NPQ

The Alliance of Leading Learning (ALL) offers National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) across Shropshire and Telford.

Participants receive professional learning facilitated by high quality facilitators and supported by an administration team throughout the programme.

NPQs are designed to develop specialist and leadership skills within teams, support whole school improvement initiatives, and provide pathways to enhanced work-based practice and positive outcomes for children and young people.

“The course is enabling me to understand how projects, changes and training should be implemented. With this knowledge I have been able to assess the training that our school is providing … and the course is helping me to hone my knowledge and become more confident. I value what the course is teaching me… not just for delivering CPD or projects.” Participant on NPQLTD 2023

To find further information on programmes, please click HERE.

Don't miss the opportunity to enhance yourself or your team and APPLY NOW - the November cohort is the only cohort for 2025-2026 academic year.

NPQs is available for teachers and leaders in Shropshire and Telford who want to develop their knowledge and skills in specialist areas of teaching practice.

Whether embarking on your first NPQ and you are ready for your next steps, there is an NPQ for you.

Specialist NPQs run for 12 months and Leadership NPQs run for 18 months. Both have formative assessments throughout, followed by a summative assessment at the end.

Scroll down to learn more about both Specialist NPQs and Leadership NPQs.

 

Specialist NPQs are delivered in partnership with LLSE, an outstanding Lead Provider of National Professional Qualifications for School Leadership.

NPQ Leading Teaching

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

Learn more about it, and apply HERE

NPQ Leading Behaviour and Culture

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

Learn more about it, and apply HERE

NPQ Leading Primary Mathematics 

The NPQLPM is for school leaders and teachers who often directly lead a team, to support the effective teaching of mathematics.

Learn more about it, and apply HERE

NPQ Leading Literacy

The NPQLL is for teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading literacy across a school, year group, key stage or phase.

Learn more about it, and apply HERE

NPQ for SENCOs

The NPQSENCO has proven to equip SENCOS, Headteachers and Senior Leaders in becoming experts in special educational needs coordination and discovering how to cultivate an inclusive culture, ensuring all pupils can thrive.

The NPQ SENCO remains fully funded for the 2025-26 academic year for all eligible staff in state-funded schools and academies in England.

To find out more and to apply, click HERE

NPQ Headship

THE NPQH is for school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school.

We truly invest in the pivotal role of headship. Our NPQH is delivered in a central 5* hotel and has 100% positive feedback as our participants are individuals to us and we share the success in their leadership journey.

The NPQH remains fully funded for the 2025-26 academic year for all eligible staff in state-funded schools and academies in England.

To find out more and to apply, click HERE

NPQ Senior Leadership

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

The hugely popular NPQSL enables participants to develop the relevant expertise and provide approaches to enable continuous improvement across the school.

To find out more and to apply, click HERE

NPQ Early Years Leadership

There is a real drive to improve the quality of education that children receive in early years settings, childminders and reception classes.

To do this the government are investing in training and qualifications to raise the skill levels of the workforce, and increasing understanding of high-quality practice, providing more access to proven, evidence-based early years programme.

Funding is available for eligible settings, scroll down for more information on Funding.

To find out more and to apply, click HERE

NPQ Executive Leadership

The NPQEL is for school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, an 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 that 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.

To find out more and to apply, click HERE

Scholarship funding

As of 24 July 2025, the Department for Education has confirmed the updated scholarship criteria:

NPQH and NPQ for SENCOs

These two qualifications remain fully funded for all eligible staff in state-funded schools and academies in England.

Funding eligibility for all other NPQs

To be eligible for a funded place, participants must work in a:

• State-funded school or academy in England
• School in the top 50% nationally with the highest levels of pupil premium
• Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) schools

Eligible applicants can access full funding for:

• NPQ Leading Teaching
• NPQ Leading Literacy
• NPQ Leading Primary Mathematics
• NPQ Leading Behaviour and Culture
• NPQ Senior Leadership
• NPQ Executive Leadership

A full list of eligible settings and scholarship guidance is available HERE

Funding for NPQEYL

For a list of fully funded settings for NPQEYL in Shropshire & Telford, click HERE

For the full DfE list of fully funded settings for NPQEYL, click HERE

To make an informed choice you need to ask:

• Is this led by an established current licence provider with a tangible record of success both nationally and internationally?
• Is this supported by the robust infrastructure of the new Teaching School Hub for Shropshire and Telford?
• Are the facilitators delivering the programme exemplary school leaders who are highly skilled and quality assured in the advanced facilitation competencies?
• Do they work with an extended partnership beyond the school network to ensure the training is world class?
• Will they provide a credible professional learning journey beyond the NPQ through a range of programmes available at every level?
• Will they deliver cutting edge leadership programmes underpinned by national and international research?
• Will they provide value for money and invest in quality face to face training, on line support and additional support sessions?
• Have they got evidence of real impact back in the workplace?   
• Do they invest in the learning experience of the individual through flexible opportunities to access training locally, with the NPQH and NPQEL being delivered through quality hotel residentials?
• Do they have an excellent reputation for customer care and treat you as an individual –supporting and tracking your progress and offering support and guidance when needed?
• Does feedback bear testament to a high quality professional learning experience and one that past and present participants  would recommend to a professional colleague.

At the “Alliance of Leading Learning” we are confident the answer to these questions is a resounding “YES”!

Still not sure?

• We bring you local delivery by exemplary local leaders
• We have a highly experienced expert facilitation team who bring the content to life through engaging face-to-face delivery
• Our delivery is monitored by Quality assurance processes ensuring that participants receive excellent support and guidance
• We have a dedicated team who are on hand to respond to phone calls and emails

Don’t take our word for it…

Here is what participants say about the impact these programmes are having:

NPQLBC – ‘I have seen a remarkable improvement in behaviour throughout year 11. They have been more compliant and more focused on work. I have led the tutors and staff in supporting students into the exam period. We have received good feedback from students and parents/carers

NPQLTD – ‘I believe that I have grown as a leader in terms of confidence and self-efficacy. My knowledge of science of learning has enabled me to voice the rationale behind my strategy confidently to my department, who seem to be very positive about the implementation of retrieval practice.’

Delivery in Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin

NPQLT/ NPQLBC / NPQLL / NPQEYL / NPQSL programmes will be delivered locally in Shropshire and Telford with sessions being no further than an hour from your school.  We may expand delivery subject to demand.

The NPQH and NPQEL will continue to be delivered centrally as residentials at a quality 4 – star hotel in Nantwich – with easy access from both the M6 and Crewe station.

Whole Trust NPQ Delivery

The Alliance of Leading Learning is proud to have been working with the Empower Multi-Academy Trust to roll out a Trust-wide NPQ programme.

In February 2024, 101 members of staff from the Trust’s 8 schools, which are in the Shrewsbury and Whitchurch area of Shropshire, joined two cohorts of the NPQLT.

Find out more about this here:  Whole Trust NPQ Delivery - Alliance of Leading Learning

A new cohort will launch in November 2025.

APPLY NOW to be first in the line for scholarship funding.

Please note there will only be ONE intake for NPQs in 2025 / 2026.

Start your application now and don’t miss this opportunity, whether for yourself or a member of your team!

APPLY FOR AN NPQ TODAY:

STEP 1 – LLSE application – choose ALL as your provider

STEP 2 – DfE application – choose LLSE as your provider

FOR NPQSENCO APPLICATIONS:

STEP 1 – Best Practice Network Application – Choose STEP TSH as your provider

STEP 2 – DfE application – choose Best Practice Network as your provider