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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.

Funding is targeted at the most deprived areas, by focusing on the top 30th percentile of schools in relation to pupils on pupil premium.  Teachers and leaders from these schools will be able to access a fully funded NPQ.

These schools will benefit most from this funding, not only because they face greater challenges around recruitment and retention, but also because disadvantaged pupils have been most severely affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) disruption to learning.

Pupil numbers and pupil premium allocations as with the 2021 to 2022 publication are linked to an extract from Get Information about Schools to determine which schools are open and what percentage of the pupils in the school are eligible for pupil premium. The schools are then ranked by the percentage of pupils with pupil premium allocations, the top 30th percentile of schools are eligible for the scholarship (that is those with the highest proportions of disadvantaged pupils).  Eligibility for pupils aged 16 to 19 years will be determined separately as pupil premium allocations are not given for this group.

For information concerning which schools are eligible for the scholarship, please see our NPQ scholarship funding eligibility list

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-professional-qualifications-npqs-reforms/national-professional-qualifications-npqs-reforms

 

NPQ in Leading Teacher Development (NPQLTD)

Full scholarship funding, with no cost to the participant, for the NPQ in Leading Teacher Development is available to all teachers who meet the following criteria:

  • have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading the development of other teachers in their school
  • work in a state-funded school in England

NPQ in Leading Behaviour and Culture (NPQLBC)

Full scholarship funding, with no cost to the participant, for the NPQ in Leading Behaviour and Culture is available to all teachers who meet the following criteria:

  • have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading behaviour and/or supporting pupil wellbeing in their school
  • work in a state-funded school in England that is within the top 30th percentile in relation to pupils on pupil premium as of the end of the previous academic year

NPQ in Leading Teaching (NPQLT)

Full scholarship funding, with no cost to the participant, for the NPQ in Leading Teaching is available to all teachers who meet the following criteria:

  • have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading teaching in a subject, year group, key stage or phase
  • work in a state-funded school in England that is within the top 30th percentile in relation to pupils on pupil premium as of the end of the previous academic year

NPQ in Senior Leadership (NPQSL)

Full scholarship funding, with no cost to the participant, for the NPQ in Senior Leadership is available to those who meet the following criteria:

  • are, or are aspiring to be, a senior leader with cross-school responsibilities
  • work in a state-funded school in England that is within the top 30th percentile in relation to pupils on Pupil Premium as of the end of the previous academic year

NPQ in Headship (NPQH)

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 in England that is within the top 30th percentile in relation to pupils on Pupil Premium as of the end of the previous academic year

OR:

  • are a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school
  • are in the first 24 months of headship
  • work in a state-funded school in England

Additional support offer for the NPQ in Headship

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 (NPQEL)

Full scholarship funding, with no cost to the participant, for the NPQ in Executive Leadership is available to those who meet the following criteria:

  • are, or are aspiring to be, an executive headteacher or have a school trust CEO role with responsibility for leading several schools
  • work in a state-funded school in England that is within the top 30th percentile in relation to pupils on pupil premium as of the end of the previous academic year

Eligibility criteria

Funding is targeted at the most deprived areas, by focusing on the top 30th percentile of schools in relation to pupils on pupil premium. Teachers and leaders from these schools will be able to access a fully funded NPQ.

These schools will benefit most from this funding, not only because they face greater challenges around recruitment and retention, but also because disadvantaged pupils have been most severely affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) disruption to learning.

Pupil numbers and pupil premium allocations as with the 2021 to 2022 publication are linked to an extract from Get Information about Schools to determine which schools are open and what percentage of the pupils in the school are eligible for pupil premium. The schools are then ranked by the percentage of pupils with pupil premium allocations, the top 30th percentile of schools are eligible for the scholarship (that is those with the highest proportions of disadvantaged pupils). Eligibility for pupils aged 16 to 19 years will be determined separately as pupil premium allocations are not given for this group.

For information concerning which schools are eligible for the scholarship, please see our NPQ scholarship funding eligibility list.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-professional-qualifications-npqs-reforms/national-professional-qualifications-npqs-reforms