National Professional Qualification for Leading Primary Mathematics (NPQLPM)

Choose our NPQ for Leading Primary Maths and you’ll be joining over 35,000 teachers and school leaders (as of May 2025), who have decided on an Ambition NPQ since they launched in 2021.

Evidence informed curriculum
Our carefully sequenced and evidence informed NPQLPM will help you to develop a positive culture for maths teaching and embed effective approaches to teaching maths across your primary setting.

Co-developed with AC+
This programme has been co-developed by Ambition and the AC+ Mathematics Mastery team. AC+ brought teaching for mastery to the UK, and their primary programme has proven impact of two months additional progress in a year.

Build on your mastery expertise
The programme has been designed for primary teachers and leaders who are familiar with mastery approaches to teaching maths. Use your existing mastery expertise and embed this across your school.

Access the latest maths research
This includes instruction, curriculum, assessment, culture, professional development and implementation. All of this content will be delivered through a primary and maths specific lens.

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 NPQLPM.

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 NPQ.

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.

Funding for autumn 2025 is targeted for those teachers and leaders who work in the most challenging schools or educational settings, serving more disadvantaged communities.

For the NPQ for Leading Primary Maths, funded scholarships are available for those who meet the following criteria:

• Teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading primary mathematics teaching across a school, key stage or phase.
• Be familiar with mastery approaches to teaching maths or be a subject leader in a primary school which is already engaged in the Teaching for Mastery programme or a similar programme.
• Work in the 50% of schools with the highest proportion of students who attract pupil premium funding and 16 to 19 educational settings identified as having high disadvantage in England.

Check if you’re eligible! If you're unsure whether you will qualify please use our online eligibility check tool.

If you do not work in an eligible school, the NPQ for Leading Primary Maths costs £899 plus VAT.

*Currently nurseries are not available yet on the tool. If you work in a nursery, please contact us directly at [email protected]

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

To be eligible for this programme, you must be a teacher who has, or is aspiring to have, responsibilities for primary leading teaching in mathematics, numeracy, curriculum, teaching and learning, phase or a primary classroom teacher aspiring to lead.

This course could be suitable if you’re a:

• Primary teacher and you’re already familiar with mastery approaches to teaching maths, but you want to improve your leadership skills in this area.
• Subject leader in a primary school which is already engaged in the Teaching for Mastery programme or a similar programme.
• Phase leader in an all-through school with responsibility for educating a primary aged key-stage or primary school

For example, you might be a:

• Primary Mathematics Lead
• Primary Numeracy Lead
• Primary Curriculum Lead
• Primary Teaching and Learning Lead
• Primary Phase Lead
• Primary classroom teacher aspiring to lead mathematics.

NPQLPM participants are expected to have completed a minimum of 1 Year of the DfE's Teaching for Mastery programme, delivered by the national network of Maths Hubs and co-ordinated by NCETM, or have secure mastery expertise from another equivalent programme.

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

This programme follows the Department for Education’s National Professional Qualification (NPQ): Leading Primary Maths framework.

On this programme, you will learn how to:

• Understand what good primary maths teaching practice is and how to implement it.
• Embed mastery approaches to teaching maths in your school.
• Lead your school to teach maths effectively, working collaboratively with senior leaders and teachers.
• Develop your ability and capacity to improve the provision of maths across your school.
• Equip staff to plan effective primary maths lessons and stimulate your pupils’ thinking.
• Help colleagues to adapt their maths teaching to meet different needs.
• Align your professional development with wider school improvement priorities.

Note: programme content is subject to change.

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 12-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.
• Participants can sit the assessment twice, if they need to.
• You need to pass the assessment and engage with 90% of the course to qualify for the NPQ accreditation.
• We will offer two webinars and live clinic in advance of the assessment window to support you.

Assessment period in April 2026
If you’re starting a specialist NPQ in April 2025, please be aware your assessment could take place within an 8-day period between 1-24 April 2026; it is not always possible to avoid national holidays and/or school holidays due to DfE's assessment timelines.

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.

Applications are now open for November 2025 cohorts. Start your application here >>

Don’t wait! Due to a change in DfE guidance, there’s no spring 2026 cohort across all NPQ providers. So, there’s only one chance to start this academic year!

To apply, you must be a teacher who has, or is aspiring to have, responsibilities for primary leading teaching in mathematics, numeracy, curriculum, teaching and learning, phase or a primary classroom teacher aspiring to lead.

This course could be suitable if you’re a:

• Primary teacher and you’re already familiar with mastery approaches to teaching maths, but you want to improve your leadership skills in this area.
• Subject leader in a primary school which is already engaged in the Teaching for Mastery programme or a similar programme.
• Phase leader in an all-through school with responsibility for educating a primary aged key-stage or primary school

For example, you might be a:

• Primary Mathematics Lead
• Primary Numeracy Lead
• Primary Curriculum Lead
• Primary Teaching and Learning Lead
• Primary Phase Lead
• Primary classroom teacher aspiring to lead mathematics.

NPQLPM participants are expected to have completed a minimum of 1 Year of the DfE's Teaching for Mastery programme, delivered by the national network of Maths Hubs and co-ordinated by NCETM, or have secure mastery expertise from another equivalent programme.

Until you've completed the DfE registration, available from 8 September 2025, your application and funding will not be confirmed.

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

Who is the NPQLPM programme for?
The NPQ for Leading Primary Maths is designed for teachers who have, or is aspiring to have, responsibilities for primary leading teaching in mathematics, numeracy, curriculum, teaching and learning, phase or a primary classroom teacher aspiring to lead.

This course could be suitable if you’re a:
> Primary teacher and you’re already familiar with mastery approaches to teaching maths, but you want to improve your leadership skills in this area.
> Subject leader in a primary school which is already engaged in the Teaching for Mastery programme or a similar programme.
> Phase leader in an all-through school with responsibility for educating a primary aged key-stage or primary school

How long does the NPQLPM programme last?
The NPQ for Leading Primary Maths is a twelve-month programme, with a mixture of live, facilitated sessions and self-directed learning.

Is the NPQLPM programme fully funded? The NPQ for Leading Primary Maths 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.

How does the NPQLPM programme accommodate busy schedules?
The NPQ for Leading Primary Maths is designed to fit around your schedule with a 'little and often' approach that aligns with insights from the science of learning.

Are there any specific requirements to enrol on the NPQLPM programme?
To be eligible for the NPQ for Leading Primary Maths, you must be a serving teacher in a school or eligible organisation in England and have completed your early career training.