ Testimonials

Live sessions and conferences were very effective as they provided an authentic chance to discuss, share and learn together and were great for networking and making links to others.

There was great guidance on how to approach each module. The Visting Fellows provided good course delivery backed by relevant experience from teaching backgrounds.

Visting Fellows were so helpful and the NPQLTD group worked well together.

All Visting Fellows were knowledgeable, helpful and approachable. They were clearly able to relate to the scenarios we discussed and able to share their experiences, which really helped to make the sessions more applicable to our own contexts.

Having the time to reflect and read further has reignited my enthusiasm for teaching and leadership.

It is easy to work the learning around my commitments.

I really enjoyed working alongside my buddy and felt this made a huge difference to the way I was able to participate in the programme. The fact that we would meet at the end of each unit to complete the paired work together in person kept me accountable to deadlines, and the resulting discussion just made each unit more interesting and impactful. It was also extremely helpful that we are based in similar schools, which meant that we had an understanding of each other’s contexts. Not only have we been able to benefit from each other’s professional experiences and build links between schools, but we have also become good friends.

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