Funding: Updated scholarship eligibility criteria

As part of the government’s long-term education recovery plan, £184 million of new funding for NPQs was announced on 2 June 2021 to be spent over the course of this parliament. 

Teachers and leaders employed in state-funded schools, and state-funded organisations that offer 16-19 places, in England will be able to access a fully-funded NPQ from Autumn 2021, to support teachers and pupils following the disruption to learning faced as a result of COVID-19.

Previously, NPQ scholarship funding was limited to the National Professional Qualification for Leading Teacher Development (NPQLTD) and the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) for headteachers in the role for less than two years, unless the school was in the top 30th percentile for the Pupil Premium. Now, all NPQ programmes attract scholarship funding for state-funded schools and colleges.

Applications for November 2021 cohorts have been extended to Sunday 17th October 2021. Applications for February 2022 cohorts are now being accepted. We have limited capacity for November starts. New/recent applicants may be asked to join February 2022 cohorts.

The DfE will apply new eligibility criteria to all new registrations on their online service from 12th October, and retrospectively to registrations submitted before this change of criteria. The DfE will email all participants who have become eligible for funding under the new criteria to inform them that they are now eligible for DfE NPQ scholarship funding. The DfE will inform them that DfE have automatically updated their funding status, that their provider will be informed of this change, and that they do not need to take any further action. These communications will be sent throughout the day on Tuesday 12 October. If you have any enquiries  about the change in funding status, please contact the DfE helpdesk: continuing-professional-development@digital.education.gov.uk.

 

Access to funding remains conditional on successful validation of participants’ registration information against Teaching Regulation Agency records, so you must ensure that the information supplied to your NPQ provider matches your teacher record. You can check and update your record via the Teaching Regulation Agency’ Teacher Self-Service Portal. 

If you are not eligible for scholarship funding, you can still undertake an NPQ and should contact your local teaching school hub (Bradford Teaching School Hub: tshub@exceedacademiestrust.co.uk). 

Download the DfE leaflet here.

Additional support offer for the NPQ in Headship (see www.teachingschoolhub.co.uk/npqh)

Alongside the reformed suite of NPQs, the department is introducing an additional support offer for new headteachers from autumn 2021. This is a targeted support package for teachers new to the role of headship. The additional support offer is available to those who meet the following criteria: 

• have completed an NPQH 
• are studying for an NPQH 
• are about to start an NPQH

Full scholarship funding for the additional support offer, meaning no cost to the participant, is available for those who meet the following criteria: 

• work in a state-funded school or state-funded organisation that offer 16-19 places in England upon starting the training 
• are in their first 24 months of headship 
• have not withdrawn from the additional support programme previously 

The additional support offer provides structured, unassessed face-to-face support based on the best available evidence about what makes an effective headteacher. The way in which the additional support offer is delivered may vary between providers, but could include a combination of group coaching, one-to-one support discussions and peer network support. You can contact your local teaching school hub, lead provider or other delivery partner to find out more. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. Which NPQs are fully funded? 

Each qualification in the updated suite will be fully funded if the applicant meets the eligibility criteria outlined below. 

2. Who is eligible for funding?  

Teachers and leaders employed in state-funded schools and state-funded organisations that offer 16-19 places in England will be able to access a fully funded NPQ from Autumn 2021, to support teachers and pupils following the disruption to learning faced as a result of COVID-19. 

Applicants who are not eligible for scholarship funding, will still be able to undertake an NPQ and should contact their local teaching school hub (Bradford Teaching School Hub: tshub@exceedacademiestrust.co.uk) directly.

3. I have already registered to self-fund for an NPQ starting in November and am now eligible for funding, what happens?

For participants who have already registered for an NPQ on the DfE system, and are currently self-funding, there will be an automatic check against the new funding criteria.  Where participants become eligible under the new criteria, funding status will be updated automatically and an email will be sent to inform participants they are now eligible for DfE NPQ scholarship funding. The relevant provider will be informed of this change, and those participants do not need to take any further action. These communications will be sent throughout the day on Tuesday 12 October. 

4. Who are the NPQs for?

The specialist and leadership NPQs provide training and support for teachers and school leaders at all levels, from those who want to develop expertise in high-quality teaching practice, such as behaviour management, to those leading multiple schools across trusts. 

They are part of a wider set of teacher development reforms which together will create a ‘golden thread’ of high-quality evidence underpinning the support, training and development available through the entirety of a teacher’s career. 

NPQs have been designed with teachers and leaders in mind using the latest evidence and can be completed flexibly around existing commitments. 

NPQ in Leading Teacher Development (NPQLTD) (see www.teachingschoolhub.co.uk/npqltd)

The NPQLTD is available for teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading the development of other teachers in their school. This may be responsible for the development of all teachers across a school or specifically trainees or ECTs.  

The aim of the NPQLTD is to provide teachers with essential knowledge, skills and concepts that underpin successful leadership of teacher development. 

Following completion of the NPQLTD, participants will have covered the four areas:  

• Teaching 
• Designing Effective Professional Development 
• Delivering Effective Professional Development 
• Implementation 

Read the full Leading Teacher Development framework here. 

NPQ in Leading Behaviour and Culture (see www.teachingschoolhub.co.uk/nplbc)

The NPQLBC is available for teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading behaviour and/or supporting pupil wellbeing in their school. 

The aim of the NPQLBC is to provide evidence which underpins successful leadership of behaviour and culture and provides participants with an understanding of how to put new approaches into practice.  

Following completion of the NPQLBC, participants will have covered the following six areas: 

• Teaching 
• School Culture 
• Enabling Conditions for Good Behaviour 
• Complex Behavioural Needs 
• Professional Development 
• Implementation 

Read the full Leading Behaviour and Culture framework here. 

NPQ in Leading Teaching (see www.teachingschoolhub.co.uk/npqlt)

The NPQLT is available for teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading teaching in a subject, year group, key stage or phase. 

The aim of the NPQLT is to provide the participant with expertise and approaches that, through working with their colleagues, enable their school to keep improving, and contribute to a culture in which staff and pupils are all able to thrive.  

Following completion of the NPQLT, participants will have covered the following nine areas: 

• Teaching 
• School Culture 
• How Pupils Learn 
• Subject and Curriculum 
• Classroom Practice 
• Adaptive Teaching 
• Assessment 
• Professional Development 
• Implementation 

Read the full Leading Teaching framework here. 

NPQ in Senior Leadership (see www.teachingschoolhub.co.uk/npqsl)

The NPQSL is available for teachers who are, or are aspiring to be, a senior leader with cross-school responsibilities. 

The aim of the NPQSL is to enable participants to develop the relevant expertise and provide approaches to enable continuous improvement across the school.  

Following completion of the NPQSL, participants will have covered the following ten areas: 

• School Culture 
• Teaching 
• Curriculum and Assessment 
• Behaviour 
• Additional and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities 
• Professional Development 
• Organisation Management 
• Implementation 
• Working in Partnership 
• Governance and Accountability 

Read the full Senior Leadership framework here. 

NPQ in Headship (see www.teachingschoolhub.co.uk/npqh)

The NPQH is available for those who are, or are aspiring to be, a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school; or for those who are a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school and are in the first 24 months of headship. 

The aim of the NPQH is to enable participants to gain an understanding of the expertise and approaches required to set an ambitious vision for their school, as well as learning how to establish a culture where staff and pupils can thrive. 

Following completion of the NPQSL, participants will have covered the following ten areas: 

• School Culture 
• Teaching 
• Curriculum and Assessment 
• Behaviour 
• Additional and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities 
• Professional Development 
• Organisational Management 
• Implementation 
• Working in Partnership 
• Governance and Accountability 

Read the full Headship framework here. 

Additional support offer for the NPQ in Headship (see www.teachingschoolhub.co.uk/npqh)

In addition to the reformed suite of NPQs, the department is introducing an additional support offer for new headteachers from autumn 2021. This is a targeted support package for teachers new to the role of headship. 

You are eligible for this targeted support package if you meet the following criteria: 

• are in your first 24 months of headship 
• work in a state-funded school in England upon starting the training 
• have either completed an NPQH before taking up your first headship post or are currently taking the NPQH 
• have not withdrawn from the additional support programme previously 

The offer provides structured, unassessed face-to-face support based on the best available evidence about what makes an effective headteacher. While the exact content of this support will depend on the provider chosen, activities could include a combination of group coaching, one-to-one support discussions and peer network support. 

NPQ in Executive Leadership (see www.teachingschoolhub.co.uk/npqel) 

The NPQEL is available for those who are, or are aspiring to be, and executive headteacher or have a school trust CEO role with responsibility for leading several schools.  

The aim of the NPQEL is to develop flexible expertise than participants can use to respond to challenges in a range of contexts, as well as being able to identify and address persistent and common school leadership challenges.

Following completion of the NPQSL, participants will have covered the following ten areas: 

• Trust Culture 
• Teaching 
• Curriculum and Assessment 
• Behaviour 
• Additional and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities 
• Professional Development 
• Organisation Management 
• Implementation 
• Working in Partnership 
• Governance and Accountability 

Read the full Executive Leadership framework here.