National Professional Qualification for Leading Literacy (NPQLL)
What are the benefits?
- Gain the skills for successful leadership - build the expertise to effectively develop others and lead a powerful whole school literacy strategy
- Learn to effectively support colleagues - develop the skills to help colleagues develop literacy across the curriculum – without creating unnecessary workload
- Develop as a specialist in your role - gain an understanding of the core principles behind developing language, reading and writing, get practical tools and guidance to lead your school’s approach to literacy, and collaborate with other leaders in similar roles.
How is NPQEYL delivered?
This 15-month programme (12 months’ delivery and three months for assessment) consists of a series of modules based on the DfE’s NPQ frameworks. Each module cycle features:
- evidence-based online content to refresh and build knowledge, as well as exemplify what this looks like for your role and level of leadership
- a formative assessment task to support your learning
- a face-to-face seminar with a group of peers, facilitated by a serving school leader – you’ll analyse and reflect on the task and hear further examples of good practice
- the opportunity to record reflections and consolidate learning.
This cycle repeats throughout the programme, with implementation a consideration in every module. Towards the end of the programme, you’ll also take a module focused specifically on effective implementation. This provides an opportunity to plan a strategic improvement, focused on your context and pupils. There will be ongoing support through a seminar group and discussion forum.
During the Practical Implementation cycle, programme members will be required to put learning into practice and implement an improvement, or plan the implementation of an improvement, in their setting based on the NPQ programme they are working towards. The focus will be identified by the programme member and must be level appropriate.
This improvement should be a stretching professional development target within the programme member’s existing role. For aspiring specialist and leadership programme members, the school/employer should support them to implement an improvement at the aspiring level. The allocation of learning time is five hours so any implementation focus should be feasible within the timeframe.
What will I learn?
You’ll develop the knowledge, skills and expertise to lead effective approaches to developing literacy and supporting children’s reading and writing at all stages. This will include leading and developing others to improve children’s literacy.
Our content is informed by the best and most recent evidence and developed with input from school leaders and subject matter experts.
Our programmes have a practical focus. You’ll be supported to make small but important changes to your and others’ practice throughout the programme. This will conclude with the implementation module and practical implementation cycle of the programme.
What are the training commitments?
The programme is designed to fit around your teaching and other school commitments. Over the course of the whole programme (spread over three terms), you’ll undertake approximately 55 hours of learning. This includes a combination of seminars, online learning modules, conferences and a practical implementation cycle.
How will I be assessed?
Assessment takes place within three months of you completing your NPQLL. Detailed dates will be shared with you before the start of the programme.
The assessment process for all NPQs has been refreshed to reduce the workload burden on teachers while still providing an opportunity to apply their knowledge. To pass the programme, you’ll need to engage with at least 90% of the course and pass one summative assessment.
Throughout the programme, you will participate in formative assessment tasks, so you can track your progress and understanding. This will also support you to demonstrate 90% engagement with the course.
At the start of your training, we’ll also provide you with the dates of the Summative Assessment so you can plan for this with your school. This will take the form of a case study which is a minimum of 2,000 words in length and will cover content referred to in the relevant NPQ Content Framework. It will represent a likely situation to be faced by a teacher at the relevant NPQ qualification level or role and will allow you to demonstrate your understanding of the relevant NPQ Content Framework and offer you an opportunity to demonstrate that you can successfully apply this.
You will have an eight-day window to provide a written response of a maximum of 1500 words for the case study (unless adjustments are required on an individual basis) in an ‘open book’ setting. You will receive the unseen case study question at the start of the eight-day window; and submit your response by midnight of the eighth day.
NPQLL Framework
The DfE’s NPQLL framework is based on a robust method of design and development, building on the evidence base and expert guidance already established in the ECF and the ITT Core Content Framework. The NPQ frameworks reflect the Teachers’ Standards and Headteachers' Standards to ensure coherency with the requirements already used by the teaching profession.
Please see the NPQLL Framework below or download here. If your computer or device does not support the Adobe plugin you can download the framework pdf here.
Who is this for?
This programme is for teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading literacy across a school, year group, key stage or phase.
Applicants will be required to have QTS or a level 5 qualification. Applicants will also require a Teacher Reference Number (TRN). Potential participants without a TRN can email the Teaching Regulation Agency at qts.enquiries@education.gov.uk to obtain one. The team aim to respond to valid email requests within 5 working days.
What does it cost?
DfE scholarship funding
Full DfE funding, with no cost to the participant, is available to staff from:
- state-funded schools in England
- state-funded organisations that offer 16 to 19 places in England.
You can do more than one NPQ, but will only be eligible for funding for each NPQ once. If you withdraw or fail your course you cannot get funded again for the same NPQ.
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