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For school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school.
Autumn cohort 2024
Register for a national professional qualification (NPQ)
About the programme
- Why join UCL?
- What will you learn?
- What are the benefits to 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?
Why join UCL?
The UCL Centre for Educational Leadership looks forward to working with you on their newly designed NPQ supporting you to deepen your knowledge of Headship 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.
What will you learn?
- School Culture - you will establish and sustain an effective school culture by setting the strategic direction, managing human and financial resources and fulfilling all statutory duties to enable a sustainable and thriving school community.
- Teaching - you will learn how to establish and support effective teaching across your school to develop and embed your teacher’s 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 sustain high quality planning, teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring the implementation of effective and coherent policies. Appropriate and well-designed professional development for the teachers in your school will align with these priorities.
- Behaviour and Support - you will be able to establish and sustain high standards of behaviour and learning across the whole school community, including liaising with and training key stakeholders to ensure a safe, inclusive learning environment for all.
- Implementation - you will learn how to implement change successfully within your context by understanding the stages of implementation and aligning it with wider school improvement priorities.
What are the benefits to you?
Our participants have outlined many benefits to studying for an NPQH. 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.
- Challenge pre-conceived ideas.
- Understand how to develop a culture in a school and know how to model it as school.
- Strengthen and affirm your thinking and understanding of high-quality leadership approaches.
- Learn how to provide a framework that encourages a safe, sustainable learning culture for pupil progress.
- Access research and materials and have many opportunities to discuss a variety of professional development approaches and models with other teachers.
What are the benefits for your school?
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 can harness the power of rich learning environments for their children and young people no matter the current circumstances.
Is this programme for me?
Yes, if you aspire to leading a school as a head of school or headteacher.
How long will it take?
18 months followed by an 8 day open book summative case study task.
- Summary of programme and learning hours
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.
When will it start and how much will it cost?
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.
Scholarships may be available for this programme.
The programme fee is £1,885 for schools and participants in England required to pay for the programme. The same fee applies to independent schools in England.
British International Schools: please follow the links to your preferred International Delivery Partner for fee information.
Are scholarships available for this programme?
Full scholarship funding, with no cost to the participant, for the NPQ in Headship is available for those who meet the following criteria:
- Are, or are aspiring to be, a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school.
- Work in a state funded school and state funded organisations that offer 16-19 places in England.
Or
- Are a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school.
- Are in the first 2 academic years of headship.
- Work in a state funded school and state funded organisations that offer 16-19 places in England.
Programme route map
- NPQ Programme Induction (October 2024)
Watch online programme information webinars
Induction Conference 2hrs – November 2024
- Module 1 (October 2024 – March 2025)
Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Learning Audit: 30 mins – October 2024 / November 2024Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Online Self-directed Study: 8hrs – October 2025 / February 2025Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Peer Learning Group 1: 2hrs – November 2024 / December 2024Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Face to face Event 1: 5hrs – January 2025 / February 2025Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Formative Assessment Tasks: 1hr – January 2025Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
NPQ Mentor Check-in: 1hr – February 2025 / March 2025Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Learning Audit Review: 30 mins – March 2025Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
End of Module Evaluation: 15 mins – March 2025Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Programme Impact Report*: 15 mins – March 2025- Module 2 (March 2025 – October 2025)
Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Learning Audit: 30 mins – March 2025Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Online Self-directed Study: 8hrs – March 2025 / September 2025Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Peer Learning Group 2: 2hrs – March 2025Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Face to face Event 2: 5hrs – June 2025Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Formative Assessment Tasks 1hr – June 2025 / August 2025Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Peer Learning Group 3: 2hrs – September 2025Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
NPQ Mentor Check-in: 1hr – October 2025Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Learning Audit Review: 30 mins – October 2025Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
End of Module Evaluation: 15 mins – October 2025- Module 3* (October 2025 – March 2026)
Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Learning Audit: 30 mins – October 2025Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Online Self-directed Study: 8hrs – October 2025 / February 2026Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Face to face Event 3: 5hrs – November 2025 / December 2025Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
Peer Learning Group 4: 2hrs – January 2026Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Formative Assessment Tasks: 1hr – January 2026 / February 2026Facilitated Activity / 1 to 1 meeting / virtual or live event
NPQ Mentor Check-in 1hr – February 2026Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Learning Audit Review: 30 mins – February 2026Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
End of Module Evaluation February 2026Self-directed Study UCL eXtend
Programme Impact Report* February 2026- Final Assessment Preparation (March 2026)
Ensure 90% engagement – March 2026
Ensure Access to Assessment Platform – March 2026
*Please note, NPQ Mentors will be asked to complete a short School Impact Report at the end of module 2 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 (April 2026 / May 2026).
How to apply
To apply, please go to DfE NPQ Registration Service and choose UCL as your provider | Find out more about the application process.
What do participants say?
“My learning has led me to have more professional dialogues with senior leaders within the school. From my learning audits, I've had the chance to improve on the areas that needed addressing. This has been done through having the knowledge to put myself into more challenging/uncomfortable situations, professional development through my mentor meetings and supporting colleagues with my improved confidence/knowledge of the content in module 2."
Participant Autumn 2021
I have enjoyed the module on organisational management and enjoyed the exercise on risk management and considering the different scenarios outlined. "
Participant Spring 2022