Why Do An NPQ?

Hear from Toby - who recently studied NPQSL - on what his NPQ journey has done for him and his school. 

"I whole-heartedly recommend you undertake your NPQ as the next step into leadership.... you won't regret it!"

• Improve your teaching practice: Nobody enters the teaching profession to be mediocre, every teacher wants to be the best they can be.   NPQs are accredited qualifications that can help you develop your teaching practice by building your expertise and honing your pedagogy through new, evidence-informed strategies, enhancing your opportunity to have a direct and positive impact on the attainment of the pupils in your classroom, year group, phase and/or school. 
• Improved effectiveness and efficiency of practice will give you the opportunity to attend more to what matters: pupil attainment, school culture and your work-life balance.
• Take advantage of this funded professional development in the knowledge that your line manager, senior leadership team or headteacher have committed to supporting you through it. The well-thought-through, accredited NPQs take the guesswork out of each qualification with practical advice, a well-structured framework and a network of fellow educators with whom you can liaise and tackle work-related situations.  
• Use the accredited and prestigious NPQs as a foothold onto the next step in your career - having expert knowledge makes you a good candidate for more senior positions at your school and beyond.
• Specialist leadership roles support you towards the mastery of relevant expertise and gives you the knowledge and tools to develop others and extend your influence beyond your on classroom.
• Leadership NPQs will guide you through learning, which examines 3 layers of influence: school culture; the organisational conditions which bring this culture to life; and how these conditions can promote excellent teaching across the school.  

• Excellent teaching practice produces improved results for your school.  A report (2020) published by the Wellcome Trust, found that high-quality professional development for teachers had a significant impact on pupil attainment. 
• Empowered leaders and aspiring leaders create conditions for change and mean that evidence-informed teaching and leading can be embedded, whether that be in the classroom, department, school or trust.
• NPQs are fully funded for state schools (check criteria) and therefore are a cost-effective way of providing accredited professional development to bring the right expertise to improve pupil attainment in your school. (See our NPQ Sponsor's Guide for more information). 
• In addition to the fully funded NPQ, from autumn 2022,  state-funded schools and state-funded 16 to 19 educational settings in England with one to 600 pupils will be paid £200 for each teacher or leader they employ who takes an NPQ. (See details:   https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/targeted-support-funding-for-national-professional-qualifications)

• Every pupil deserves every teacher and leader to be the best they can be. Pupils benefit from up-to-date, evidence-informed teaching and learning strategies that meet their needs and have a positive impact on their attainment. A report (2020) published by the Wellcome Trust, found that high-quality professional development for teachers had a significant impact on pupil attainment. 

• Teachers are the foundation of the education system, there are no great schools without great teachers. At the heart of great teaching and great school leadership is a shared evidence-informed understanding of what works.   Well-informed and well-equipped teachers are positive advocates for the profession, are more resilient to change and can positively influence and support those new to the profession.