NPQ Overview

National Professional Qualifications are a set of prestigious qualifications, widely recognised by the sector. They are voluntary and are designed to support the professional development of teachers and school leaders at all levels, across primary and secondary schools. There are leadership NPQs and specialist NPQs - see the individual pages for a breakdown of each one to find the one suitable for you. Astra TSH delivers the NPQs with Best Practice Network.

Applications for the Spring 2025 cohort have now closed. Further information on the next cohort will be added here once the DfE has confirmed timings and funding.

Spring 2025

Scholarship Funding Eligibility

All maintained schools in England are eligible for limited scholarships for: NPQ for SENCOs, NPQH, NPQLPM and EHCO
Only the top 50% of maintained schools in England with the highest % of pupil premium enrolments and 16 to 19 educational settings identified as having high disadvantage are eligible for limited scholarships for: NPQLT, NPQLBC, NPQLTD, NPQLL, NPQEYL, NPQSL, NPQEL
For the NPQEYL, highly disadvantaged early years settings will also be eligible.

NPQ Programme	DfE Scholarship Funding	Apprenticeship Levy	School Funded
NPQEL	Yes*	Yes	Yes
NPQH	Yes**	Yes	Yes
NPQSL	Yes*	Yes	Yes
NPQSENCO	Yes**		Yes
NPQLPM	Yes**		Yes
NPQLTD	Yes*		Yes
NPQLT	Yes*		Yes
NPQLBC	Yes*		Yes
NPQLL	Yes*		Yes
NPQEYL	Yes*		Yes

DfE Scholarship Funding

*These NPQs are only available to eligible schools as per the eligibility guidance above the table.

**Any school can apply for DfE scholarship funding for these selected NPQs.

Numbers for each programme are limited though. If an applicant is unsuccessful in securing scholarship funding, the below alternative funding routes will be offered, therefore applications should be given careful consideration by Headteachers in light of the fact that scholarship funding is not guaranteed.

There is a handy tool to check if your school is eligible for funding. Please check on the link below

https://www.bestpracticenet.co.uk/npq-scholarship-checker

Apprenticeship Levy

Some NPQ providers offer apprentice level NPQs. Completing an NPQ through the apprenticeship route has different expectations and demands. Further information on how the Leadership NPQ programmes differ on the apprenticeship route can be found at this link: https://www.bestpracticenet.co.uk/leader-apprenticeship-NPQ Maintained schools wanting to use the Apprenticeship Levy funds must make a claim to Buckinghamshire Council using the form on their schools web page https://schoolsweb.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/hr-zone/apprenticeships/. The Council will approve the claim amount and confirm the school can go ahead and contract with the NPQ training provider.

Please note, when applying for one of the Leaders Apprenticeships please select Astra TSH in the partner drop-down when prompted to do so on your application.