Professional development for school leaders

Information on professional development for school leaders and governors, includes our NPQML, NPQSL, NPQH and NPQEL qualifications.

There’s separate information about the National professional qualifications (NPQs) reforms.

Qualifications for school leaders

1. National Professional Qualification for Middle Leadership (NPQML)
   • 30 April 2020
   • Guidance
2. National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL)
   • 30 April 2020
   • Guidance
3. National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH)
   • 30 April 2020
   • Guidance
4. National Professional Qualification for Executive Leadership (NPQEL)
   • 30 April 2020
   • Guidance
5. National professional qualifications (NPQs): list of providers
   • 15 May 2020
   • Guidance
6. National professional qualifications: frameworks
   • 2 October 2019
   • Guidance

For school governors

1. Academy and school governance: professional development
   • 10 January 2020
   • Guidance
2. Providers: governance leadership and clerking development
   • 1 May 2020
   • Guidance

Published 18 March 2014
Last updated 3 July 2020 + show all updates

1. 3 July 2020

   Added a link to the policy paper on NPQ reforms.

2. 20 October 2017

   Added ‘National Professional Qualification for Executive Leadership (NPQEL)’.

3. 18 March 2014

   First published.