Headteacher Apprenticeship with NPQH

Extend your leadership training and gain an extra qualification with the Headteacher Apprenticeship with NPQH.

Includes extra 1:1 coaching, additional content and support - all funded through the Apprenticeship Levy or Co-Investment.

As the NPQ scholarships have all been allocated, the Headteacher Programme is now the only way to secure full NPQH funding.

Headteacher Programme (Level 7 Apprenticeship with NPQH)

The Headteacher Programme has been designed for aspiring or recently appointed headteachers looking to improve their leadership capability. Participants complete the Level 7 revised Senior Leader apprenticeship standard and the DfE-accredited NPQH.

Completion of Level 7 Senior Leader apprenticeship standard

Full National Professional Qualification for Headship

Aligns with recognition by: Chartered Management Institute – Chartered Fellow, The Institute of Leadership and Management – Fellow

An experienced tutor guides you through both the apprenticeship and the National Professional Qualification (NPQ)

Aligned to Masters credits and can act as a springboard on to Liverpool Hope University’s MA in Leading in Education or the MBA in Educational Leadership

Apprenticeship Levy funding or co-investment from the ESFA

Candidates completing the dual award benefit from:

Increased awareness and understanding of self and of the behaviours needed to lead across a school
Opportunity to reflect on relevant research and pedagogy and leadership practice
Access to high-quality feedback and ongoing interaction with qualified performance coaches
The ability to make informed decisions and approach new challenges in an effective and efficient manner
The ability to review and evaluate practice in order to bring about change and get the best for young people and staff within the organisation
One-to-one support from a dedicated personal tutor including monthly check-ins online & in-person

Time set-aside from your working day to engage in learning
Entitlement to an NUS student discount card
Access to FranklinCovey resources

How is the programme delivered?

An apprenticeship focuses on the holistic development of the appropriate skills, knowledge and behaviours, designed in partnership with cross-sector industries, to ensure bespoke coverage of all the relevant requirements of leading and managing at a senior/headship level at your school, setting or trust.

Engaging with an apprenticeship is both a challenging and rewarding commitment that will fully prepare you for the demands and rewards of senior leadership. The image below outlines the components of the programme with the NPQ elements in blue and the apprenticeship elements in pink.

Learning Hours

To view the total learning hours of the Headteacher Apprenticeship with NPQH compared to the standalone NPQH, please view the image below:

How is NPQH Delivered?

NPQH makes use of a blended delivery model consisting of face-to-face events, online study, webinars and coaching.

NPQH participants will attend 5 face-to-face events via the blended delivery model. Our nationwide delivery partnership network allows us to bring face-to-face training to a training centre in your region and facilitated by experienced school leaders and facilitators.

Participants access online learning and support via our virtual learning environment (VLE) Canvas. Through Canvas, participants are able to engage with their learning communities of peers and access multimedia content. They can also access research and expert-led school practice aligned to the curriculum content for the qualification and receive high-quality feedback from experienced performance coaches.

Leaders Apprenticeship Webinar

On 8th December, 2021, our NPQ and Apprenticeships teams delivered a webinar consisting of a 30 minute presentation about the Leaders Apprenticeships followed by a Q&A session.

The presentation covered all aspects of a Leaders Apprenticeship including a look at the programme delivery structure, the role of the Apprenticeship Tutor and how to go about accessing Apprenticeship Levy funding. Please find a recording of the webinar below. The slides used during the presentation can be downloaded here .

Am I eligible?

The Headteacher Apprenticeship with NPQH Level 7 is suitable for school leaders who are, or are aspiring to be, a head teacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school.

Although some headteachers and principals still teach, the role is primarily a strategic and operational one and relies on working with and through their colleagues (in particular, through the leadership team) to ensure every pupil gets an excellent education.

Requirements

Applicants must be in a current headteacher, deputy headteacher, vice principal or equivalent role and about 18 months away from applying for Headship (if not already in post).

All applicants must have either QTS, QTLS, a Level 5 (or higher) qualification (any subject), or an international equivalent (see below). You must be able to evidence this with a copy of your certificate.

For those with QTS, you can download a copy of your certificate here https://teacherservices.education.gov.uk/SelfService/Login.

For those with QTLS, you can download a copy of your certificate here https://set.et-foundation.co.uk/my-set/my-profile. If for any reason you are unable to provide a copy of your certificate, you will need to ask a representative from the school where you are teaching to contact Capita Teachers' Pensions. Your employer should know how to do this via the Capita employer portal https://www.teacherspensions.co.uk/.

If do not have QTS or QTLS, you will need evidence completion of a Level 5 qualification (any subject). For International applicants, you will need to apply for a UK ENIC Statement of Comparability https://enic.org.uk/Qualifications/SOC/Default.aspx to demonstrate your Level 5 qualification is comparable to UK qualifications.

Where do I find further information about NPQH?

Our Headteacher Programme includes the National Professional Qualification for Headship NPQH. For more information about NPQH click here.

Outstanding Leaders Partnership is the leading provider of NPQH nationally and the quality of our provision is rated ‘Exceptional’ by the DfE’s external quality assurance agent.

You can view our performance against the national metrics here.

How do I access the funding?

You can access funding for the Headteachers Apprenticeship with NPQH from your school’s Apprenticeship Levy. Schools will be able to access the funding through their apprenticeship service (AS) account.

If your school needs help setting up your AS account, just let us know and we’ll guide you through it.

The Headteacher Apprenticeship with NPQH costs £14,000 from Apprenticeship Levy funds or co-investment for non-levy payers where the government pays 95% (the NPQH standalone cost is £1980).

The level of funding depends on each candidate’s learning needs, with a maximum allocation of £14,000 to cover the cost of the apprenticeship.

What is the Apprenticeship Levy?

The levy is paid by large employers with a wage bill of over £3 million. These employers pay 0.5% of their total annual pay bill into the levy. Most state-maintained schools and multi-academy trusts pay into the levy.

The levy is designed to create long term sustainable funding for apprenticeships and to give employers more control to provide their staff with a range of training opportunities.

Apprenticeship funded training is designed for both new and existing staff members.

If your school is not a levy payer or has exhausted its levy funds, the government will pay 95% of tuition fees with your school paying the remaining 5%. Please contact us if you would like more information.

How do I apply?

We are no longer accepting applications for Autumn 2024. Click below to join our Spring 2025 waitlist.

Join The Waitlist