Why us?
Choose our NPQ for Leading Teaching and you’ll be joining over 32,000 teachers and school leaders (as of December 2024), who have decided on an Ambition NPQ since they launched in 2021.
Evidence informed curriculum
Our carefully sequenced and evidence informed NPQLT is designed around the key problems you face. Learn the knowledge and understanding of what excellent classroom teaching looks like.
Access the latest research
Develop your expertise in areas including the science of learning, instruction, curriculum, assessment, classroom culture and adaptive teaching.
Train to your timetable
Our ‘little and often’ approach means you can engage with our NPQs around your busy timetable, with minimal time needed out of school. On average just one hour per week to engage in our NPQLT.
No large project
Plus, on our NPQs there’s no large project at the end. Instead, you’ll sit an ‘open book’ assessment with support via two on-demand webinars and a dedicated, live assessment preparation clinic 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
Excel as a teacher
Delve into the nuts and bolts of what makes an effective teacher, what good teaching looks like, and how you can lead others and they can learn from you.
Build on existing experience
This programme helps you to unpack and apply learning in teaching, curriculum and assessment – and to support others to develop in these areas. That’s whether you are a classroom teacher keen to develop your knowledge or a head of department wanting to maximise your impact.
Align to wider school priorities
Learn what good teaching practice looks like, how to implement it and support colleagues to adapt teaching to different needs, design and deliver effective professional development, and align colleagues’ learning with wider school priorities.
Invest in your future
Ongoing professional development helps you to grow and thrive as a teacher. You will follow an evidence-based framework and gain a professional accreditation at the end of the programme.
Learn at your pace
This programme is designed to fit around your busy teaching role. Much of the work can be completed in short bursts around your existing schedule.
Connect with your peers
You will train alongside other teachers from similar school contexts. You can share your experiences and build a strong support network.
Benefits for your school
Access the latest learning
Teachers will bring evidence-based teaching and learning into classrooms, meaning high quality teaching and improved pupil outcomes.
Aligned to school improvement priorities
Our NPQLT teaches participants how to help their colleagues adapt their teaching to different needs and align colleagues’ learning with wider your school priorities.
Create a ‘golden thread’
The NPQs are all aligned. So, no matter what career stage your teachers are at, by joining this programme, they will benefit from an evidence-based framework. They will also share a common language with other NPQ participants that they can pass on to colleagues.
Identify future leaders
Competent and confident teachers who excel in their roles will be more likely to apply for middle or senior positions in your school when they arise.
Retain your teaching talent
By allowing teachers to develop and nurture their talents in specialist areas you are investing in their future. This will boost their confidence, making them feel supported and less likely to apply for jobs elsewhere.
Tap into a network
Your teachers will train alongside peers from other schools with similar contexts, supported by facilitators that fully understands your needs.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the NPQLT programme for?
The NPQ for Leading Teaching is designed for teachers who has, or is aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading teaching in a subject, year group, key stage or phase.
How long does the NPQLT programme last?
The NPQ for Leading Teaching is a twelve-month programme, with a mixture of live, facilitated sessions and self-directed learning
How does the NPQLT programme accommodate busy schedules?
The NPQ for Leading Teaching is designed to fit around your schedule with a 'little and often' approach that aligns with insights from the science of learning.
Is the NPQLT programme fully funded?
The NPQ for Leading Teaching is DfE-funded for teachers and school leaders who work in the most challenging schools or educational settings, serving more disadvantaged communities in England. Find out more about the eligibility criteria in the 'Funding' tab.
Are there any specific requirements to enrol on the NPQLT programme?
To be eligible for the NPQ for Leading Teaching, you must be a serving teacher in a school or eligible organisation in England and have completed your early career training.
Overview
This programme follows the Department for Education’s National Professional Qualification (NPQ): Leading Teaching Framework.
On this programme, you will learn how to:
- explain important ideas about the science of learning
- understand what good teaching practice is and how to implement it
- support colleagues to design a broad and coherent curriculum
- plan effective lessons and stimulate your pupils’ thinking
- help colleagues adapt their teaching to different needs
- contribute to the design of school assessment systems
- align your professional development with wider school improvement priorities.
Note: programme content is subject to change.
How you'll learn
Our NPQLT is designed so you can engage in live, facilitated sessions alongside modules you can complete at any time.
Over 12 months, our NPQLT includes:
- One full day conference.
- Six courses (each course lasts about six weeks and loosely aligns with a school half term).
- Each course includes six modules.
- Five two-hour clinics (facilitated sessions).
- One two-hour assessment clinic.
- Three communities (1hr15mins group sessions).
The content is delivered through blended learning. This includes 8 hours of in-person delivery (via 1 full day conference and at least 1 in-person twilight session), 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.
Locations
Join a local cohort with one of our regional partners and benefit from our expert curriculum design along with a tailored experience linked to your local context.
If you are unable to find a local cohort, you can join Ambition’s national cohort and gain a national network of peers. Either way, we work to give you the best possible experience.
Find a cohort that’s local to you in our list of partners here.
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.
Assessment
Our NPQ courses no longer include a large project at the end. Instead, 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 12-month programme and runs for three months. During this time, you’ll be given an eight-day window to complete the case study.
There are two assessment windows every year, and participants can sit the assessment two times, if they need to.
You need to complete the course to qualify for the NPQ accreditation.
We will offer a webinar and live clinic in advance of the assessment window to support you.
Assessment period in April 2026
If you’re starting a specialist NPQ in April 2025, please be aware your assessment could take place within an 8-day period between 1-17 April 2026; it is not always possible to avoid national holidays and/or school holidays due to DfE's assessment timelines.
Testimonials
Cost
Limited DfE scholarship funding is available for spring 2025. Funding will target those teachers and leaders who work in the most challenging schools or educational settings, serving more disadvantaged communities.
For the NPQ in Leading Teaching, funded scholarships are available for those 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 the 50% of schools with the highest proportion of students who attract pupil premium funding and 16 to 19 educational settings identified as having high disadvantage in England.
School eligibility lists for the spring cohorts will be available from the DfE in early 2025. When the DfE update the list of schools, we will inform you if you are eligible for a funded place. If you are not eligible, we will offer alternative funding options.
Check if you’re eligible for funding!
If you're unsure whether you will qualify for this 'pupil premium' based on funding, please use our online eligibility check tool.
*Currently nurseries are not available yet on the tool. If you work in a nursery, please contact us directly at [email protected]
If you do not work in an eligible school, the NPQ in Leading Teaching costs £899 plus VAT.
Get in touch to find out more.
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
Eligibility
To be eligible for this programme, you must be a teacher who has, or is aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading teaching in a subject, year group, key stage or phase.
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.
Apply
Applications are now open for spring 2025 cohorts. Start your application here >>
Apply by 18 March 2025 to start in April 2025.
Enquire here to find out more about our NPQs.
To apply, you must be a teacher who has, or is aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading teaching in a subject, year group, key stage or phase.
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.