Description of the 6 reformed national professional
qualifications (NPQs) available to teachers and school leaders
from autumn 2021, and 2 additional NPQs which will be available
from autumn 2022.
From:
Department for
Education
Published
13 October 2020
Last updated
20 December 2022 — See all updates
Applies to England Documents
National Professional
Qualification (NPQ): Leading Teacher Development
framework
Ref: DfE-00185-2020PDF, 272
KB, 24 pages
National Professional
Qualification (NPQ): Leading Behaviour and Culture
framework
Ref: DfE-00184-2020PDF, 328
KB, 33 pages
National Professional
Qualification (NPQ): Leading Teaching framework
Ref: DfE-00186-2020PDF, 455
KB, 45 pages
National Professional
Qualification (NPQ): Senior Leadership Framework
Ref: DfE-00187-2020PDF, 570
KB, 61 pages
National Professional
Qualification (NPQ): Headship framework
Ref: DfE-00182-2020PDF, 554
KB, 61 pages
National Professional
Qualifications (NPQs): Executive Leadership
framework
Ref: DfE-00183-2020PDF, 562
KB, 61 pages
National Professional
Qualification (NPQ): Leading Literacy framework
PDF, 372
KB, 31 pages
National Professional
Qualification (NPQ): Early Years Leadership
framework
PDF, 448
KB, 50 pages
Details
These frameworks are for the reformed national professional
qualifications (NPQs) that are
available from autumn 2021, and those offered from autumn 2022.
They have been developed in consultation with expert advisory
groups from across the education system.
The changes to NPQs build on
the evidence and expert advice already established in the
new core content
framework for initial teacher training, and
the Early Career Framework
(ECF). The NPQ for early
years leadership complements the current suite
of NPQs.
The content frameworks set out the things that participants
should know and be able to do after completing
an NPQ. Providers
of NPQs are
expected to use these frameworks to design their course.
They reflect the Teachers’
standards and Headteachers’
standards to ensure coherency with the requirements
already used by the teaching profession.
Who this guidance is for
This guidance is for:
- organisations developing the new NPQs
- teachers and leaders considering applying for or
participating in the new NPQs
- leaders who are encouraging staff to undertake the
new NPQs
Current NPQs
Information about
existing NPQs is
available.
