National Professional Qualification in Executive Leadership (NPQEL)

Choose our NPQ in Executive Leadership and you’ll be joining over 25,000 teachers and school leaders (as of November 2023), who have decided on Ambition to complete their NPQ since they were launched in 2021.

On our NPQEL, you’ll benefit from our evidence-informed curriculum to help you put evidence-based leadership methods into practice and drive change in your schools or multi-academy trust.

Throughout the course, you’ll get access to the key research on areas including curriculum, assessment and governance across multiple schools and the importance of a positive culture to improve outcomes. Rather than spending your time sourcing the latest insights, you’ll instead focus on putting your learning into practice.

Our ‘little and often’ approach means you'll need on average just one hour per week to engage in our NPQs, helping you to fit your NPQEL around your timetable.

And with our growing network, you’ll train alongside fellow teachers and early years leaders with similar responsibilities, with content focusing on the key challenges you face in your role.

Plus, on our NPQs there’s no large project at the end. Instead, you’ll sit an ‘open book’ assessment with support via a live webinar and clinics available to help you get the most from your NPQ.

This programme develops your executive leadership skills and knowledge and covers the content listed in the Department for Education’s NPQ Executive Leadership Framework.

You will learn how to:

• create a positive and effective culture across your schools or trust
• support school leaders and your senior team to put in place an evidence-informed approach to designing the curriculum
• give clear feedback to teachers and make sure they are supported with guidance and training to do their jobs effectively
• create and sustain a positive, safe and predictable environment for all pupils across your schools or trust
• work with school leaders and your senior team to make sure professional development priorities are aligned with plans to improve your school or trust
• work effectively in partnership with parents, the community and other schools and trusts
• participate in governance and be fully transparent and accountable.

Note: programme content is subject to change.

Our NPQs no longer include a large project at the end. Instead, you’re given an eight-day window to sit an ‘open book’ style assessment in which you respond to a short case study.

This takes within an assessment window that starts at the end of the 18-month programme and runs for three months.

There are two assessment windows every year, and participants can sit the assessment two times, if they need to.

You need to complete the course to qualify for the NPQ accreditation.

We will offer a webinar and live clinic in advance of the assessment window to support you.

Don’t miss out on a fully funded NPQ! Our February 2024 cohorts are currently our last intake to be fully funded by the DfE.

The Department for Education NPQ scholarship funding is available to all state schools and state funded organisations, including those that offer 16-19 age places in England.

DfE-funded scholarships are available for this NPQ for all those who meet the following criteria:

• Have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for executive leadership across a group of schools or multi-academy trust.
• Work in a state-funded school or organisations, including those that offer 16-19 age places in England.

Extended eligibility.

Organisations now eligible to access scholarships include:

• independent special schools.
• virtual schools (Local Authority run organisations that support the education of children in care).
• hospital schools not already included in other categories of eligible organisations.
• young offender institutions.

If you do not work in an eligible school, the NPQ in Executive Leadership costs £4,050 plus VAT.

Support fund for small schools

The DfE have introduced a new Targeted Support Fund for small schools, to enable them to support their teachers and leaders to undertake the NPQs.

There is a grant payment of £200 per participant to settings with 1-600 pupils for every teacher or leader they employ who participates on an NPQ.

This per teacher payment increases to £800 where the employing organisation is a primary school with 1-150 pupils.

Get in touch to find out more here.

Applications for our spring cohorts are open. Start your application here.

Apply by Tuesday 16 January for a February start.

Don’t miss out on a fully funded NPQ! Our February 2024 cohorts are currently our last intake to be fully funded by the DfE.

Alternatively, please fill out this quick enquiry form to register your interest and find out more about the programme.

To apply, you must be a school leader who is, or is aspiring to be, an executive headteacher or have a school trust CEO role with responsibility for leading several schools.

NPQs are not suitable for active Early Career Teachers.

Funded places are only available to those working in schools in England.

Conference one for the NPQEL programme will take place on Tuesday 6 February 2024 and will be held in the West Midlands at the CBS Arena, Coventry.

If you have any questions, email [email protected] and a member of our team will be in touch with next steps.