npqsl application personal statement examples

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• NPQ applications – What does a strong response look like?

NPQ applications – What does a strong response look like?

When applying to one of the NPQ courses you will need to demonstrate your programme readiness and explain your motivations. We appreciate that it can be challenging to pinpoint this within 400 words and would like to share with you the elements that could be included in a strong response.

Programme readiness :

Please provide a specific, recent example to show how you are ready for the next step in school leadership.

Within your answer please consider:

• How this example demonstrates your readiness to take the next step in school leadership
• What skills you will focus on developing

A strong response will cover:

• A specific and detailed example of why you are ready for the next step in leadership or if in post, clear reasons for what skills you want to improve in your current leadership role.
• Clear links to how you want to use the NPQ to improve your practice and expand your personal impact to improve outcomes for children.
• Examples of specific skills you’d like to develop.
• Demonstrate your commitment to professional development; reflecting on the timing of the programme in relation to your progression; and recognises that the programme will accelerate your impact and address gaps in your knowledge.

Curriculum choice:

Throughout the programme, you will develop knowledge and skills in leadership to enable all pupils to succeed. You can see more information on these in the NPQ curriculum frameworks. From the list below, please choose one area you consider most important for you to develop in your role and explain how this will impact on pupils and staff at your school.

• Teaching and learning (including curriculum and assessment)
• Developing others
• Behaviour and SEND
• School and trust culture
• Organisational management and leadership
• Detailed reasons why you would like to develop one of the areas and how it will impact on pupils and staff at your school.
• A reflection about your professional development and how your chosen area will develop your leadership.
• Explore in-depth, detail how you are eager to develop an area and how you will be able to translate this learning at school to instigate positive change, explaining the practical impact you envision your completion of the programme will have on pupils and staff at your school.

Understanding and motivation :

Why would you like to complete the NPQ programme with Teach First? Please include details of how you will ensure you are able to fulfil the commitments of the programme as outlined in the form introduction. Within your answer, please consider:

• Your understanding of the structure of the programme.
• How taking part in the programme will impact on your development and progress.
• The impact that you would hope to have on the Teach First vision.
• Detail why you would like to complete a Teach First NPQ, showing a detailed understanding of what is included in the structure of the programme and how you would use this professional development opportunity to improve your practice and expand your personal impact to improve outcomes for children.
• Specific examples of which stages of the NPQ programme they are interested in and ambitions to develop and progress their career in education.
• How you are committed to staying in education.
• Willingness to share good practice with others in the profession.
• How you can impact on educational inequity (which links to the Teach First vision).

Apply here! We look forward to reviewing your application

If you would like to discuss your application further or your suitability for one of the NPQ courses, it would be a pleasure to assist. Please email Louise Crookshank at [email protected].

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IOE - Faculty of Education and Society

NPQSL: National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership

For school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a senior leader with cross-school responsibilities.

Autumn cohort 2024

Pre-register

About the programme

Why join ucl, what will you learn, what are the benefits for you, what are the benefits for your school, is this programme for me, how long will it take, when will it start and how much will it cost, are scholarships available for this programme, programme route map, how to apply, what do participants say.

The UCL Centre for Educational Leadership looks forward to working with you on their newly designed NPQ supporting you to deepen your knowledge of Senior Leadership within a collaborative and open learning environment.

Based on the latest research and evidence this new programme will enable you to take your new learning and develop your skills and put them into practice.

Our programmes put you and your school at the heart of the programme through a professional learning group approach that helps you to share your thinking and understanding within a well-planned framework. You will experience a blended approach of face to face, self-directed study materials and in school support to enable you to progress professionally and develop networks to enhance your career.

• School Culture - you will strengthen your school culture through contributing to its strategic direction, managing resources and fulfilling the statutory duties to enable all pupils and teachers to thrive and succeed.
• Teaching - you will learn how to lead teachers at all levels in your school to develop their pedagogical knowledge and classroom skills to enable the best outcomes for all children and young people no matter what their starting point is.
• Curriculum and Assessment - you will learn how to support and improve high quality teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring high level support, planning and policy development for the teachers in your school. 
• Behaviour and Support - you will be able to contribute and implement the development of good models of behaviour and learning across the whole school community including liaising with and training key stakeholders to ensure a safe learning environment for all.
• Implementation - you will learn how to implement change successfully within your context by understanding the stages of implementation and applying them with the support of your facilitators and colleagues.

Our participants have noted many benefits to studying for an NPQSL. Overall, they outline how the programme has given them professional confidence, time and space to reflect on themselves and the kind of leader they want to become and increased knowledge in their chosen area of study. 

You will be able to:

• Develop the skills, confidence and knowledge to implement new professional development initiatives successfully through a supported implementation project.
• Understand what level your skill set is at and recognise what this means for your career path.
• Develop your own leadership persona to become more visible to colleagues.
• Increase your understanding of your school’s structures and how they impact on the school’s learning environment.
• Recognise that change must go through stages and sub-stages and that it must be planned effectively at the outset.
• Access research and materials and have many opportunities to discuss a variety of professional development approaches and models with other teachers.

We know that our children and young people need teachers who are committed to their education and are confident learners themselves. Our programmes have been developed with teachers and leaders to:

• Create professionally confident teachers and leaders.
• Grow the next generation of leaders with the skills and knowledge to use the evidence-base for the benefit of their children and young people.
• Retain the best teachers who are excellent, collaborative role models for their schools and communities.
• Inspire leaders who are able to harness the power of rich learning environments for their children and young people no matter the current circumstances.

Yes, if you are responsible for leading across a school on whole school improvement or if you aspire to senior leadership.

18 months followed by an 8 day open book summative case study task.

Audit before start of the programme

Total hours in year one/two: 2 hours.

Online induction conference at the beginning of year one

Total hours in year one/two: 4 hours.

Face to face events – terms two, three and four

Total hours in year one/two: 15 hours.

Self-directed learning, learning journal and implementation project

Every term year one/two: 13 hours per term (minimum). Total hours in year one/two: 39 hours.

Online learning community: discussion session

Every term year one/two: 1 hour each term (minimum). Total hours in year one/two: 3 hours.

Peer learning group

Every term year one/two: 2 hours each term. Total hours in year one/two: 8 hours.

Line manager sessions

Every term year one/two: Termly 1 hour meeting. Total hours in year one/two: 4 hours.

Total programme hours

Total hours in year one/two: 75 hours.

The programme will start in October 2024. There will be an induction conference taking place in November 2024, which will be confirmed during the application process. Participants are required to attend the conference.

The cost is £1055 for those in independent schools. British International Schools, please contact your preferred International Delivery Partner.

Funding to cover the course fees for this NPQ is available for teachers and school leaders in many state-funded settings in England. You can find out how to check the eligibility of your workplace for autumn 2024 when the DFE registration opens later this year.

Watch online programme information webinars  

Induction Conference 2hrs – February/March

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend Learning Audit: 30 mins – February

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend Online Self-directed Study: 8hrs – February/July 

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event Peer Learning Group 1: 2hrs – March

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event Face to face Event 1: 5hrs – June 

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend Formative Assessment Tasks: 1hr – June/July

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event Line Manager / Mentor Check-in: 1hr – July

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend End of Module Evaluation: 15 mins – July

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend Programme Impact Report*: 15 mins – July

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend Learning Audit: 30 mins – July

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend Online Self-directed Study: 8hrs – July/January

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event Peer Learning Group 2: 2hrs  – September/October 

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend Formative Assessment Tasks 1hr – December/January

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event Peer Learning Group 3: 2hrs  – December

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event Face to face Event 2: 5hrs – January

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event Line Manager / Mentor Check-in: 1hr – January

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend End of Module Evaluation: 15 mins – January

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend Learning Audit: 30 mins – January

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend Online Self-directed Study: 8hrs – January/July

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event Peer Learning Group 4: 2hrs – March

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event Face to face Event 3: 5hrs – April/May

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend Formative Assessment Tasks: 1hr – May/June

Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event Line Manager / Mentor Check-in 1hr – June

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend End of Module Evaluation 15 mins – July

Self-directed Study UCL eXtend Programme Impact Report* 15 mins – July

Ensure 90% engagement – August/September

Ensure Access to Assessment Platform – September

*Please note, Line Managers / Mentors will be asked to complete a short School Impact Report at the end of module 1 and 3 to gauge how engagement with the programme is supporting School / Improvement. This is separate from the Line Manager / Mentor Check-in which is more participant focused.

Runs over 18 months : Implementation Project: Work-based reflective learning, integrating research with practice and aligned to the EEF process model for school improvement (not assessed).

After 18 months : Final Summative Assessment (September 2025)

Although the DfE registration portal is currently displaying as open, it is only available to accommodate amendments to Spring’s 2024 registrations. It does not allow registrations for the Autumn 2024 cohort. The DfE portal will re-open in July; however, until then, please complete this short  pre-registration form  where you can register and secure your place for your preferred NPQ. Once the portal re-opens we will email you to advise you to register on the DfE portal.

“ I would highly recommend the NPQSL for anyone looking to make the transition from Middle to Senior Leadership. One of the key strengths of the programme was that it guided and gave me space (with excellent literature and skilled facilitators) to be reflective about the type of senior leader I wished to become. I now feel much more confident in 'sharing a vision' and 'implementing change'. As a result of the ‘Working in Partnership’ module I now have a greater understanding of the importance of developing relationships with stakeholders beyond the immediate school community. Investing in this programme at the start of anyone's senior leadership journey will not only help you to lead with impact and maybe avoid some of those new role pitfalls but will also mean that the staff and students you work with in your school community will flourish under your leadership." Participant

“ The UCL IOE NPQSL was a very important stage in my career development. The reading material was excellent and the workshop sessions were lively and provocative. The school project that I organised gave me enormous insight into successful leadership. Completing an NPQSL gave me the confidence to apply for and be offered a senior leadership post. Highly recommended." Participant

“ I took part in the NPQSL programme in 2016 and absolutely relished the experience. I benefited hugely from the opportunity to think, plan and reflect critically, intellectually and strategically on issues of leadership and management both independently and collegiately with other professionals with similar yet interestingly varied roles and responsibilities. The topics and material covered were well-pitched and appropriately challenging and facilitated engaging and useful discussions which enabled tangible ideas, suggestions and actions to be generated. The programme became a direct support and motivator to my daily experience as a senior leader acting as a clear catalyst in the impact of my work as much as my personal professional development. I would certainly recommend the programme as an effective way to develop and hone the necessary skills and qualities needed for successful senior leadership." Participant

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• Education, training and skills
• Teaching and leadership
• Teacher training and professional development
• School leadership
• National professional qualifications frameworks
• Department for Education

National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL): framework

Published 13 October 2020

© Crown copyright 2020

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-professional-qualifications-frameworks-from-september-2021/national-professional-qualification-for-senior-leadership-npqsl-framework

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National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL)

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• National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL) •

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For: Senior leaders or aspiring senior leaders

Course length: 18 months

Accreditation: NPQSL

Programme start date: October and February. 

The Expression of Interest form for an October 2024 start is available to complete under the 'Apply' tab.

Cost: NPQSL scholarship funding information October 2024 .

Brochure: Download  

We’re pleased to announce that we are partnering with education charity Ambition Institute to deliver the new NPQ for Senior Leadership. This 18-month programme helps participants to develop their leadership knowledge and expertise to improve outcomes for teachers and pupils in their schools.

Those doing the training will learn:

• How to enact positive change across their school
• Evidence-based knowledge taught by leadership experts
• At a time and pace that suits their existing timetable.

Benefits to your school:

• Learning backed by the latest evidence
• Create a leadership pipeline
• Attract and retain teaching staff.

The programme is delivered by our highly trained and skilled Visiting Fellows; teachers and leaders from our school-based delivery partners .

Why this programme? Ambition Institute’s new National Professional Qualification (NPQ) for Senior Leadership gives you the chance to learn evidence-based school leadership and put it into practice. It also gives you the opportunity to focus on specific leadership challenges in your school or trust.

This is one of six new and reformed NPQs that have been developed as a series. Each share the same common language and framework to help drive improvement across schools.

Ambition Institute knows that schools’ and trusts’ needs vary. So its programmes are designed with flexibility in mind and can be completed at a time that suits you best and fits in with your existing role. Through Steplab, the innovative personal development platform built for teachers, by teachers, you will have access to your modules and practice activities to help you get better faster.

Delivery model

The assessment window starts at the end of the 18-month programme and runs for three months. During this time, participants will be given an eight-day window to sit an ‘open book’ style assessment in which they respond to a short case study.

There are two assessment windows every year, and participants can sit the assessment two times, if they need to.

You need to complete the course to qualify for the NPQ accreditation.

Ambition Institute will offer a webinar and live clinic in advance of the assessment window to support participants.

NPQSL scholarship funding information for October 2024 .

This publication provides guidance from the Department for Education (DfE). It sets out the knowledge, skills and behaviours that will be developed by school leaders when they participate in the National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL).

To apply, you must be, or are aspiring to be, a senior leader with cross-school responsibilities. For example, you might be an assistant or deputy headteacher, or a head of department or faculty.

Please note:  any eligible participants who are withdrawn from a NPQ programme will not be eligible for funding for the same programme in the future. Only apply if you are 100% committed and confident that you can meet all the programme requirements.

Please complete the Expression of Interest form here if you wish to apply for the NPQSL:

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Teaching Leadership Personal Statement

Example Teaching Leadership Personal Statement

Like many people who are passionate about their career, I find that I work at my best when faced with a fresh and exciting challenge. Having spent almost twenty years as a primary school teacher, during which time I have held several positions of increasing responsibility, culminating in my current position of Assistant Headteacher, I am highly motivated to take on a position of greater leadership in a school that corresponds to my core teaching values of inclusion, openness and continually striving to improve its pupils’ learning experience.

Since attaining Qualified Teacher Status in 1994, I have been eager throughout my career to be as closely involved with continuing professional development initiatives as possible. In addition to gaining expertise in qualitative analysis of data and overseeing SEN initiatives through the different positions of responsibility that I have held, I also regularly participate in training programmes to develop my skillset. Recently, for example, I completed the Barnet’s Deputy Heads Course, and in the past have attended courses on subject leader and senior management training. Furthermore, in the leadership positions that I have held to date I have placed significant emphasis on encouraging staff to become more closely involved with CPD initiatives.

I have always prided myself on my commitment to teaching excellence, something which is corroborated by the high levels of positive feedback that I have received from assessments of my lessons. I have a very broad range of primary teaching experience. I have been involved in teaching children at all years within the primary range, and in the past have also held co-ordinator positions for numeracy, physical education and Key Stage Two. My lesson delivery is based on a pedagogical philosophy of taking a hands-on and enthusiastic approach to teaching and creating a learning environment that is characterized by empathy, mutual support and, above all, an inclusion of all pupils. Wherever possible I have sought both the feedback and input of colleagues to help to continually improve my own teaching skills, as well as enthusiastically share my own teaching techniques and experiences with my colleagues.

Over the course of my career I have been involved with monitoring pupils’ achievements with a view to improving pupil attainment levels. During my time at Sacred Heart RC Primary School I completed a Foundation Stage Profile on all of the children in my care. Doing so gave me an insight into how the collection of such data can be used to chart pupils’ progress and to set future targets, which in this case were based around the achievement of Early Learning goals. In my current position I have created an assessment tracking system that reflects the changing pupil population of our school. The system has produced highly satisfying results, with the average point progress of our pupils increasing to 3.5 APS.

I have always performed my teaching and leadership duties in a way that has placed emphasis on the latest educational developments. Whilst working as a numeracy co-ordinator, for example, I spearheaded training initiatives to bring my colleagues up to speed on the national numeracy strategy, and was involved in similar training initiatives whilst working as Key Stage 2 co-ordinator. My current role has been very much shaped by responding to the new budgetary demands under which all schools are now operating. This positionalso offered me a unique opportunity to reflect on all aspects of current primary educational needs in the form of the move that our school made in 2009 to a new building. The process of the move gave me a much greater appreciation of the overall impact of learning areas – not just classrooms, but communal and outside areas – on the wellbeing of the school’s children, and it was rewarding to be able to be involved in focusing on these matters with a view to ensuring the new premises offered an optimal learning environment.

Having spent my professional life so far working in primary schools within London, I am acutely sensitive to the need for primary schools to cut across the social and cultural diversity of the city to provide an inclusive educational experience for all pupils. In my classroom I have always sought to foster an open environment that embraces the rich breadth of my pupils’ backgrounds. As an Assistant Headteacher, I have been at the forefront of tracking initiatives that have ensured that the school can respond to the challenges of a changing pupil demographic. Above all, however, I have tried to maintain a positive dialogue with parents with the goal of ensuring that they understand the objectives of the school. This has included giving presentations to parents on matters such as sex education and safeguarding of pupils, this latter topic being within my remit of overseeing child protection at the school.

Seeking to encourage inclusion at my current school has also entailed making the effort to work with groups within the school that require special attention, such as EAL and SEN pupils. For example, I have become increasingly involved with the implementation of pupil progress meetings with the parents of SEN pupils to help focus on pupil attainment, an initiative that over the last three years has delivered excellent results for our SEN pupils. In my current role I have also spent a significant amount of time examining the links between the social background of pupils and their levels of attainment in the classroom, with the goal of ensuring that pupils are not left behind and are offered support when they need it. This is an aspect of school leadership that I think is essential, and I will be firmly committed to developing other such initiatives in my future professional roles.

Through my current role as Assistant Headteacher and in my past co-ordinator positions I have acquired considerable experience in staff leadership and in managing teams of staff. To me it is essential to include staff members in consultation processes and make as much use as possible of their personal insights when leading a team. Having risen through the different grades of responsibility, I am attuned to the expertise of middle-level leaders, and as a consequence I am always eager for middle leaders to be closely involved in initiatives that are aimed at improving the school’s performance. At the heart of my teaching and leadership style is a focus on excellent communication skills. I ensure that in communications with colleagues and parents, whether in spoken or written form, are clear, concise and sensitively written.

I have been involved in leading teams for specific, short-term projects such as school sports days, as well as more complex, longer-term challenges, such as leading preparations for an OFSTED inspection whilst working as acting Deputy Head. My current position at Parkfield Primary School has offered me several opportunities to make use of my leadership skills for the betterment of the school. Amongst other initiatives, I led the school away from the QCA framework and towards a more creative curriculum. This process was made possible through the positive relationships I had forged with colleagues, who were able to assist me in developing a curriculum that met the needs of our diverse community of pupils. More recently I oversaw the introduction of a new behavioural policy at the school, which was drawn up and implemented with the full collaboration of staff and pupils. Because of the close involvement of all stakeholders in this policy, we have found that the new code has been adopted efficiently and enthusiastically, with behavioural standards at the school increasing significantly as a result.

I have also taken a leading role in helping to mentor newly qualified teachers and student teachers, as I believe that a positive mentoring experience can have a crucial impact on the development of new teachers. My approach to date has been based on assessing the individual needs of each trainee, implementing a structured timetable of classroom observations and offering feedback sessions that are open and democratic, in which the students can express their perspectives on the training experience as well as receiving insights from experienced teachers.

Throughout my career I have taken special efforts to gain professional qualitative skills in order to be able to be able to correctly interpret data and therefore make informed management decisions. Whilst working at Sacred Heart, for example, I played a key role in making use of Early Years Foundation Stage data to create attainment profiles for Year 1 students. I have found that developing these data analysis skills has paid off as it has allowed me in my current position to make effective use of pupil data to help develop strategies for pupil inclusion based on the changing profiles of our pupil intake.

For me, the most satisfying aspect of my transition into an increasingly leadership-based role has been the opportunities that it has given me to help my schools become an integral part of their local community. Through being an Assistant Headteacher I have gained an overall appreciation of how, through elements such as its curriculum, its physical environment, its approach to the diverse needs of its pupils and the relations it maintains with parents, a primary school can – and should – provide a nurturing environment, in which pupils from all backgrounds feel included and able to take part in an enriching learning experience, and where local parents can feel confident about sending their children. This overall vision guides my current work, and will continue to do so as I seek new professional challenges.

We hope that this Teaching Leadership Personal Statement will be a good point of reference for those looking for help with writing their own statement.

To help with your application, please visit Personal Statement Service .

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National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership

Starts: October 2024

Duration: 18 Months

Time: 1.5 - 2.5hrs per week

Fees*: UK - £1130 +VAT

For school or college leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a senior leader with cross-school / college responsibilities. 

Is the NPQSL right for me?

This course is designed for school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a senior leader with cross-school responsibilities.    If you aren’t sure if this is the right NPQ for you look at the pages for the other courses or contact us for a personal chat via [email protected]  

What will I be studying?

The course is comprised of four modules. Each of the modules takes 12 weeks to complete. As part of each module, you will undertake some online study (approximately 2 hours per week of the 12 weeks), participate in two live interactive webinars (90 minutes each), and attend a face-to-face session (half day).     As part of the online learning, you will have the opportunity to engage with relevant research and evidence, learn how leaders in other schools carry out their role and participate in discussion forum activities with everyone else completing the same qualification as you. You will also complete a series of activities to build a personal online learning journal. This will record your progress, help you to reflect on the new knowledge, understanding and skill you are acquiring and act as a repository for all of the key information you don’t want to forget.     You will be expertly guided through your modules with support from your two facilitators and your in-school coach.    The key topics covered over the course of the four modules are:

• School / college culture
• Teaching 
• Curriculum and assessment 
• Additional and special educational needs and disabilities
• Professional development
• Organisational management 
• Implementation
• Working in partnership
• Governance and accountability

With each explored through the lens of the work of a senior leader.     Within each module there are opportunities for you to complete formative assessment activities which will enable you and your facilitator to reflect on and evaluate the progress you make whilst completing the qualification.  

How will I be assessed?

Formative assessment takes place throughout the programme, helping you to understand the progress you are making, and facilitators to adapt your learning experiences.  There are two overall criteria to achieving the qualification:

• Engagement with a minimum of 90% of the course 
• Successful completion of the summative assessment

Summative assessment takes the form of a 2500-word response to a case study, completed in a single 8-day window at the end of your programme. The assessment will give you the opportunity to demonstrate how you would deploy the knowledge, skills and understanding gained through the NPQ to lead and implement a specific aspect of change.  Further details on assessment.

How much does it cost?

£1130.

NPQs are currently fully funded by the DfE for teachers and leaders working in:

• State-funded schools,
• State-funded 16 to 19 organisations
• Independent special schools
• Virtual Schools (LA run organisations that support the education of children in care)
• Hospital schools (not already included in other categories of eligible organisations)
• Young Offender institutions

If you are an international applicant, please contact [email protected] for information on prices. 

In addition to the scholarship funding, this year there will be Targeted Support Funding available for small schools to enable them to support their teachers and leaders to undertake NPQs. State-funded schools and 16 to 19 education settings in England, that have between 1 and 600 pupils on roll, will be paid £200.00 for each teacher or leader they employ who undertakes an NPQ. Eligibility will be based on the roll numbers that were submitted in the January 2023 pupil census and updated on  GIAS  in July 2023. Further information can be found  here.  

What else do I need to know?

As with any professional development the more you put into the process of learning the more you will be able to take from it. This qualification requires commitment and time as well as a willingness to try new things, make mistakes and extend your knowledge, skill and understanding. We have designed the course with flexibility in mind and whilst you might complete the online elements of the course on your own and at a time which best suits you and your wellbeing, you will be part of both a local and national cohort of other teachers and leaders studying exactly as you are, we refer to this as your community of practice. You will gain most from the course by seizing each opportunity to engage with your community of practice – an enquiring mind is a must.

We recognise that each school and college, whilst similar to others will operate with its own unique culture, set of strengths and challenges, it is for this reason that we have engaged with practitioners across the country to provide contextualised case study input and allow you to see how the ideas covered in the course work in the real world. This means we welcome collaboration with you as the course participant to create new content for others to learn from, so, as you complete the course, if you think you have a case study within your own school or college, get in touch and let us celebrate what you and your colleagues are achieving.

In short we expect that participants are teachers and leaders who will be able to meet all of the following criteria:

• Active engagement in every aspect of the programme - face-to-face and online elements 
• A commitment to accurate, evidence-informed self-evaluation and reflection                       
• The ability to proactively arrange and participate in coaching sessions                                 
• A commitment to submit a 1,500-word assessment within 8 calendar days of it being set at the end of the programme   
• A commitment to thoughtfully engage with evaluations about their entire programme learning experience that will support our continued quality improvement 

The taught elements of your course will take place over a 18-month period. This will be followed by the completion of your summative assessment which must be submitted within an 8-day period following completion of your course. The whole of the assessment process including submission of your summative assessment, marking and moderation will take a total of 3 months. 

What do other teachers and leaders say about this course?

"Excellent (facilitation) and again thoroughly enriching."      "I have really developed my holistic and forensic understanding of the importance of implementation- it is not just about coming 'up' with a good idea. This includes planning, structuring the whole approach to a planned implementation."      "The videos on collaboration were very good. I have managed to have more meaningful conversations with both my coach and colleagues recently."      "I am better informed about evidence-based research to implement change and about managing change carefully."   "I have been able to take on a promotion within school as a senior leader which shows I am developing as a leader."   "I have been able to undertake school improvement as a result of conversations and developments throughout this course so far. This has enabled me to develop my skills and ideas, beyond a middle leadership level."   “I think that the resources are really valuable and have really made me reflect on how we initiate change and also re-think strategies that we currently use. I would have found it difficult to know where to start with some of these without this training.”    

How do I apply to start the course?

You can begin your application by selecting the NPQ Apply Now button. Applications are still open for the February 2024 cohorts.

Specialist BAME Ed cohort

From October 2023 we'll be launching a brand new cohort collaborating with BAME Ed and Wolverhampton University to support and champion diversity, equity and inclusion for leaders within education. The cohort will be bespoke and provide a safe space for BAME leaders to share experiences and discuss progression and development into Senior Leadership.

To apply simply click on the link below to complete the application.

In this section

*Free for majority of maintained schools in England.

Special Education and Inclusive Learning

NPQSL: Final Project

Completing the npqsl.

Updated June 2019: Following the completion of my NPQML (after 2 attempts) In April 2018 I began the National Professional Qualification for Senior Leaders (NPQSL) . I didn’t find the NPQSL activities or face to face days as engaging as the NPQML but the process overall was very similar.

During the NPQSL I only wrote one post whilst this whole blog was set up because of the ML. I did write a case study and a lot of posts are outcomes of the project I completed for the NPQSL. At Canterbury Christ Church University’s SNIPCC conference I presented part of the underlying research

A lot was re-covering aspects of leadership roles from the NPQML. One session that was particularly challenging was a grilling by a panel consisting of a headteacher, a finance guru and a governor on a fictional school improvement plan. This, as it turned out was good training for a recent  OFSTED inspection. People will find a hole in your plan and hammer you! I have since undertaken this exact task during a “ Goldfish Bowl ” task during an interview process so that was useful practice. I have had three interviews (1 successful fortunately) no one has asked about the NPQSL . It is listed on my CV so may have been a factor in selection for interview.

The Project

The focus of the NPQSL course is very much on your project, planning and driving it. The aim is to enhance your leadership in education and it does allow you to focus your efforts on a project that can have a real impact on your school.

After 18 months of working on the project, I completed and submitted it, and waited. I checked my email Friday night and there it was:

Dear Participant, Following your recent assessment, your result and feedback are now available. You can access your result and feedback on the EMLC website ( www.emlc.co.uk )

The outcome of this opening could ruin my weekend. I text my colleague to say the results were in and she said she was going to wait until the morning. As I like to live life on the edge with pounding heart and fuzzy vision (I’m only mildly over-dramatising this) I logged in to the NPQSL website.

No Blog Post would be complete without top tips so here are my top 11 tips for completing your NPQSL:

Top Ten Eleven Tips for Getting your NPQSL Completed.

• Have a clear aim to your NPQSL project.
• Adapt the Plan if needed.
• Reflect on mistakes.
• Don’t hold back on celebrating successes.
• Collaborate outside your school.
• Keep evidence as you go.
• Evidence of every impact, charts, emails, tables.
• Choose a good team to support your project and prove buy-in.
• Don’t shrink evidence below standard font.
• Your leadership drove the improvement. No modesty.
• Your sponsor comments are vital reinforcement.

As with any document proofreading is essential I use Grammarly . Its free and easy to use.

The Project Submission

I want to share my completed NPQSL project. Examples online are few and far between. I have had to redact some parts and evidence for obvious reasons and being a SEN provision my focus is unlikely to be the same but I hope the content and style should give you some pointers. All I ask is that you take the time to share Inclusiveteach.com with your colleagues. If you click the affiliate link below and buy anything from amazon it helps pay for hosting costs!

Download my Redacted Final NPQSL Project submission

Please share if you enjoyed this post.

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Headteacher (primary) application personal statement Successful

Subject: Pedagogy and professional development

Age range: 5-7

Resource type: Other

Last updated

18 May 2021

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2 A4 page personal statement for the role of headteacher. Successfully secured interview at first application.

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