Course overview

Our carefully sequenced and evidence informed NPQ for Leading Teacher Development is designed to help you build your expertise to become an expert teacher educator.

> 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

Our NPQ for Leading Teacher Development course follows the Department for Education’s National Professional Qualification (NPQ): Leading Teacher Development Framework.

On this programme, you will learn how to:

make sure professional development in your school is focused on a shared responsibility for improving outcomes for all pupils
diagnose what teachers know and can do, starting professional development from that point and adapting the approach based on developing their expertise
help teachers improve through evidence-based professional development focused on improving classroom teaching
gain an understanding of what teachers have learned by reviewing patterns of performance over a number of assessments
develop and lead a team of colleagues who can facilitate a range of professional development approaches
contextualise teacher development based on a variation of school, pupils and teacher needs.
contribute to a programme of professional development for mentors, trainees and early career teachers.

Note: programme content is subject to change.

How you'll learn

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

Over 12 months, our NPQLTD 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 (v 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 Teacher Development 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 NPQ is designed around the key problems you face. Learn to implement professional development that improves teaching and learning for every colleague you work with.

Access the latest research
This includes insights into how we learn, the importance of carefully sequenced professional development so that it sticks and enabling conditions for effective teacher improvement.

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 NPQLTD.

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

Become a teaching expert
The NPQLTD is designed to give you the ability to implement high quality professional development in your school. If you lead on teacher development including trainee teachers, those early in their career or across a school, this is the NPQ for you.

Champion quality teaching
Many teachers who end up in leadership roles haven’t had any formal training to become teacher educators. This programme fills that gap by giving you the knowledge and insight to make classroom teaching in your school the best it can be.

Designed by teaching leaders
Benefit from a programme which is designed and delivered by teacher development specialists and experts from across the sector.

Invest in your future
Ongoing professional development helps you to grow and thrive as a teacher educator. You will follow an evidence-informed 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 peers
You’ll get to train and collaborate with other teacher development leads on the programme, sharing your experiences and building a network.

Benefits for your school

Improve your school’s teaching
Drawing on cutting-edge research, our NPQLTD programme is designed to support your teacher educators to identify areas for development, nurture best practice, and create the conditions for learning that will support teachers to develop their skills and lead to improved pupil outcomes.

Designed for teacher development leads
Leading the development of teachers is complex. This NPQ is designed for those leaders who are supporting trainees through their Initial Teacher Training, mentoring Early Career Teachers, or designing CPD for experienced teaching staff.

Create confident leaders
Teachers and leaders who complete this programme will be able to successfully oversee staff development, leading to better teaching at your school and improved pupil outcomes.

Develop 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.

Increase staff attainment
By investing in your teachers and leaders, you are showing confidence in their abilities. After completing the programme, they are more likely to stay in their roles and help you nurture the next generation of teaching talent.

Tap into a network
Your leaders will train alongside peers from other teacher educators, supported by expert facilitators who fully understand their 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 Teacher Development, funded scholarships are available for those who meet the following criteria:

Have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading the development of other teachers in their school.
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 Teacher Development 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, responsibility for leading other educators to develop.

You might support all teachers in your school, trainees or those early in their career.

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, responsibility for leading other educators to develop. You might support all teachers in your school, trainees or those early in their career.
> 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 NPQLTD programme for?

The NPQ for Leading Teacher Development is designed for serving teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibility for leading other educators to develop. You might support all teachers across your school, teacher trainees, or early career teachers.

You might be a headteacher or principal; deputy or assistant headteacher; head of teaching development; CPD lead; head of department, phase, key stage or subject; or classroom teacher.

Is the NPQLTD programme fully funded?

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.

How long does the NPQLTD programme last?

The NPQ for Leading Teacher Development is a 12- month programme, with a mixture of live, facilitated sessions and self-directed learning.

How does the NPQLTD programme accommodate busy schedules?

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

Are there any specific requirements to enrol on the NPQLTD programme?

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

National Professional Qualification for Leading Teacher Development (NPQLTD)