Course overview

Our carefully sequenced and evidence informed NPQ for Leading Teaching is designed to support you to become an expert teacher educator and learn how to successfully support your teachers to improve their own teacher practice.

> Length: 12 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

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.

Why should I train with Ambition?

Choose our NPQ for Leading Teaching and you’ll be joining over 35,000 teachers and school leaders (as of May 2025), 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.

Ofsted rated Outstanding
We're proud that our NPQ provision has been awarded Outstanding across all areas by Ofsted.

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.

How much does it cost?

Funding for autumn 2026 is targeted for those teachers and leaders who work in the top 50% of England's most disadvantaged schools, according to pupil premium percentage.

For the NPQ for 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.

If you do not work in an eligible school, the NPQ in Leading Teaching costs £899 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.

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 registration 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

Get in touch to find out more.

Am I eligible?

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.

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 12-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.

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 1-24 April 2026; it is not always possible to avoid national holidays and/or school holidays due to DfE's assessment timelines.

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.

> When applications are open, 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.

DfE registration: Until you've completed the DfE registration, available from 23 June 2026, your registration and funding will not be confirmed. You will be able to register here.

Our application process in seven simple steps:

Step 1: On the programme page
Click ‘Apply now’.
Step 2: Set up your MyAmbition account
Create an account with your name, email address and password. Confirm your email to activate your account.
Step 3: Complete your application
Log in to MyAmbition, fill in your personal and professional details, and answer the application questions. Attach any required documents.
Step 4: Submit your application
Review your answers and click ‘Submit’.
Step 5: Application in review
You’re application will be reviewed and you will be contacted if more information is needed.
Step 6: Place offered
If your application is successful, we will send you an offer by email.
Step 7: Place accepted
Accept your offer on MyAmbition to secure your place.

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

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

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 12-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?