Deferral Policy

North West London Teaching School Hub

At North West London Teaching School Hub, we are committed to supporting our participants throughout their NPQ journey. While we expect participants to complete their NPQ programme with the cohort to which they were originally accepted, we understand that exceptional or unforeseen circumstances may arise. In these cases, we aim to offer the necessary support to help participants complete their programme successfully, including the possibility of a deferral.

(Please note North West London Teaching School Hub monitors engagement regularly and will be in regular contact with participants with low/falling engagement to support as early as possible).

Deferral Process for NPQ Participants

If you are considering deferring your NPQ programme, please review the following steps carefully. Each stage must be completed in order to ensure that your deferral request is processed correctly.

1. Eligibility for Deferral

To be eligible for a deferral, participants must have been formally enrolled in the NPQ programme.

This includes:

• Registration with the Department for Education
• Submission of confirmation of employment
• Engagement with at least one module or attendance at one event

Deferral may be granted in cases where personal or professional circumstances make it impossible for the participant to continue at that time. Such circumstances might include (but are not limited to):

• Illness or health-related issues
• Maternity, paternity, shared parental, adoption, or parental leave
• Bereavement or significant personal changes
• Any unforeseen or exceptional events outside the participant’s control

2. How to Request a Deferral

If you find that you need to defer, please contact us at North West London Teaching School Hub as soon as possible. Deferrals must be agreed upon between the participant and our team. When requesting a deferral, please provide an expected date for re-joining the programme, which should normally be within 12 months from the point of deferral.

Upon deferral, you will restart the programme with a new cohort at the point where you last engaged, ensuring you don’t need to restart the entire programme. All learning materials will remain accessible via our online platform, so you can revisit content at your own pace.

3. Deferral Details

If you find that you need to defer, please contact us at North West London Teaching School Hub as soon as possible. Deferrals must be agreed upon between the participant and our team. When requesting a deferral, please provide an expected date for re-joining the programme, which should normally be within 12 months from the point of deferral.

Upon deferral, you will restart the programme with a new cohort at the point where you last engaged, ensuring you don’t need to restart the entire programme. All learning materials will remain accessible via our online platform, so you can revisit content at your own pace

3. Deferral Details

Deferral Period: Typically, deferral is available for up to 12 months. Any requests for a deferral beyond this period will need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis and may not always be possible.
Restarting the Programme: Upon returning, you will rejoin the programme at the point where you left off. We will work with you to ensure a smooth transition and assess if any reasonable adjustments are necessary upon your return.
Deferral Opportunity: We can offer one deferral per participant. If you require a further deferral due to exceptional circumstances, this will be considered but cannot be guaranteed.

4. Impact on Funding

If your programme is scholarship-funded by the Department for Education, you will retain funding when you re-join the programme, although this is subject to changes by the Department for Education.
If you are self-funded (or funded by your school, trust, or associated organisation), please note that we do not offer refunds in the event of a deferral. This is based on the expectation that you will complete the programme at a later date.

5. Deferral Before or During the Assessment Window

If you need a deferral prior to the assessment window, you should contact us as soon as possible and no later than the deadline for meeting the 90% engagement requirement. Deferring before the assessment window will not affect your right to two assessment attempts.
In exceptional circumstances after you have entered the assessment window and met the 90% engagement requirement, we may offer an assessment deferral. This is a deferral granted during or after the assessment window. You will not lose your assessment attempt, and we will work with you to ensure your assessment is rescheduled for the next available window.

Examples of situations where an assessment deferral may be granted include:

• Illness or health-related issues that affect your ability to submit your assessment
• Bereavement or significant personal changes that impact your ability to meet the assessment deadline
• Any unforeseen or exceptional situation outside your control that prevents timely submission

6. What happens if you choose not to return?

If you decide not to return to the programme after a deferral, you will be considered to have withdrawn from the NPQ programme. In this case, our Ambition Institute NPQ Withdrawal Policy will apply.

7. Availability of Deferral

While we aim to support participants in exceptional circumstances, we cannot guarantee deferral will always be possible. For example, if the cohort you are on is the final one for that specific NPQ or if funding changes, deferral may not be available. We will always inform you promptly if deferral is not possible and will discuss alternative options.

8. Further Information

If you have any questions about deferral or the process, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at North West London Teaching School Hub. We are here to support you in every step of your NPQ journey.

Email – npq@northwestlondontsh.org.uk

Deferral Request Form