If you’re a teacher or leader, a National Professional Qualification (NPQ) can help you:

  • improve your skills
  • progress in your career
  • increase your confidence in your role

Many schools are now suggesting NPQs are desirable or essential characteristics when applying for new roles.

We are delighted to confirm therefore that the DFE has recently announced that the next cohort for NPQs will commence in Autumn term 2026.

DFE Funding for the Autumn 2026 cohort for those working in eligible educational settings is as follows

  • NPQ Headship (NPQH), NPQ SEND will continue to be fully funded regardless of disadvantage criteria
  • NPQ Senior Leadership (NPQSL) will now be fully funded regardless of disadvantage criteria
  • NPQ Leading Early Years (NPQEYS)will now be fully funded for participants working in early years regardless of disadvantage criteria
  • Funding for all other NPQs will continue to be based on disadvantage criteria.

Here at Tees Valley Teaching School Hub we offer our NPQ Courses through two Lead Providers – Best Practice Network, and the National Institute of Teaching. Through these partnerships the Hub aims to offer the latest suite of qualifications for Autumn 2026 including leadership courses NPQH, NPQSL, NPQ SEND and NPQEYS and specialist courses including NPQ Leading Behaviour and Culture, NPQ Leading Teaching and NPQ Leading Teacher Development.

Whilst both providers ultimately provide the same knowledge and information, each course is delivered in a different way. Anyone interested in doing an NPQ course with Tees Valley TSH has the choice to decide which Lead Partner they can use that best fits their current commitments, working model and lifestyle.

The NPQ courses are designed to deliver focussed and effective NPQs for teachers looking to enhance their professional development. All face to face events are delivered by expert facilitators in venues in the North East.

For further information on all of these courses please see our NPQ page.

The Registration Service which enables applicants to express an interest will open on 23rd June 2026 In the meantime should you require any further information on the application process please contact npq@teesvalleytsh.co.uk