National Professional Qualification for Leading Literacy

• Head of Teaching Development / CPD Lead
• Year Group Leader
• Subject Leader
• Key Stage / Phase Leader
• Head of Department
• Assistant / Deputy Head
• Headteacher
• Head of ITT
• Class Teacher
• LA Supply Staff
• Literacy Co-ordinator
• Literacy / English Lead
• MAT Lead / Director of Subject

Participants must be in, or have been in, a teaching role.
May lead subject networks across multiple schools/educational settings including early years and sixth forms.

This programme follows the Department for Education’s National Professional Qualification: Leading Literacy Framework.
On this programme, you will learn how:

• To support staff, of all subject specialisms, to develop pupils’ language and literacy skills
• Pupils develop aspects of literacy, including how children learn to talk, how effective spoken language supports literacy development at every age, how children learn to become fluent readers and how teachers can support this across every stage, and explore the importance of subject-specific vocabulary and different strategies to teaching this
• To support pupils’ writing – whether learning to write in primary school, through to writing academically at key stage five support, develop and teach pupils literacy using evidence-informed approaches
• Lead literacy through curriculum, culture and motivation
• Effective literacy education can support your school
• To contribute to effective professional development for literacy, linking it to teaching, the curriculum and assessment across the school
  Note: programme content is subject to change

Our NPQLL is designed so you can engage in live, facilitated sessions alongside modules you can complete at any time.
Over 12 months, our NPQLL includes:

• One full day conference
• Six courses (each course lasts about six weeks and loosely aligns with a school half term)
• Each course includes six modules
• Five two-hour clinics (facilitated sessions)
• One two-hour assessment clinic
• Three communities (1hr15mins group sessions)

The content is delivered through blended learning. This includes in-person delivery, a mix of real-time, interactive online sessions and self-guided modules you complete in your own time.
The programme includes facilitator-led sessions with your peer group that focus on decision making. The programme starts with a one-day live conference.

• Make a real difference – Ensuring that all pupils become confidently literate is an essential responsibility of leaders of literacy. The NPQLL will help you to offer all children in your school access to high-quality literacy in their education
• Excel at literacy leadership – Become a true champion of literacy. You’ll develop a thorough understanding of how you can improve literacy in your subject, phase and school, using the latest evidence informed research
• Impact your whole school – As well as providing the key domains of leading literacy, you’ll build your leadership skills by learning how to share your new literacy expertise through effective professional development and implementation, so you can enact lasting change in your context
• Designed by experts – Benefit from a programme which is designed and delivered by literacy, language, reading and writing specialists and experts from across the sector
• Invest in your future – Ongoing professional development helps you to grow and thrive as a leader. You will follow an evidence-informed framework and gain a professional accreditation at the end of the programme
• Learn to your pace – This programme is designed to fit around your busy teaching role. Much of the work can be completed in short bursts around your existing schedule
• Connect with your peers – You will train alongside literacy leaders from similar school contexts. You can share your experiences and build a strong support network

• Build brighter futures – By expertly championing literacy leadership in your school, you can make sure that every young person has the literacy skills to succeed across all curriculum areas
• Improve literacy at all levels – Participants will work on applying learning and improving literacy across your school and different subject areas – and support colleagues to do this too
• Put knowledge into practice – This programme gives literacy leaders a comprehensive and accessible evidence base. This allows them to bridge the gap between what they know and how to apply it effectively in your school, to improve literacy and outcomes for pupils
• Create a ‘golden thread’ – The NPQs are all aligned. So, no matter what career stage your teachers are at, by joining this programme, they will benefit from an evidence-based framework. They will also share a common language with other NPQ participants that they can pass on to colleagues
• Invest in your leaders – By aligning staff professional development with wider school improvement priorities, you can make sure all pupils have access to high quality literacy support in their education
• Tap into a network – Your teachers will train alongside peers from other schools with similar contexts, supported by facilitators that fully understand your needs

You’ll sit an ‘open book’ style assessment in which you respond to a short case study.
The assessment window starts at the end of the 12-month programme; during this time, you’ll be given an eight-day window to complete the case study.
There are two assessment windows every year, and participants have up to two opportunities to sit the assessment, if they need to.
You need to complete the course to qualify for the NPQ accreditation.
We will offer a webinar and live clinic in advance of the assessment window to support you.

New for autumn 2024! DfE-funded scholarships for this NPQ will target those teachers and leaders who work in the most challenging schools or educational settings, serving more disadvantaged communities.
For the NPQ in Leading Literacy, funded scholarships will be available for those who meet the following criteria:

• Have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading teaching in a subject, year group, key stage, or phase
• Work in the 50% of schools with the highest proportion of students who attract pupil premium funding and 16 to 19 educational settings identified as having high disadvantage in England

We expect more eligibility information including which schools and settings will be able to access this funding.

If you do not work in an eligible school, the NPQ in Leading Literacy costs £899 plus VAT.