NPQs

National Professional Qualifications

Our Spring 2025 Expression of Interest Form is now live!

Cumbria Education Trust is delighted to be working in partnership with Ambition Institute to deliver the newly reformed National Professional Qualification (NPQ) courses. The NPQs are open to both CET staff and external teaching and support staff, who are looking to accelerate their careers.

We are proud of our 100% pass rate and we currently have over 100 teachers and leaders from across Cumbria and the North of England moving their own professional development journey forward across our nine nationally accredited specialist and leadership programmes:

  • NPQSENCO – Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators
  • NPQLBC – Leading Behaviour and Culture
  • NPQLT – Leading Teaching
  • NPQLTD – Leading Teacher Development
  • NPQLL – Leading Literacy
  • NPQLPM – Leading Primary Maths
  • NPQEYL – Early Years Leadership
  • NPQSL – Senior Leadership
  • NPQH – Headship
We are currently accepting registrations for our Spring 2025 programmes.

You can read more about each course by clicking on the squares below. 

What is an NPQ?

NPQ programmes are accredited by the Department for Education and they support the professional development of teachers and school leaders, drawing on the very best research and evidence. They focus on what teachers and school leaders need to know to build their expertise.

There are nine NPQ programmes, five specialist NPQs and four leadership NPQs, each designed with a ‘little and often’ approach. This means you can learn around your timetable and other commitments, taking minimal time away from your school or trust. 

Specialist NPQs

Our year-long specialist NPQ programmes help teachers and school leaders to develop their skills and knowledge in a specialist area.

NPQ in Leading Behaviour and Culture 

Gain expertise in behaviour management and discover how to create a school culture where staff and pupils can thrive.

NPQ in Leading Teaching 

Discover what outstanding teaching looks like and use this knowledge to become a high performing leader of teaching.

NPQ in Leading Teacher Development

Become an expert teacher educator and learn how to successfully support teachers to improve their practice.

NPQ in Leading Literacy

Become an expert leader of literacy and learn its importance in enabling young people to reach their full potential.

NPQ in Leading Primary Maths

Develop your understanding of excellent maths teaching and the knowledge and concepts that support successful maths leadership.

Leadership NPQs

Our 18-month long leadership NPQ programmes give teachers and school leaders the opportunity to develop their leadership practice across a range of contexts. 

NPQ in SENCO

Become an expert leader of special educational needs and learn how you can build an inclusive culture where all pupils can succeed.

NPQ in Early Years Leadership 

Become an expert in early years leadership, helping to give children up to the age of five the best possible start in life.

NPQ in Senior Leadership

Develop your leadership knowledge and expertise to improve outcomes for teachers and pupils across your school.

NPQ in Headship 

Develop the knowledge that underpins expert school leadership and apply it to become an outstanding headteacher.

All the evidence shows that improving teaching and school leadership is the best way to make sure that every pupil, regardless of their background, gets the best possible education. Through our programmes, we want to ensure there are expert teachers in every classroom being led by exceptional school leaders at all levels. We give teachers and school leaders opportunities to develop that draw on insights from the cutting edge of research. Our programmes also focus on the key challenges they face in their roles.

What to expect from your NPQ

High-quality curriculum

You are guaranteed to receive a high-quality curriculum and resources, drawing on the latest evidence and the insights of great teachers and school leaders

First-rate standard of faciliation and programme delivery

You will receive a first-rate standard of facilitation and programme delivery – carried out by highly trained facilitators from schools in your region, who understand the context of your school

Quality Assurance

There is a rigorous quality assurance, to support you to drive improvement in your school and region

Essential support

There is guaranteed high-level and personalised support throughout all stages of the programme

Flexible access to modules

We ensure you have flexible access to all modules and practice activities through our innovative online personal development platform.

But don't just listen to us...

Meet the team

Would you like to be a Visiting Fellow (Facilitator)?

Our Visiting Fellows are the course facilitators who deliver the NPQ courses. This is a fantastic opportunity for current leaders to further develop their own leadership and facilitation skills.

You will gain first-hand experience of delivering nationally accredited leadership courses and be at the heart of CET’s Leadership Development. 

Comprehensive training will be available, along with all of the course delivery materials. Remuneration will also be offered to successful candidates. 

Want to talk to a team member?

If you have any queries about any of these programmes or would like any further information, you can email the team by clicking the button below.

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Choose your NPQ today!

Cumbria Education Trust and national education charity Ambition Institute have an exciting partnership aimed to inspire a new generation of teachers in Cumbria and offer professional development to existing teachers, to be the best they can be. Ambition Institute’s new teacher training programme extends their provision of high-quality professional development for existing teachers and school leaders, which is reaching more than 45,000 educators this year.