Course overview

Our NPQ for Headship is purposely designed to help you become an outstanding headteacher.

Length: 18 months.
Delivery: Blended learning, that includes 'little and often' online and face to face learning.
Qualification: Sector recognised qualification.
Curriculum: Carefully sequenced and evidence informed.
Cost: Limited funding for all state schools in England. Self-funded places available.

What you'll learn

Our NPQ for Headship course follows the Department for Education’s National Professional Qualification: Headship.

On this programme, you will learn how to:

set clear goals and communicate shared values that improve classroom and school culture
lead effective implementation in educational settings
lead effective professional development to improve practice and outcomes for pupils
support colleagues to meet individual needs and make sure all pupils have access to a rich curriculum
lead school-wide professional development for staff
establish good financial, human and educational resource management
make and act on evidence-informed decisions
work well with parents, carers, other schools and the wider community
lead by example, be accountable for decisions and make sure staff know their professional responsibilities.

Note: programme content is subject to change.

How you'll learn

Our NPQH is designed so you can engage in live, facilitated sessions alongside modules you can complete at any time.

Over 18 months, our NPQH includes:

A school visit.
Two full day conferences (6hrs each).
Nine courses (each course lasts six weeks and loosely aligned to a school half term).
Each course includes six modules.
Seven two-hour clinics (facilitated sessions).
One two-hour assessment clinic.
Five communities (1hr15mins group sessions).

The content is delivered through blended learning. This includes 12 hours of in-person delivery (via 2 full day conferences and in-person twilight sessions), a mix of real-time, interactive online sessions and self-guided modules you complete in your own time.

The programme includes facilitator-led sessions with your peer group that focus on decision making. The programme starts with a one-day live conference.

Note: programme content is subject to change.

How much does it cost?

For autumn 2026, the NPQ for Headship is fully funded for state schools in England.

There are a limited number of funded places, which are available to those who:

Are, or are aspiring to be, a headteacher or head of school with responsibility for leading a school.
Work in a state school in England.

Without funding, the NPQ for Headship costs £1,949 plus VAT.

RISE intervention schools
You may be eligible for funding if you work in a school that is eligible for targeted regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) intervention. Find out more about RISE eligibility here.

Check if you're eligible! To see whether you are eligible for funding, you can use our eligibility checker tool. Or if you have further questions, get in touch to find out more here.

Self-funded payment options
If you are unable to access a DfE funded scholarship, you can pay for your NPQ.

We will invoice the school/trust contact you provide in your application directly. Depending on your school type, they maybe be able to reclaim VAT.

If you are unable to come to an arrangement with your school, we can invoice you directly, but you will not be able to reclaim VAT.

Unfortunately, we do not offer payment plans for our NPQ programmes.

The cost of your programme must be paid in full before the start of your programme. We are unable to offer refunds once you start the programme.

DfE funding restrictions
Due to DfE funding being limited, being eligible for an NPQ scholarship does not guarantee either suitability for the course or that a funded course place is available.

If funded places are not available, you can:

Approach a different NPQ provider to enquire about the availability of funded course places
Choose to join your chosen providers waiting list
Choose to pay for a course place

Am I eligible?

To be eligible for this programme, you must be a leader who is, or is aspiring to be a, headteacher or head of school with a responsibility for leading a school.
This course could be suitable if you’re a:

Headteacher/Principal
Head of School
Director of teaching school
Deputy, Assistant or Vice Headteacher/Principal

NPQs are not suitable for active Early Career Teachers.

If you have any questions, email [email protected] and a member of our team will be in touch with next steps.

Why should I train with Ambition?

Choose our NPQ for Headship and you’ll be joining over 35,000 teachers and school leaders (as of May 2025), who have decided on Ambition to complete their NPQ since they were launched in 2021.

Evidence informed curriculum
Our carefully sequenced and evidence informed NPQ is designed around the key problems you face. You'll learn to implement your learning into practice in your school setting.

Access the latest research
Develop your knowledge and skills to lead school improvement at headship level. This programme aims to develop expertise that is flexible and allows participants to respond to the challenges they will encounter in a range of contexts.

Train to your timetable
Our 'little and often' approach means you'll need on average just one hour per week to engage in our NPQs, helping you to fit your NPQH around your timetable.

No large project
On our NPQs, there's no large project at the end. Instead, you'll sit an 'open book' assessment with support via a live webinar and clinics available to help you get the most from your NPQ.

Join our charitable mission
We support teachers and school leaders at every stage of their careers, helping them to keep getting better. We are a charity providing training and professional development based on the most rigorous research and evidence about what really works.

Benefits for you

Learn crucial skills and sector knowledge
All the knowledge you’ll learn on this programme is drawn from a single, evidence-based framework shared by other educators across England.

Learning that sticks
Training is delivered little and often, in regular bite-sized chunks, so there are no long days of training that take you away from your day job. Learning in short, sharp bursts also helps you to retain knowledge.

Thrive in your school setting
Develop the knowledge and skills to work to the best of your ability and tackle the complexities and challenges of your daily role.

Drive habit change
Embedding new habits can be tricky. Our dual modules help you to apply what you learn, connecting theory to practice, to help those habits stick. Insight modules capture the very best the sector has to contribute on a given topic. Application modules help you to use the ideas in context, with support from peers.

Build your network
You’ll connect with other senior leaders, sharing your experiences and building a strong support network that lasts long after you finish the course.

Benefits for your school or trust

Create confident school leaders
Headteachers are equipped with school-focused leadership knowledge, which they can use to establish a culture and conditions where staff and pupils can thrive.

Underpinned by the latest evidence
The framework for the new NPQ for Headship was developed using the latest evidence on effective professional development for teachers and leaders, approved by the Education Endowment Fund (EFF).

Shared learning
Participants learn alongside colleagues whose context is similar, facilitated by delivery partners who know and understand your needs.

Create a common knowledge base
All our NPQs are aligned, meaning teachers and leaders share a common language and framework to drive improvement in their school.

Transform pupil outcomes
Education Policy Institute research shows that high quality professional development can improve pupil outcomes almost as effectively as having a teacher with 10 years’ experience in the classroom.*

How am I assessed?

You’ll sit an ‘open book’ style assessment in which you respond to a short case study.

The assessment window starts at the end of the 18-month programme and your outcome is usually available within four months (subject to change by the DfE).

During this time:

You’ll be given an eight-day window to complete the case study.
You have two submission attempts. If you fail on the first submission, you will have one further opportunity to resit the assessment. You will submit the assessment in the next available assessment window.
You need to complete 90% of the programme and pass the assessment to gain the qualification.
We will offer a live clinic in advance of the assessment window to support you.

Where can I train?

Join a local cohort with one of our regional delivery partners and benefit from our expert curriculum design along with a tailored experience linked to your local context.

If there isn't currently a delivery partner in your area, you can join Ambition’s national cohort. Either way, we work to give you the best possible experience.

To look for your local delivery partner, use our interactive map tool.

Our delivery partners cover the majority of England's major regions, including:

North of England: Country Durham, Cumbria, Gateshead, Middlesborough, Sunderland, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar and Cleveland, Tyneside, and more.
Lancashire and Yorkshire: Lancashire, Cheshire, North Yorkshire, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Bradford, Kirklees and more.
East Midlands and the Humber: Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes and more.
West Midlands: Birmingham, Sandwell, Shropshire, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Walsall, Stoke-on-Trent, Warwickshire and more.
East of England and North East London: Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Havering, Newham, Barking and Dagenham, King's Lynn and more.
South Central England and North West London: City of London, Barnet, Brent, Enfield, Westminster, Reading, Slough, Camden, Islington, Berkshire, Basingstoke and more.
South East and South West: Kent, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Wiltshire, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Bristol, Swindon, Bath and more.

What our partners can do for you

Ambition Institute provides high-quality content and materials, built on our experience in schools and other learning environments, and our deep knowledge of evidence and practice.

Our partner in your region will put this knowledge into context and manage your experience on the programme, from facilitation to day-to-day support.

The timings and methods of activity, sizes of cohorts and the cost of the programme may vary across delivery partners.

How do I apply?

Applications are currently closed. Enquire now to be kept updated about the November 2026 cohorts.

DfE registration: Until you've completed the DfE registration, your registration and funding will not be confirmed. You will be able to register here.

What do our participants say?

We’re proud to be the largest provider of NPQs in England.

As an education charity, this helps our mission to support more teachers and school leaders serving children from disadvantaged backgrounds to keep getting better.

From our recent participant survey, we heard that:

94% of participants agreed that their Ambition NPQ had helped them to develop their expertise as a school leader.
92% of participants agreed that as a result of their Ambition NPQ, they felt better equipped to carry out their current role.
95% of leaders agreed that staff completing an Ambition NPQ had supported their school to improve.

You can read more about what our NPQ participants have said here >>

*taken from our May 2025 NPQ participant survey.

Frequently asked questions

What is the NPQH qualification?

The NPQH is a DfE accredited qualification, designed to equip and develop current and aspiring headteachers in England.

How do I become a Headteacher?

You need to be a fully qualified teacher and show that you have worked in a senior position in the education sector.

Do I need NPQH to be a Headteacher?

No, you do not need the NPQH to be a headteacher. This requirement was removed in 2012 however, this qualification will still be beneficial for your professional development and applying for roles.

Who is the NPQH programme for?

The NPQ for Headship is designed for serving headteachers, or are aspiring to be a headteacher or head of school with a responsibility of leading a school.

Is the NPQH equivalent to a Master's?

Ambition does not have an arrangement with any Higher Education Institutions (HEI) to guarantee that completing one of our NPQs will count towards Master’s credits. However, your HEI may agree to recognise your NPQ if you enquire with them. So, we recommend directly contacting your place of study to ask.

Is the NPQH programme fully funded?

For previous cohorts, the DfE has made funding available so that teachers and leaders can train at zero cost to themselves or their school budget. Currently, no funding for future NPQ cohorts has been guaranteed by the DfE.

How long does the NPQH programme last?

The NPQ for Headship is an 18 month programme.

Can you do the NPQH online?

Most of the content is delivered online through a blend of real-time, interactive online sessions and asynchronous self-guided modules. Throughout the programme, there are also 12 total hours of in-person learning, in the form of two one-day conferences.

How does the NPQH programme accommodate busy schedules?

The NPQ for Headship is designed to fit around your schedule with a 'little and often' approach that aligns with insights from the science of learning.

Are the any specific requirements to enrol on the NPQH programme?

To be eligible for the NPQ for Headship, you must be a serving teacher in a school or eligible organisation in England and have completed your early career training.

What is the NPQH assessment process like?

You’ll sit an ‘open book’ style assessment in which you respond to a short case study. The assessment window starts at the end of the programme and runs for three months. During this which, you’ll be given an eight-day window to complete the case study. We will offer a webinar and live clinic in advance of the assessment window to support you.

What is the pass rate for the NPQH?

We are proud of the positive impact our NPQH is having on school leaders. Check our latest pass rate on the 'Assessment' tab.

National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH)