NPQs for International Schools

Why Best Practice Network?

Accredited by the UK Department for Education, Best Practice Network is the leading provider of the National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) globally. Our NPQ provision has expanded rapidly across the international schools community with leaders and their schools choosing professional qualification as a driver for improvement and a mark of quality for their workforce.

We were recently rated ‘Exceptional’ by the DfE’s quality assurance agent and voted ‘Company of the Year’ at the BETT Awards. We are the market leader, and to date have supported over 500 candidates from 60+ countries to access and complete an NPQ.

Reformed National Professional Qualifications (NPQs)

From September 2021, reformed National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) will offer teachers and leaders clearer development opportunities and career progression. These qualifications will build on key areas of the Early Career Framework (ECF), allowing for further specialisation and development of expertise and help prepare teachers and leaders the next step in their careers.

The reformed qualifications aim to:

help teachers hone and develop the skills they already have, helping them to become more effective leaders inside and outside the classroom and improving overall teaching quality
retain high-calibre teachers by offering clearer development opportunities and career progression

Which NPQ is right for me?

Specialist NPQs
	NPQLT	NPQLBC	NPQLTD
Who's it for?	For teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading teaching in a subject, year group, key stage or phase.	For teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading behaviour and/or supporting pupil wellbeing in their school.	For teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading the development of other teachers in their school.
Duration	12 months	12 months	12 months
Face-to-face events	18 hours	18 hours	18 hours
Online course study	34 hours	34 hours	34 hours
Performance coaching	6 hours	6 hours	6 hours
FATs (In-school Practice Application of learning)	18 hours	18 hours	18 hours
Summative assessment stage	Case Study scenario	Case Study scenario	Case Study scenario
	Learn More	Learn More	Learn More

Leadership NPQs
	NPQSL	NPQH	NPQEL
Who's it for?	For those who are, or aspire to be, senior leaders leading across a school	Aspiring or current headteachers leading a school	For those who are, or aspire to be, executive leaders with responsibility across more than one school (for example within a MAT or diocese
Duration	18 months	18 months	18 months
Face-to-face events	24 hours	30 hours	36 hours
Online course study	38 hours	38 hours	38 hours
Performance coaching	10 hours	10 hours	10 hours
FATs (In-school Practice Application of learning)	20 hours	28 hours	34 hours
Summative assessment stage	Case Study scenario – 2000 words minimum	Case Study scenario – 2000 words minimum	Case Study scenario – 2000 words minimum
	Learn More	Learn More	Learn More

Why take an NPQ?

NPQs can have a measurable impact on schools and pupils. Benefits for schools include:

Increased workforce capacity, capability and confidence
Staff retention and succession
Research-based improvement activity addressing priority needs

Why choose OLP?

Best Practice Network is a national, school-led partnership recently rated as ‘exceptional’ by the DfE Quality Assurance Agent.

The quality review was based on the DfE National Professional Qualification (NPQ) Quality Framework. The reviewers examined leadership and governance, face-to-face delivery, online courses, candidate, facilitator and tutor support, assessment, organisation, quality control, marketing and recruitment, as well as the DfE metrics and impact. The reviewers identified exceptional performance in most areas of the Quality Framework.

Read the full summary of our DfE Quality Review results here.

"I got the headship! The course was absolutely instrumental in my success at interview – I felt so confident because of my reading and the work we’ve done on the face-to-face days and projects. Thank you for your support and encouragement – it really helped.”"

Gaynor Jones NPQH candidate

Watch the video below to learn more about Outstanding Leaders Partnership and hear how our qualifications have impacted the careers of teachers and the attainment of pupils.