The Learners First primary NQT programme has been designed to...
Read MoreNPQEL
National Professional Qualification for Executive Leadership.

National Professional Qualification for Executive Leadership.
Learners First is delighted to be one of a small number of providers accredited by the DfE to offer this exciting new qualification. In choosing Learners First as your NPQEL provider you will connect into an established school led partnership that has a strong track record of high quality delivery over many years. You will have access to a national network of partner organisations that provides a wealth of outstanding, serving leaders with whom you can work.
Learners First is delighted to be one of a small number of providers accredited by the DfE to offer this exciting new qualification. In choosing Learners First as your NPQEL provider you will connect into an established school led partnership that has a strong track record of high quality delivery over many years. You will have access to a national network of partner organisations that provides a wealth of outstanding, serving leaders with whom you can work.
Taking both a practical and pragmatic approach, the Learners First NPQEL programme offers an exceptional leadership development opportunity designed to support leaders in any phase of education to:
The suite of NPQ qualifications are built around the six core Content Areas.
At each level of the NPQ framework, the knowledge and skills associated with each content area progressively increases in sophistication, depth and breadth. The six content areas are:
Manage and analyse performance data to evaluate progress, identify trends, define team priorities and develop improvement strategies (for example, in relation to disadvantaged pupils or those with particular needs)
Implement successful change at team level
Grow excellent, evidence-based teaching in a team and a curriculum that develops pupils academically and prepares them for adult life
Improve the progress, attainment and behaviour of all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or have particular needs (for example, Pupil Premium, SEND, EAL or the most able pupils)
Anticipate other peoples’ views or feelings and moderate your approach accordingly
Adopt different leadership styles to ensure the team meets its objectives
Present, communicate or defend challenging messages confidently and positively to a range of audiences
Realise the benefits of collaborating with others, including teachers, teaching assistants and non-teaching staff, other schools, parents/carers and other organisations
Support their team to build and sustain relationships with others which develop and share good practice and improve performance
Deploy staff, financial and educational resources within a team efficiently, to enhance pupil progress and attainment
Manage risks within a team effectively (for example, in relation to staffing, finances or teacher workload), using a risk register
Deliver a safe environment for pupils and staff
Hold others to account, line manage and evaluate performance effectively
Support all members of their team with appropriate, targeted opportunities for professional development, including newly-qualified teachers, teaching assistants, and stronger or weaker performers
Although not directly tested through the assessment, there are also seven Leadership Behaviours which set out how the best leaders operate. Participants will be supported to reflect upon these behaviours throughout the programme.
The seven leadership behaviours are:
The best leaders are self-motivated and take a creative, problem-solving approach to new challenge
The best leaders readily engage with, and invest responsibility in, those who are best placed to improve outcomes
The best leaders are self-motivated and take a creative, problem-solving approach to new challenge
The best leaders remain courageous and positive in challenging, adverse or uncertain circumstances
The best leaders will know themselves and their teams, continually reflect on their own and others’ practices, and understand how best to approach difficult or sensitive issues.
The best leaders act with honesty, transparency and always in the interests of the school and its pupils
The best leaders their respect the rights, views, beliefs and faiths of pupils, colleagues and stakeholders
The Learners First NPQEL programme has been designed to be both practical and pragmatic with opportunities to work with leading industry experts within and beyond education. The year-long programme will consist of an induction and four separate one and a half day sessions, each taking place as a residential. Sessions will encourage leaders to consider a range of pertinent areas such as those outlined below and all will have a focus on ‘leading with impact’. Between each face to face session participants will be expected to be involved in a peer review process of each other’s organisations using techniques developed during the programme.
Note :
Whilst Covid-19 restrictions remain in place, face-to-face sessions have been redesigned and replaced by digital/online learning involving webinars and an increased use of online resources. We aim to return to face-to-face delivery as soon as it is practical to do so.
Induction: This session will help set the national and local context within which the participants’ MATs or group of schools operate. There will be an opportunity to shape and influence the programme in response to individual assessment feedback.
Participants will use a range of techniques to compare and contrast different approaches to strategic planning including those from other sectors. This will involve exploring:
Participants will look at examples of developing excellence in curriculum delivery, teaching and learning and the use of data across groups of schools. This will involve a study of national and international research evidence into effective teaching and learning and will use the evidence from our first MAT Peer Review exercise.
Participants will consider and study models of financial sustainability including:
The sessions will involve a consideration of governance and risk management as well as a review of safeguarding and health and safety across groups of schools.
This session will consider effective ways of working with Directors, DfE/EFA, Teaching Schools and other potential partner organisations that could contribute to the continuous improvement in participants’ schools. This session will involve considerations of effective delegation, internal and external contracting and your own ‘brand management’.
To graduate from the programme and gain the NPQEL award participants will need to complete a final assessment which requires them to:
Through these two projects participants should demonstrate their competence linked to the knowledge and skills set out in the six content areas.
The assessment for NPQEL is conducted externally on behalf of Learners First by NPQ Online an experienced assessor for quality leadership in education.
The cost of NPQEL with Learners First is: £1,499
For any participants from schools subscribing to Learners First, costs are covered through the subscription.
The Department for Education has currently suspended access to scholarship funding for new applicants for NPQs. Updates will be provided here should the DfE position change.
Applications for the 2020/21 academic year will open in the Autumn for a Spring Term 2021 start.
If you have any queries regarding the new NPQEL please email:- teachingschool@learnersfirst.org