Why us?
Choose our NPQ for Early Years Leadership and you’ll be joining over 32,000 teachers and school leaders (as of December 2024), who have decided on an Ambition NPQ since they launched in 2021.
Evidence informed curriculum
Our carefully sequenced and evidence informed NPQ is designed around the key problems you face. You’ll develop your knowledge and understanding of what high-quality, early years education and care looks like.
Access the latest early years research
Our NPQ for Early Years Leadership includes core research areas like how early years leaders can deliver and sustain change, factors affecting child development and the importance of a positive culture to improve outcomes.
Train to your timetable
Our ‘little and often’ approach means you can engage with our NPQs around your busy timetable, with minimal time needed out of school. On average just one hour per week to engage in our NPQEYL.
No large project
Plus, on our NPQs there’s no large project at the end. Instead, you’ll sit an ‘open book’ assessment with support via two on-demand webinars and a dedicated, live assessment preparation clinic to help you get the most from your NPQEYL.
Join our charitable mission
We support teachers and school leaders at every stage of their careers, helping them to keep getting better. We are a charity providing training and professional development based on the most rigorous research and evidence about what really works.
Benefits for you
Thrive as a leader
This course is designed specifically for leaders of early years education. Through evidence-based professional development, you’ll learn what great early years learning looks like and how to lead others in your setting. You’ll also look at what others can learn from you.
Close the gap
Evidence* shows that high quality care and education in early years is fundamental for a child’s development, preparing them for school and later life*. We’ll help you to develop the knowledge to deliver this to the children you support.
Designed by early years experts
Benefit from a programme which is designed and delivered by early years specialists and experts from across the sector.
Tailor your training
The programme allows you to apply the theory to your early years’ setting. You’ll be able to bring your own persistent problems and solve them with the support of expert facilitators and network peers.
Invest in your future
Ongoing professional development helps you to grow and thrive as an early years practitioner. You will follow an evidence-informed framework and gain a professional accreditation at the end of the programme.
Learn at your pace
This programme is designed to fit around your busy teaching role. Much of the work can be completed in short bursts around your existing schedule.
Connect with your peers
You’ll train alongside other early years practitioners from similar. You’ll share your experiences and building a strong support network.
*Sources:
Barnett, W. S. (1995). “Long-term effects of early childhood programs on cognitive and school outcomes”. The Future of Children, 25-50.
Heckman, J., Pinto, R. and Savelyev, P. (2013). “Understanding the mechanisms through which an influential early childhood program boosted adult outcomes”. American Economic Review 103(6), 2052-2086.
Benefits for your early years setting
Give young people the best start
Equipping your leaders with evidence-based training on what good education and care looks like will help to create a level playing field for children in the early stages of life.
Benefit from tailored training
This is the first NPQ that is designed specifically for early years practitioners. It will develop expertise that can be applied to identifying and addressing persistent and common challenges in early years leadership.
Invest in high-quality professional development
Participants will learn how to unpack and apply learning across all aspects of the early years – and support their colleagues to develop in these areas too.
Create a ‘golden thread’
The NPQs are all aligned. So, no matter what career stage your teachers are at, by joining this programme, they will benefit from an evidence-based framework. They will also share a common language with other NPQ participants that they can pass on to colleagues.
Tap into a network
Your leaders will train alongside peers from other early years settings, supported by expert facilitators who fully understand their needs.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the NPQEYL programme for?
The NPQ for Early Years Leadership is designed for early years practitioners who are qualified to at least level three, with a full and relevant early years or teaching qualification.
You will be, or will be aspiring to be:
- A manager of a private, voluntary or independent early years setting
- A headteacher of a school-based or maintained early years setting
- An early years foundation stage leader in a state funded school (roles could include early years/KS1 phase leader, assistant or deputy headteacher, or class teachers aspiring to leadership)
- A childminder with leadership responsibilities.
How long does the NPQEYL programme last?
The NPQ for Early Years Leadership is a twelve-month programme, with a mixture of live, facilitated sessions and self-directed learning.
How does the NPQEYL programme accommodate busy schedules?
The NPQ for Early Years Leadership is designed to fit around your schedule with a 'little and often' approach that aligns with insights from the science of learning.
What does the NPQEYL cost?
The NPQ for Early Years Leadership is DfE-funded for teachers and school leaders who work in the most challenging schools or educational settings, serving more disadvantaged communities in England. Find out more about the eligibility criteria in the 'Funding' tab.
Are there any specific requirements to enrol on the NPQEYL programme?
To be eligible for the NPQ for Early Years Leadership, you must be a serving teacher or early years practitioners in a school or eligible setting in England.
Eligibility
To apply, you need to be an early years practitioner who is qualified to at least level three, with a full and relevant early years or teaching qualification.
NPQs are not suitable for active Early Career Teachers.
You will be, or will be aspiring to be:
- A manager of a private, voluntary or independent early years setting
- A headteacher of a school-based or maintained early years setting
- An early years foundation stage leader in a state funded school (roles could include early years/KS1 phase leader, assistant or deputy headteacher, or class teachers aspiring to leadership)
- A childminder with leadership responsibilities.
If you have any questions, email [email protected] and a member of our team will be in touch with next steps.
Cost
DfE NPQ scholarship funding for future NPQ cohorts is yet to be confirmed.
Funding for spring 2025 targeted those teachers and leaders who work in the most challenging schools or educational settings, serving more disadvantaged communities.
For the NPQ for Early Years Leadership, funded scholarships are available for those who meet the following criteria:
- be an early years practitioner who is qualified to at least level three, with a full and relevant early years or teaching qualification.
- work in the 50% of schools with the highest proportion of students who attract pupil premium funding.
- highly disadvantaged early years settings will also be eligible.
Check your setting's eligibility
If you're unsure whether you will qualify for this 'pupil premium' based on funding, please use our online eligibility check tool.
If you are not eligible, we will offer alternative funding options.
Can't find your setting?
If you are a state school with a nursery who is appearing as not eligible for funding for this NPQEYL or a childminder, please contact us directly at [email protected]
If you do not work in an eligible school, the NPQ in Early Years Leadership costs £1,139 plus VAT.
Get in touch to find out more.
Self-funded payment options
If you are unable to access a DfE funded scholarship, you can pay for your NPQ.
We will invoice the school/trust contact you provide in your application directly. Depending on your school type, they maybe be able to reclaim VAT.
If you are unable to come to an arrangement with your school, we can invoice you directly, but you will not be able to reclaim VAT.
Unfortunately, we do not offer payment plans for our NPQ programmes.
The cost of your programme must be paid in full before the start of your programme. We are unable to offer refunds once you start the programme.
DfE funding restrictions
Due to DfE funding being limited, being eligible for an NPQ scholarship does not guarantee either suitability for the course or that a funded course place is available.
If funded places are not available, you can:
- approach a different NPQ provider to enquire about the availability of funded course places
- choose to join your chosen providers waiting list
- choose to pay for a course place
Overview
Our NPQ for Early Years Leadership course follows the Department for Education’s National Professional Qualification: Early Years Leadership Framework.
You will learn how to:
- Set a strategic direction for your early years setting and apply ambitious standards for all children
- Champion evidence-based practice
- Plan and deliver care and a high-quality curriculum to support children’s development
- Establish communication, language and literacy approaches to support children’s learning
- Make sure all children experience success
- Identify children who need support and make appropriate referrals
- Create an environment for all children and colleagues where everyone feels welcome and safe.
Note: programme content is subject to change.
How you'll learn
Our NPQEYL is designed so you can engage in live, facilitated sessions alongside modules you can complete at any time.
Over 18 months, our NPQEYL includes:
- Two live conferences (each lasting six hours)
- Nine courses (each course lasts about six weeks and loosely aligns with a school half term)
- Each course includes six modules
- 54 insight and practice modules (completed at a time that suits you)
- Six two-hour online clinics (facilitated sessions)
- One two-hour assessment clinic
- Five online communities (1hr15mins group sessions)
The content is delivered through blended learning. This includes 12 hours of in-person delivery (via 2 full day conferences and in-person twilight sessions),a mix of real-time, interactive online sessions and self-guided modules you complete in your own time.
The first conference for the Ambition national NPQEYL spring cohort will take place on Wednesday 7 May 2025 and will be held in the West Midlands at the University of Warwick. Partner cohort locations and dates may vary.
The programme includes facilitator-led sessions with your peer group that focus on decision making. The programme starts with a one-day live conference.
Note: programme content is subject to change.
Assessment
Our NPQ courses no longer include a large project at the end. Instead, you’ll sit an ‘open book’ style assessment in which you respond to a short case study.
The assessment window starts at the end of the 18-month programme and runs for up to four months (subject to change by the DfE). During this time, you’ll be given an eight-day window to complete the case study.
There are currently two assessment windows every year, and participants can sit the assessment twice, 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.
Locations
Join a local cohort with one of our regional partners and benefit from our expert curriculum design along with a tailored experience linked to your local context.
If you are unable to find a local cohort, you can join Ambition’s national cohort and gain a national network of peers. Either way, we work to give you the best possible experience.
Find a cohort that’s local to you in our list of partners here.
What our partners can do for you
Ambition Institute provides high-quality content and materials, built on our experience in schools and other learning environments, and our deep knowledge of evidence and practice.
Our partner in your region will put this knowledge into context and manage your experience on the programme, from facilitation to day-to-day support.
The timings and methods of activity, sizes of cohorts and the cost of the programme may vary across delivery partners.
Reviews
Apply
Applications for spring 2025 are now closed. Enquire here to hear about future NPQ cohorts.
To apply, you need to be an early years practitioner who is qualified to at least level three, with a full and relevant early years or teaching qualification.
NPQs are not suitable for active Early Career Teachers.
You will be, or will be aspiring to be:
- A manager of a private, voluntary or independent early years setting
- A headteacher of a school-based or maintained early years setting
- An early years foundation stage leader in a state funded school (roles could include early years/KS1 phase leader, assistant or deputy headteacher, or class teachers aspiring to leadership)
- A childminder with leadership responsibilities.
Childminders
Please complete our enquiry form here and provide us with the name of your setting and your postcode.
Teacher Reference Number
To apply for an NPQ, you will need a Teacher Reference Number (TRN). If you do not have a TRN, you can request a temporary one. You can find out how to do that here.
Conference one for the Ambition national NPQEYL programme will take place on Wednesday 7 May 2025 and will be held in the West Midlands at the University of Warwick. Partner cohort locations and dates may vary.
If you have any questions, email [email protected] and a member of our team will be in touch with next steps.