NPQ Overview and Application Process

National Professional Qualifications are a set of prestigious qualifications, widely recognised by the sector. They are voluntary and are designed to support the professional development of teachers and school leaders at all levels, across primary and secondary schools. There are leadership NPQs and specialist NPQs - see the individual pages for a breakdown of each one to find the one suitable for you. Astra TSH delivers the NPQs with Best Practice Network.

Please apply by the deadline of 29 September  with the NPQ Lead Provider for the Autumn 2024 cohort. Details of how to apply are at the bottom of this page.

Scholarship Funding Eligibility

For the Autumn 2024 cohort there has been a change to DfE funding and scholarships are limited to a number of funded spaces nationwide:

• All maintained schools in England are eligible for limited scholarships for: NPQ for SENCOs, NPQH, NPQLPM and EHCO

• Only the top 50% of maintained schools in England with the highest % of pupil premium enrolments and 16 to 19 educational settings identified as having high disadvantage are eligible for limited scholarships for: NPQLT, NPQLBC, NPQLTD, NPQLL, NPQEYL, NPQSL, NPQEL

• For the NPQEYL, highly disadvantaged early years settings will also be eligible.

DfE Scholarship Funding

*These NPQs are only available to eligible schools as per the eligibility guidance above the table.

**Any school can apply for DfE scholarship funding for these selected NPQs.

Numbers for each programme are limited though. If an applicant is unsuccessful in securing scholarship funding, the below alternative funding routes will be offered, therefore applications should be given careful consideration by Headteachers in light of the fact that scholarship funding is not guaranteed. 

There is a handy tool to check if your school is eligible for funding.  Please check on the link below

https://www.bestpracticenet.co.uk/npq-scholarship-checker

Apprenticeship Levy 

Some NPQ providers offer apprentice level NPQs. Completing an NPQ through the apprenticeship route has different expectations and demands. Further information on how the Leadership NPQ programmes differ on the apprenticeship route can be found at this link: https://www.bestpracticenet.co.uk/leader-apprenticeship-NPQ Maintained schools wanting to use the Apprenticeship Levy funds must make a claim to Buckinghamshire Council using the form on their schools web page https://schoolsweb.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/hr-zone/apprenticeships/. The Council will approve the claim amount and confirm the school can go ahead and contract with the NPQ training provider.

Please note, when applying for one of the Leaders Apprenticeships please select Astra TSH in the partner drop-down when prompted to do so on your application. 

School Funded 

Schools can pay for an NPQ directly themselves. The cost of the programme is payable in instalments. The total cost for an NPQ is:

How to apply for an NPQ (all excluding LPM)

How to apply for an NPQ in Leading Primary Maths