NPQ in Headship (NPQH)

Prepare to lead a thriving school

The National Professional Qualification in Headship (NPQH) equips current and aspiring headteachers with the knowledge, skills and confidence to lead their schools effectively.

Designed for leaders working in international schools, this Department for Education-accredited qualification combines expert-led training, flexible online learning, practical school-based development and leadership performance coaching.

Educational Success Partners delivers NPQH in partnership with Best Practice Network, a Department for Education-licensed NPQ provider with extensive experience of supporting thousands of teachers and school leaders.

Delivered remotely over 18 months, the programme enables leaders around the world to gain a highly regarded professional qualification while continuing in their current role.

Shape your vision. Strengthen your leadership. Create lasting impact.

NPQH at a glance

  • 18-month, part-time programme

  • Five virtual face-to-face events

  • Flexible online study

  • Six hours of leadership performance coaching

  • 104 total learning hours

  • Department for Education-accredited qualification

  • Final assessment through a case-study scenario

  • 100 Master’s credits on successful completion

  • Remote worldwide delivery for international schools

Who is NPQH for?

NPQH is designed for experienced school leaders who are, or are aspiring to become, headteachers.

It is particularly suitable for:

  • Current headteachers

  • Deputy headteachers

  • Vice principals

  • Assistant headteachers with substantial whole-school responsibilities

  • Senior leaders preparing to apply for headship

  • Leaders responsible for whole-school strategy

  • Leaders managing teaching quality, culture and organisational improvement

Aspiring headteachers should normally be approximately 18 months away from applying for a headship position.

Applicants must identify and nominate a sponsor as part of the application process. This should be someone with detailed professional knowledge of the applicant’s work, impact, professional characteristics and leadership behaviours.

Become an expert school leader

Headship involves establishing a clear strategic direction and creating the conditions in which pupils and staff can succeed.

Effective headteachers must lead teaching, curriculum, behaviour, professional development and organisational improvement while remaining accountable to pupils, families, governors and the wider school community.

They also need the self-awareness and professional judgement to make evidence-informed decisions, delegate effectively and lead their schools through complex challenges and change.

Through NPQH, participants develop the specialist knowledge needed to:

  • Establish and communicate a compelling strategic vision

  • Lead school improvement and effective implementation

  • Apply ethical principles and professional leadership behaviours

  • Establish and sustain a positive school culture and ethos

  • Promote consistently high expectations for behaviour

  • Improve teaching, curriculum and assessment

  • Support pupils with additional needs and special educational needs or disabilities

  • Lead high-quality professional development

  • Manage people, resources and organisational systems effectively

  • Delegate responsibility and empower other leaders

  • Work successfully with parents, governors and external partners

  • Understand governance and accountability

  • Review and evaluate whole-school performance

  • Make informed, evidence-based decisions

  • Lead sustainable organisational change

A practical programme designed around headship

NPQH brings together expert-led training, online study, practical activities, formative assessment and leadership performance coaching.

The programme gives participants regular opportunities to apply their learning to genuine whole-school priorities, reflect on its impact and develop approaches suited to their school and international context.

Learning explores:

  • School improvement and implementation

  • Ethical principles and leadership behaviours

  • School culture and behaviour

  • Professional development

  • Teaching, curriculum and assessment

  • Additional needs and SEND

  • Organisational management

  • Partnership working

  • Governance and accountability

  • Readiness for headship

Participants also have access to expert talks from respected education and industry leaders.

Flexible remote delivery for international leaders

The programme can be completed fully online, making it accessible to current and aspiring headteachers worldwide.

Virtual face-to-face events provide structured opportunities for expert input, practical activities, professional dialogue and collaboration with leaders from different international contexts. Online learning is completed flexibly around participants’ professional commitments.

Participants also benefit from:

  • Expert-led training

  • Access to high-quality, evidence-informed resources

  • Global professional networking

  • Practical activities rooted in whole-school leadership

  • Personalised one-to-one coaching

  • A structured Leadership Development Record

  • Expert talks from education and industry leaders

  • Dedicated readiness and review activities

  • Opportunities to reflect on and demonstrate professional impact

The NPQ certificate awarded to international participants is identical to the certificate received by participants completing the qualification in England.

Leadership performance coaching

Participants complete six hours of personalised one-to-one leadership performance coaching during the programme.

Coaching helps participants connect their learning to the demands of headship and apply evidence-informed approaches to whole-school priorities. It also provides dedicated time to reflect on leadership behaviours, professional development needs and readiness for headship.

The final coaching activity is an impact review completed before the summative assessment.

This personalised support enables participants to evaluate their progress, strengthen their leadership practice and consider how their work is contributing to sustainable improvement across their school.

Assessment

Participants complete formative, practice-led assessment activities throughout the programme. These activities allow them to apply their learning, receive feedback and demonstrate its impact within their school.

The final summative assessment is based on a case-study scenario. Participants are given an eight-day assessment window in which to prepare and submit their written response.

To pass the qualification, participants must:

  • Engage with at least 90% of the required programme elements

  • Complete the required Leadership Development Record reviews

  • Participate in the virtual face-to-face events

  • Complete the required online practice activities

  • Undertake the formative assessment tasks

  • Engage in leadership performance coaching

  • Submit and pass the final case-study assessment

Benefits for participants

Completing NPQH will help participants to:

  • Build the confidence and expertise needed for headship

  • Develop greater awareness of their leadership behaviours

  • Make informed, evidence-based decisions

  • Lead sustainable whole-school improvement

  • Improve teaching, culture and organisational effectiveness

  • Delegate effectively and empower colleagues

  • Review and evaluate school performance

  • Respond confidently to new and complex challenges

  • Reflect on their readiness for headship

  • Network with school leaders from different international contexts

  • Gain a portable qualification valued by schools in England and internationally

  • Earn 100 Master’s credits that may support progression to further postgraduate study

Successful participants may choose to progress into headship or wider system-leadership roles. They may also continue their professional development through the National Professional Qualification in Executive Leadership.

Benefits for schools

Supporting a leader to complete NPQH can help a school to:

  • Develop and retain future headship talent

  • Support effective leadership succession

  • Build a cohesive, impact-focused leadership team

  • Strengthen strategic and operational leadership

  • Embed evidence-informed approaches to school improvement

  • Empower staff to lead whole-school priorities

  • Improve teaching, culture and pupil outcomes

  • Strengthen governance, accountability and partnership working

  • Increase the school’s capacity to manage change

  • Create sustainable improvements for pupils and staff

Delivery partnership

Educational Success Partners works in partnership with Best Practice Network, a Department for Education-licensed NPQ provider, to make nationally recognised professional qualifications accessible to teachers and leaders in British and international schools worldwide.

Best Practice Network has extensive experience of delivering NPQs and supporting thousands of educators. Together, ESP and Best Practice Network combine high-quality, evidence-informed professional development with flexible remote delivery and a practical understanding of the opportunities and challenges faced by international schools.

Programme fee

The programme fee is £2,750, which includes admission, tuition, assessment and the final award of the NPQH upon successful completion.

 Self-funding candidates will be subject to 20% UK VAT.

Apply for the autumn 2026/27 cohort

Applications for the autumn 2026/27 cohort must be received by 23:59 UK time on 25 October 2026.

Prospective participants should discuss the programme with their chair of governors, school improvement officer, executive headteacher or other appropriate senior colleague before applying.

Consider your professional goals, readiness for headship and how your participation will benefit your school, colleagues and pupils.

For more information about NPQH or to apply email Mark Bignell on mark@espeducation.co.uk.