NPQ for Early Years Leadership

A National Professional Qualification (NPQ) for Dixons primary teaching staff who want to create lasting change as an early years leader, helping to give all children up to the age of five the best possible start in life.

What are the programme benefits?

As part of a fully blended learning approach that is designed to fit around your role, you will learn how to develop expertise in the knowledge, skills and concepts for leading an early years setting. These include best practice around child development and additional and specialist educational needs, as well as culture, organisational management and partnerships you may make as the leader of an early years setting. Content is informed by the best and most recent evidence and developed with input from serving leaders and subject matter experts.

Who is this programme suitable for?

This programme is suitable for Dixons primary teachers who are, or are aspiring to be:

• a principal of a school-based or maintained early years setting
• an early years foundation stage leader

Roles may include:

• early years / KS1 phase leader
• assistant or deputy principal
• class teachers (aspiring to leadership)

Please note this list is not exhaustive.

Programme curriculum

The programme follows the Department of Education’s National Professional Qualification (NPQ) for Early Years Leadership that will cover learning on:

• setting a strategic direction for your early years setting and applying ambitious standards for all children
• championing evidence-based practice
• planning and delivering care and a high-quality curriculum to support children’s development
• establishing communication, language and literacy approaches to support children’s learning
• making sure all children experience success
• Identifying children who need support and make appropriate referrals
• creating an environment for all children and colleagues where everyone feels welcome and safe

What is the commitment?

Over 18 months you will:

• attend two all day, face-to-face conferences
• attend seven twilight two-hour facilitated clinics
• attend one two-hour assessment clinic
• attend five online peer-led community groups
• complete nine online courses (three modules per course)

At the end of the programme, you will be supported in completing an open book structured assessment of up to 1500 words over a period of eight days.

Participants can sit the assessment two times, if they need to.

Next steps for Dixons teachers

Please complete an expression of interest form, or speak to your CPD lead.

This programme involves submitting an application directly to Ambition Institute and onboarding with them.

Centre for Growth will support you with the application and onboarding process.