Leadership CPD

School leadership is the most challenging and most rewarding job in education, and whether you are just beginning your leadership journey or are a system leader, there is a number of programmes and networks available both locally and nationally which will enable you to be the best leader you can be.

The recently revised suite of National professional qualification (NPQ) courses are featured within the leadership pathway outlined below. NPQs are offered by 10 lead training providers, and are available through approved delivery partners, including local teaching school hubs.

For Norfolk, the two hubs are the Julian Teaching School Hub and Inspiration Trust Teaching School Hub.

NPQ Leadership Pathways

Aspiring Middle Leaders

NPQLTD Leading teacher development - learn how to become a teacher educator and successfully support teachers in your school to expand their skills
NPQLT Leading teaching - learn how to lead the teaching and learning of a subject, year group or phase
NPQLBC Leading behaviour and culture - learn how to create a culture of good behaviour and high expectations in which staff and pupils can thrive
NPQL Leading literacy - learn how to effectively teach and promote literacy across the whole school, year group, key stage or phase

Aspiring Senior Leaders

NPQSL Senior leadership - develop your leadership knowledge and expertise to improve outcomes for teachers and pupils in your school

Aspiring Heads

NPQH Headship - develop the knowledge that underpins expert school leadership and apply it to become an outstanding headteacher

Early Headship

Early headship coaching offer - a follow up to the NPQH offering a package of structured unassessed support and networking opportunities, based on the best available evidence about what makes an effective headteacher. Accessible if you are in your first 5 years of headship

Established Headship

HeadsUp4HTs is a diverse national network of experienced headteachers and coaches offering peer support sessions. This network is useful to headteachers who are interested in a creative approach to resolving challenges and achieving their goals. HeadsUp4HTs can also help headteachers to connect to other professionals to establish a mentoring and/or coaching relationship

Leading Headship

NPQEL Executive leadership - develop the expertise you need to become an outstanding executive leader, leading change and improvement across your group of schools or multi-academy trust

Other Leadership Qualification Routes by Provider

The University of East Anglia (UEA)

The University of East Anglia offers a number of courses, including:

MA Professional Practice in Education (Part Time): This dynamic and flexible programme is designed to empower educators at all levels to enhance their skills, deepen their subject matter expertise, and develop their leadership capabilities. Whether you're an early childhood educator, a high school teacher, or a professional in further education, the course will enable you to tailor your learning experience to align with your career aspirations.
MA Education: Learning, Pedagogy and Assessment (Part Time) 2025/26 : On this Master's in Education: Learning, Pedagogy and Assessment (two-year part-time course), you'll delve deep into the processes, theories and practices of teaching, learning and assessment.
MSc Education Leadership and Management (Part Time) 2025/26 : The fast-moving policy changes and reforms in 21st-century education have created a high demand for professionals with advanced leadership and management skills. The interdisciplinary MSc Education Leadership and Management Part Time course has been designed to enable participants to embrace the problematic aspects of leadership and management with confidence, understanding and insight.
PDIP Senior Leaders Apprenticeship 2025/26 : Funded by the apprenticeship levy, the Senior Leaders Level 7 Apprenticeship offers the opportunity to gain a postgraduate diploma in Strategic Leadership and Chartered Manager status with the Chartered Management Institute. You will undertake the same theoretical learning as postgraduate students but with no university fees to pay, and the two year programme allows you to earn while you learn. Upon completion of the SLA, apprentices have the opportunity to enrol on a short top-up programme to qualify for an MBA (at extra cost). This is separate from the apprenticeship.

Best Practice Network

The Leader Apprenticeships with NPQs are an ideal opportunity for colleagues from schools who missed out on funded DfE scholarships, or for any teacher, aspiring leader or existing school leader who would like to complete a programme which goes beyond the regular NPQ framework, whilst providing a structured way to implement learning, all funded by the apprenticeship levy.

School Leader Programme: Level 5 Apprenticeship with NPQSL: Designed for aspiring or recently appointed senior leaders looking to improve their leadership capability, the School Leader Programme is a dual award which has mapped the DfE's NPQ for Senior Leadership (NPQSL) to the Level 5 Operations Manager Standard.
Headteacher Programme: Level 7 Apprenticeship with NPQH: Designed for current or aspiring headteachers, the Headteacher Programme is a dual award which has mapped the DfE's NPQ for Headship (NPQH) to the Level 7 Senior Leader Standard.
Executive Leader Programme Level 7 Apprenticeship with NPQEL: Designed for current or aspiring executive leaders, the Executive Leader Programme is a dual award which has mapped the DfE's flagship NPQ for Executive Leadership (NPQEL) to the Level 7 Senior Leader Standard.

The National College

The National College offers the following apprenticeships:

Leadership Masters Accelerator : Aimed at serving middle leaders, this level 5 apprenticeship (funded by the levy), enables participants to engage with five immersive modules covering the non-negotiables of effective leadership; from managing yourself to managing whole teams and organisations, equipping you with the knowledge, skills and behaviours to become a successful leader
Senior Leadership Programme: Designed for current senior leaders including serving headteachers and MAT Executives, this level 7 apprenticeship (funded by the levy), includes over 20 world-class leadership and management concepts to develop learners' professional practice and the leadership of their school. Progression Pathways available to MSc in Educational Leadership and Management or MBA

For both advice and support in accessing your school's apprenticeship levy share, contact the following teams:

MAT schools: apprenticeships@norfolk.gov.uk

LA maintained schools: nccapprenticeships@norfolk.gov.uk

Further Leadership Programmes and Providers

As well as funded NPQs and apprenticeships, there is a further range of national development programmes available for leaders and teachers. For example, the Chartered College of Teaching offers a variety of professional learning opportunities, as do professional associations like the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT). Locally, VNET offers a range of leadership CPD, training, consultancy, events and conferences.

Networking, Collaboration and Families of Schools/Cluster Support

HeadsUp4HTs is a diverse national network of experienced headteachers and coaches offering peer support sessions. This network is useful to headteachers who are interested in a creative approach to resolving challenges and achieving their goals. HeadsUp4HTs can also help headteachers to connect to other professionals to establish a mentoring and/or coaching relationship.
Norfolk School Leaders' Association (formerly Educate Norfolk) - supporting the leaders of the 400+ state-funded Primary, Secondary and All Through school leaders in Norfolk.