In March 2021, the Department for Education introduced a new suite of National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) - a national, voluntary set of qualifications designed to support teachers’ and school leaders’ professional development.
The NPQs are available across multiple levels, from heads of subject and department to senior leaders, such as deputy heads and headteachers.
Each programme is fully funded for staff at state schools and state-funded organisations that offer places for 16- to 19-year-olds, creating a pipeline for teacher training and retention.
The changes are part of a wider set of staff development reforms that, together, will create a “golden thread” of high-quality evidence underpinning the support, training and development available throughout a teacher’s career. The reforms are supported by evidence that the biggest determinant of pupil outcomes is the quality of teaching they receive.
Delivering excellence in NPQs
Education Development Trust (EdDevTrust), an international charity committed to transforming life chances by improving education, has been selected as a lead provider for the new NPQs. With a reputation for high-quality professional development programmes for teachers and leaders, EdDevTrust is well placed to deliver NPQs to an excellent standard. Applications are now open for its February cohort.
“At Education Development Trust, we believe that great schools only exist when a great staff team is in place,” says education services director Anna Searle.
“For students to thrive and fulfil their potential, they need access to highly effective teachers and leaders across the school team, who have benefited from first-rate training and support.”
How have the NPQs been reformed?
The NPQ framework builds on the evidence base and expert guidance established in the Early Career Framework and the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework.
It has a strong focus on equipping educators with the knowledge and skills they need to flourish in their roles, and now includes more specialist routes for teachers and leaders to develop specific areas of their practice. You can find out more about how these wider reforms will support teachers by listening to episode 2 of EdDevTrust’s Brighter Futures podcast.
The previous NPQ for middle leadership has been replaced by three new specialist NPQs (leading teaching, leading teacher development, and leading behaviour and culture). The existing three leadership NPQs (senior leadership, headship and executive leadership) have also been reformed into new content frameworks provided by the Department for Education.
Partnerships with expert organisations
EdDevTrust is delivering the reformed suite of NPQs by leading a consortium alongside internationally recognised experts from Evidence Based Education and the Sheffield Institute of Education.
Professor Samantha Twiselton OBE, director of the Sheffield Institute of Education, believes the new NPQs are a step in the right direction for teacher development.
“As both a partner in Education Development Trust’s NPQ programme and someone who has been heavily involved in helping shape the evolving policy landscape for teacher and school leadership development, I’m so excited that this milestone has been achieved,” she says.
“The revised and new specialist NPQs will help bring a coherence and focus to the ways in which we need to develop and create career pathways for the teaching profession.”
Professor Stuart Kime, director of education at Evidence Based Education, says that the NPQs will create “clear development pathways that are fit for the evolving leadership needs of our education system”.
He adds: “Bringing these qualifications to life helps us continue our mission to support educators in using the best available evidence to improve teaching, leadership and - crucially - learner outcomes.”
Evidence-informed programmes delivered locally
EdDevTrust is working in partnership with a national network of school delivery partners to ensure the NPQ course content created is rooted in an understanding of what is needed in schools today. The content uses scenarios that teachers will recognise from their own experiences, making learning practical and applicable.
“As a well-established education organisation, with over 50 years of relevant and successful experience, and through our research into what works in education, we are particularly well placed to help in the design and delivery of the NPQs,” says Searle.
“We recognise that, as in medicine and other sectors, professional development for educators must use the expertise of current practitioners. For that reason, we have teamed up with some of the country’s top teaching school hubs and multi-academy trusts to create a delivery system for the NPQs based on expert current practice.”
Workload and wellbeing
EdDevTrust’s NPQs pay close attention to workload and wellbeing, with a range of resources and support available for all - particularly for new headteachers - through its innovative Additional Support Offer for New Headteachers.
This is a programme designed to complement the NPQ for headship (NPQH) and will provide participants with the support needed to help them apply their NPQH learnings, thrive in their role and sustain their development.
Each of EdDevTrust’s NPQ programmes is built to fit around a busy work schedule and the delivery partners enable training to be delivered locally.
“While the NPQs provide an exciting opportunity, we completely recognise the wider pressures on participants, especially at this difficult time, as we seek to restore learning after the disruptions of the past two years,” says Searle.
“We recognise the importance of work-life balance for participants. We have exciting plans for a rich mix of face-to-face and online learning, and we look forward to supporting individuals to achieve their learning objectives and future opportunities.”
EdDevTrust’s combination of knowledge from schools and expert organisations will support teachers and leaders in their professional development, leading to a sustained impact for schools, staff and pupils.
The first cohort for the newly reformed NPQs commenced study in November, but there is still time to apply for the second cohort in February. The application deadline is 17 January and potential candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to secure their place.
Visit www.educationdevelopmenttrust.com/npqs to find out more and apply for an NPQ
