Futures Teaching Alliance

National Professional Qualification in Headship (NPQH)

The NPQH is a DfE accredited qualification. The content and processes used within the programme are subject to robust external quality assurance so that schools and participants may have confidence that the areas studied have direct relevance to their current needs.

Benefits for Participants

  • Increased capability to set an ambitious vision for a school.
  • Increased knowledge and understanding of what effective headteachers need to know (learn that), and to be able to do (learn how to), to successfully lead both the strategic direction of a school and its operational management.
  • Opportunities to network with other leaders in order to reflect on the latest research into effective school leadership and to explore practice in other settings.
  • Choose what to study. Our regular needs analyses support participants to focus their energies on those aspects of their leadership they most wish to develop.
  • Assessment tasks that involve professional enquiry into relevant aspects of your school’s current practices.
  • Flexible delivery arrangements according to needs and circumstances e.g. provision for staff who work part-time.
  • The NPQH qualification is aligned to Masters credits and can act as a springboard on to Liverpool Hope University’s MA in Leading in Education or the MBA in Educational Leadership.

Benefits for Schools

  • A leader who has a sound understanding of the complexities of leading a school across each of its domains and is able to confidently lead the strategic direction of a school.
  • A leader who understands that much of their work involves working though others to achieve the school’s strategic goals.
  • A leader equipped with essential knowledge and understanding of effective practice in both strategic leadership and operational management and the ability to develop these skills in others.
  • A leader who can lead and establish a culture of professional evidence-based enquiry at all levels in the organisation and guide teachers and other leaders in the development of their understanding of the science of learning.
  • A leader with the skills necessary to orchestrate a school’s improvement strategies by providing guidance to other leaders on effective strategies for the implementation of sustainable change.
  • A leader who shares common understandings and a shared professional language with other leaders within and beyond their school – the ‘golden thread’ of professional development.

What does it cost?

The National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) costs £1,975 plus VAT if applicable. VAT will not be applied to DfE funded candidates or state-funded schools. 

 All Specialist and Leadership NPQs are fully-funded for state-funded schools for Autumn 2023. Apply by 10th October 2023 to secure a fully-funded place.

How to Apply

To apply for NPQH click here. Don't forget to add FUTURES TEACHING ALLIANCE as Regional Delivery Partner when prompted.