National Professional Qualifications
- APPLY NOW FOR AN OCTOBER 2024 START (Application deadline 24th September 2024)
NPQs and Learners First
Having been a successful DfE Accredited NPQ provider since 2012, Learners First Schools Partnership is a proud delivery partner of the Teacher Development Trust (TDT) and the University College London (UCL). TDT is rated an OUTSTANDING NPQ provider. Learners First is the only delivery
provider of TDTs full suite of NPQs within the South Yorkshire and Derbyshire region. We have an excellent track record for supporting teachers, leaders and associate professional colleagues through the NPQs, using the expert knowledge and superb facilitation and networking opportunities
provided by our specialist facilitators.
From October, we are delighted to be partnering in the delivery of the new NPQ SEND qualification with the University College London, a long standing NPQ provider and the UK’s largest university- based centre for research, teaching, development and innovation in education leadership. The NPQ SEND is informed by cutting edge research and evidence on how teachers and school leaders learn and grow over time and underpinned by the IOE’s values to work for and with schools to enable them to make meaningful connections between theory, evidence and practice in their own contexts of learning.
From Autumn 2024, the NPQs are no longer fully funded for all colleagues employed in state funded settings, schools, academies and 16-19 providers. Funding from Autumn 2024 will target those teachers and leaders who work in the most challenging schools or educational settings, serving the most disadvantaged communities.
When the specific details from the DfE are available (whether your setting is eligible for funding) please click here
I am delighted to welcome the brilliant Learners First Schools Partnership into the TDT delivery partnership. They’re making Teacher Development Trusts NPQs available across South Yorkshire. Sign up here!
David Weston, CEO – The Teacher Development Trust
TESTIMONIALS FROM CURRENT PARTICIPANTS
Find Out More – Free Information Briefings
To find out more about the NPQs, the course structure, content, assessment and which one is right for you or your team, please join us for any of the free information webinars below:
To speak to one of our team or for individual queries, please email info@learnersfirst.org with your query and we will be glad to help.
apply for an NPQ
step one
Register Directly with the DfE NOW
Please tick the Teacher Development Trust or University College London(UCL) for NPQ SENDCO
step two
Complete the Application Form
TDT or UCL will send you an application form. Please complete it asap and indicate Learners First Schools Partnership as you Delivery Partner
step three
Finalise Registration
Learners First will contact you directly to finalise registration and begin induction
NPQ Programmes Available
New for Autumn 2024
NPQ SENDCO
From October 2024, the new NPQSENCO will become the mandatory qualification for all SENDCos. It replaces the Master’s level NASENCO qualification. We will be delivering the NPQSENCO with University College London (UCL). This is a leadership qualification, studied trough a blended learning approach for 18 months.
Please visit the UCL website here for more information or register directly with the DfE here
Specialist NPQs | Cohort Intake | Suitable for teachers and leaders currently or aspiring to specialise in a domain area of expertise. Not suitable for ECTs. | |
12 months duration plus assessment | Spring 2025 | learn how to become a teacher educator to successfully support teachers in your area of responsibility or whole school, to expand their skills (suitable for mentors) | |
Autumn 2024 | learn how to develop and lead subject curriculum, pedagogy and assessment within a subject, year group or phase | ||
Spring 2025 | learn how to effectively plan for, teach and promote literacy across the whole school, year group, key stage or phase. Endorsed by the DfE English Hub. | ||
Autumn 2024 | learn how to create a culture of good behaviour and high expectations in which staff and pupils can thrive (also available to colleagues without QTS) | ||
Leadership NPQs | Cohort Intake | Suitable for teachers, current or aspiring school/trust leaders who are or aspire to operate at a level commensurate with the NPQ standard. NB, NPQSEND can be accessed by participants without Qualified Teacher Status | |
18 months duration plus assessment | Autumn 2024 | develop your leadership knowledge and expertise in different domain areas to improve outcomes for teachers, the wider workforce and pupils across your school | |
Spring 2025 | develop expertise in leading high-quality early years education and care, as well as effective staff and organisational management (suitable for leaders of PVIs, Childminders, and school EYFS leaders) | ||
| Autumn 2024 | develop the knowledge that underpins expert school leadership, including working in partnership and organisational management and apply it to become an outstanding headteacher | |
Autumn 2024 | Develop expertise in leading SEND across your organisation. This is the mandatory qualification for all named or aspiring SENDCOs who do not hold the NASEND (pre 2024). From Autumn 2024, all SENDCOs without NASEND must register for NPQSEND. Suitable for Assistant SENCOs & colleagues with interest in role. | ||
Specialist NPQ Qualifications
NPQ Leading Teacher Development (NPQLTD)
For teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading the development of other teachers in their school. They may have responsibilities for the development of all teachers across a school or specifically trainees or teachers who are early in their career.
NPQ Leading Behaviour and Culture (NPQLBC)
For teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading behaviour and/or supporting pupil wellbeing in their school.
NPQ Leading Teaching (NPQLT)
For teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading teaching in a subject, year group, key stage or phase.
NPQ Leading Literacy (NPQLL)
A brand new NPQ for those who are leading literacy programmes across a school, year group, key stage or phase, or who are aspiring to such roles in the future.
Leadership NPQ Qualifications
NPQ Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL)
A completely new NPQ for leaders in early years settings, qualified to at least Level 3 who are, or are aspiring to be, managers of Private, Voluntary and Independent nurseries, headteachers of school-based or maintained nurseries, or childminders with leadership responsibilities
The NPQEL will be delivered locally through Learners First Schools Partnership
NPQ Senior Leadership (NPQSL)
For school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a senior leader with cross school responsibilities.
NPQ Headship (NPQH)
For school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a head teacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school.
NPQ Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (NPQSENCO)
For new SENCOs, assistant SENCOs and experienced colleagues with an interest in working with young people with SEND. Develop expertise in leading SEND across your organisation. This is the mandatory qualification for all named or aspiring SENCOs who do not hold the NASEND (pre 2024). From Autumn 2024, all SENCOs without NASEND must register for NPQSEND.
THE NPQ CURRICULUM PRINCIPLES
Delivery of the curriculum is grounded in the following values:
SMART – about what the evidence tells us, but we also really care about how things are done.
HEART – it’s not just taking the evidence base and implementing it any old way, it needs to be done in the right way if you want to have that sustainable impact.
HUMBLE – we recognise that there is no single perfect answer to any situation – participants will come from different environments, different schools, different contexts – and we need to understand the limits of what the evidence tells us at times and use our judgement.
The NPQ experience will benefit you:
- To develop knowledge and understanding of how to apply the evidence on your area of focus (of the NPQ)
- Through a blended learning experience which fits around your role where you learn and discuss key content online delivered in a way that suits the busy working lives of teachers and leaders
- To undertake local virtual and face to face sessions that focus on real problem-solving, creating understanding, connecting with your peers and gaining depth of knowledge
- Through support and ongoing preparation to give you confidence to pass the final assessment
- Through expert facilitation and support from serving setting and school leaders in and delivery at local venues
The experience will benefit your school or trust by:
- Developing you as a skilful and research-informed leader who can contribute to a cohesive, impact-focused school leadership team
- Supporting you to develop practical capability to get on with the job of developing others with the skills to lead with people and teams, creating change and impact
- Coaching you to become a professionally aware and informed leader who can make evidence-based decisions and approach leadership in an effective and efficient manner
- Enabling your ability to review and evaluate practice in order to bring about change and get the best outcomes for young people and staff within the organisation
2024/25 Programme Schedule
Programme Delivery
- A blend of flexible online learning, online discussion, virtual workshops and face-to-face workshops, for a few hours study each week over the duration of the course
- An end point assessment where you will complete a 1500-word case study assessment to demonstrate your understanding of course content
- Evidence-informed curriculum design, connecting you to the latest research and best practice. The research-rich course covers all of the core content in the government’s Framework for each qualification
| Duration | Blended Structure (Face to face sessions are based in South Yorkshire) | Summative Assessment |
All leadership NPQs with Learners First & TDT | 18 months plus 8-day window for final assessment | 9 x 1.5 hr Webinars 4.5 x 4 hr Face to Face Networks 5 x 1.5 hr National Webinars Ongoing coaching/mentorship 45 hrs self-study online at a time to suit you (Total Study Time=82 hrs) |
1,500-2,500 worded response to a scenario based case study. Open book online submission. 8-day window |
Leadership NPQSENCO with Learners First & UCL | 3 x 5 hrs Face to Face Networks 4 x 2-3 hrs Peer Learning Group 2 x Regional Conferences 39 hrs self-study online at a time to suit you (Total Study Time Approx. 75 hrs) Please note nationally, the exact NPQSEND structure still to be confirmed by DfE so subject to slight change | ||
All Specialist NPQs with Learners First & TDT | 12 months plus 8-day window for final assessment | 6 x 1.5 hr Webinars 3.5 x 4hr Face to Face Networks 5 x 1.5 hr National Webinars Ongoing coaching/mentorship 30 hrs self-study online at a time to suit you (Total Study Time =55.5 hrs) |
NPQ Scholarships and Funding Autumn 2024
NPQ | Funding Eligibility | *Full scholarship funding available only for those… |
NPQ Headship (NPQH) | Fully Funded |
All teachers and leaders from publicly funded schools & 16-19 educational organisations (irrespective of level of disadvantage) |
NPQ Leading Primary Maths (NPQLPM) | Fully Funded | |
NPQ SENCO (NPQSEND) | Fully Funded | |
NPQEL Executive Leadership (NPQEL) | Dependent |
Teachers and leaders who work in the most challenging schools or educational settings, serving more disadvantaged communities:
|
NPQEYL Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL) | Dependent | |
NPQSL Senior Leadership (NPQSL) | Dependent | |
NPQLT Leading Teaching (NPQLT) | Dependent | |
NPQLL Leading Literacy (NPQLL) | Dependent | |
NPQLBC Leading Behaviour & Culture | Dependent | |
NPQ Leading Teacher Development (NPQLTD) | Fully Funded | Teachers or non-teachers who are or will be taking on the role of lead mentor for an initial teacher training provider accredited to deliver ITT from September 2024 (they must be registered as a mentor) |
Dependent | Teachers and leaders who work in the most challenging schools or educational settings, serving more disadvantaged communities:
| |
*Please note that full details whether your school or setting is eligible for funding will be announced by the DfE when applications for Autumn 2024 open in July 2024
You can only receive scholarship funding for each NPQ once. If you receive scholarship funding but then withdraw from or fail your programme, you cannot receive scholarship funding for the same NPQ again. | ||
For those not eligible to receive the scholarship funding, the costs for each NPQ are HERE
HOW ARE THE NPQs ASSESSED?
The assessment process for NPQs has been refreshed to reduce the workload burden on teachers while still providing an opportunity for them to apply their knowledge. To pass the courses, teachers will need to engage with at least 90% of the course and pass one Summative Assessment. The NPQ Summative Assessments will take the form of a case study covering the content in the relevant NPQ Content Framework and represent a likely situation to be faced by a Teacher at the relevant NPQ qualification level or role. A different case study and mark scheme will apply for each cohort group.
TESTIMONIALS FROM CURRENT PARTICIPANTS
