National Professional Qualifications

Doing an NPQ? Bring it to life.

The NPQ frameworks set out what leaders need to know and know how to do. The 54 behaviours show what that looks like on an ordinary Monday morning, and the Leadership Challenges let you practise applying it to real situations.

See the NPQ areas ➜Practise a challenge
1

Translate

Each NPQ area connects to the behaviours that make it visible in practice, so “leading culture” becomes routines you walk, standards you hold and moments you create.

2

Practise

The final NPQ assessment is a case study: you read a situation and decide what to do. Working through the Leadership Challenges builds that exact habit: what matters here, which behaviours help, what could go wrong.

3

Apply

Use a Playbook and a 90-day plan in your own school while you study, so the course changes what you do, not just what you know.

The NPQ content areas

The NPQ frameworks share ten areas with the Headteachers’ Standards. Here are the behaviours that bring each one to life, and the challenges to practise with.

School culture

Establishing and sustaining high expectations and a purposeful, supportive culture for pupils and staff.

S1 Explain the WhyS2 Tell the StoryS4 Uphold ValuesS5 Establish Collective GoalsS7 Communicate OftenS11 Break Through LimitsS13 Aspire to GreatnessC1 Hold High StandardsC4 Maintain ConsistencyC5 Celebrate SuccessC8 Create MomentsL1 Lead by ExampleL2 Be PositiveL5 Stack the ChairsL6 Leaders Eat LastT4 Create a TeamT5 Mastering ConflictT6 Be Wonderful to Work WithY3 Manage EmotionsY4 Humility
Practise 21 challenges in this area

Teaching

Developing teachers and securing high-quality teaching across the school.

S9 Leverage Marginal GainsS11 Break Through LimitsC2 Set High Floor, No CeilingC3 Establish RoutinesL3 Get the Steps In
Challenges for this area are coming

Curriculum and assessment

Leading a coherent, well-sequenced curriculum and purposeful assessment.

S8 Find the Lead MeasuresS13 Aspire to Greatness
Challenges for this area are coming

Behaviour

Setting and upholding consistent, high expectations of behaviour.

C1 Hold High StandardsC3 Establish RoutinesC4 Maintain ConsistencyL1 Lead by ExampleL3 Get the Steps InY3 Manage Emotions
Practise 4 challenges in this area

Additional and special educational needs and disabilities

Making sure pupils with additional needs and disabilities are included and well supported.

C2 Set High Floor, No CeilingC7 Engage Parents
Challenges for this area are coming

Professional development

Making professional development purposeful, and growing the people you lead.

C5 Celebrate SuccessC6 Seek InspirationL10 Pass the BatonT1 Know Your TeamT2 Ask FirstT3 Get the Right People on the BusT4 Create a TeamT5 Mastering ConflictT10 Embracing AccountabilityY4 HumilityY8 Sharpen Your ToolsY9 Build Habits That Last
Practise 19 challenges in this area

Organisational management

Managing time, resources, workload and the operations that let teaching thrive.

S6 Focus on the Main ThingS14 Anticipate Unintended ConsequencesS15 Plan with a PremortemL4 Make It HappenL5 Stack the ChairsL6 Leaders Eat LastL8 Don't Drop the BallL9 Use the ChecklistL10 Pass the BatonL12 Control the ControllablesT1 Know Your TeamT3 Get the Right People on the BusT6 Be Wonderful to Work WithT7 Hold Meetings for ImpactY1 Protect Your SleepY2 Give Yourself PermissionY5 Organise for ClarityY6 Prioritise What Matters
Practise 17 challenges in this area

Implementation

Choosing the right priorities and implementing change so it sticks.

S1 Explain the WhyS3 Seek the Brutal FactsS5 Establish Collective GoalsS6 Focus on the Main ThingS8 Find the Lead MeasuresS9 Leverage Marginal GainsS10 Sustain ChangeS12 Lead for Lasting ExcellenceS14 Anticipate Unintended ConsequencesS15 Plan with a PremortemL4 Make It HappenL7 Co-create What MattersL9 Use the ChecklistL11 Learn to BendL12 Control the ControllablesT2 Ask FirstT7 Hold Meetings for ImpactT8 Create ActionsT9 Go Back and CheckY6 Prioritise What MattersY7 Think Long, Act Daily
Practise 11 challenges in this area

Working in partnership

Working with parents, carers, other schools and agencies.

S2 Tell the StoryS7 Communicate OftenC6 Seek InspirationC7 Engage ParentsL7 Co-create What Matters
Practise 6 challenges in this area

Governance and accountability

Working with governance and holding yourself and others to account.

S3 Seek the Brutal FactsS12 Lead for Lasting ExcellenceL8 Don't Drop the BallT9 Go Back and CheckT10 Embracing Accountability
Practise 8 challenges in this area

Find your NPQ

A starting set of behaviours for each qualification. Use the self-review to see which of them to work on first.

NPQH (Headship)

Headteachers and aspiring heads

S1 Explain the WhyS3 Seek the Brutal FactsS5 Establish Collective GoalsS6 Focus on the Main ThingS10 Sustain ChangeS15 Plan with a PremortemC1 Hold High StandardsC4 Maintain ConsistencyL4 Make It HappenL10 Pass the BatonT9 Go Back and CheckT10 Embracing AccountabilityY6 Prioritise What Matters

NPQSL (Senior Leadership)

Senior leaders with cross-school responsibility

S1 Explain the WhyS6 Focus on the Main ThingS7 Communicate OftenS8 Find the Lead MeasuresS10 Sustain ChangeC4 Maintain ConsistencyL3 Get the Steps InL4 Make It HappenT7 Hold Meetings for ImpactT8 Create ActionsT9 Go Back and CheckT10 Embracing Accountability

NPQEL (Executive Leadership)

Executive heads and trust leaders

S2 Tell the StoryS4 Uphold ValuesS5 Establish Collective GoalsS12 Lead for Lasting ExcellenceS13 Aspire to GreatnessS14 Anticipate Unintended ConsequencesC6 Seek InspirationL7 Co-create What MattersL10 Pass the BatonT3 Get the Right People on the BusT10 Embracing AccountabilityY7 Think Long, Act Daily

NPQLBC (Leading Behaviour and Culture)

Leaders of behaviour and culture

C1 Hold High StandardsC2 Set High Floor, No CeilingC3 Establish RoutinesC4 Maintain ConsistencyC5 Celebrate SuccessC8 Create MomentsL1 Lead by ExampleL3 Get the Steps InT9 Go Back and CheckY3 Manage Emotions

NPQLTD (Leading Teacher Development)

Leaders of professional development and coaching

T1 Know Your TeamT2 Ask FirstL10 Pass the BatonC5 Celebrate SuccessC6 Seek InspirationS9 Leverage Marginal GainsT8 Create ActionsT9 Go Back and CheckY8 Sharpen Your ToolsL6 Leaders Eat Last

NPQLT (Leading Teaching)

Subject, phase and teaching leaders

C2 Set High Floor, No CeilingC3 Establish RoutinesC4 Maintain ConsistencyS8 Find the Lead MeasuresS9 Leverage Marginal GainsL3 Get the Steps InT7 Hold Meetings for ImpactT8 Create ActionsT9 Go Back and CheckC6 Seek Inspiration

NPQSENCO

SENCOs

C2 Set High Floor, No CeilingC7 Engage ParentsS3 Seek the Brutal FactsT2 Ask FirstL7 Co-create What MattersL10 Pass the BatonT9 Go Back and CheckY2 Give Yourself PermissionY5 Organise for Clarity

NPQEYL (Early Years Leadership)

Early years leaders

C3 Establish RoutinesC4 Maintain ConsistencyC7 Engage ParentsC8 Create MomentsL1 Lead by ExampleL6 Leaders Eat LastT1 Know Your TeamT6 Be Wonderful to Work WithY1 Protect Your Sleep
Take the free self-review ➜NPQ providers and schools: talk to us

This is our own mapping to help you use Everyone Succeeds alongside an NPQ. It is not part of any NPQ programme and is not endorsed by the Department for Education. Leading in Wales? See how the behaviours align with the Welsh professional standards.