This programme focuses on the holistic development of the appropriate skills, knowledge and behaviours, designed in partnership with cross-sector industries, to ensure bespoke coverage of all the relevant requirements of leading and managing at a senior level at your setting.

The Leader Apprenticeship with NPQLBC makes use of a blended delivery model consisting of Face-to-Face events, online study, webinars and coaching.

Face-to-Face

Learners  will attend 3 face-to-face events via the blended delivery model. Our nationwide delivery partnership network allows us to bring face-to-face training to a school near you and facilitated by local school leaders.

Online Learning

Participants access online learning and support via our virtual learning environment (VLE) BUD. Through BUD, participants are able to engage with their learning communities of peers and access multimedia content. They can also access research and expert-led school practice aligned to the curriculum content for the qualification, receive high-quality feedback from experienced performance coaches and submit work for assessment.

The Leader Apprenticeship with NPQLBC can be funded through your school’s apprenticeship levy. Schools will be able to access the funding through their apprenticeship service (AS) account.

If your school needs help setting up your AS account, just let us know and we’ll guide you through it.

The Leader Apprenticeship with NPQLBC costs £7,000 from Apprenticeship Levy funds or co-investment for non-levy payers where the government pays 95%.

The level of funding depends on each candidate’s learning needs, with a maximum allocation of £7,000 to cover the cost of the apprenticeship.

What is the Apprenticeship Levy?

The levy is paid by large employers with a wage bill of over £3 million. These employers pay 0.5% of their total annual pay bill into the levy. Most state-maintained schools and multi-academy trusts pay into the levy.

The levy is designed to create long term sustainable funding for apprenticeships and to give employers more control to provide their staff with a range of training opportunities.

Apprenticeship funded training is designed for both new and existing staff members.

Applicants must have full support from their school/organisation. A head teacher, member of the SLT, line manager or Chair of Governors (or similar authoritative role) must confirm their support and that all information submitted is true and correct. This is a Department for Education mandatory requirement.

To apply, applicants must have the following:

• Teacher Reference Number - see TRN Support Guide 
• 2 years teaching experience
• Leadership aspiration/experience

If you are unsure if you meet the above requirements or have other relevant experience then please contact our team who will be able to support your application.

You won't be facing this journey alone. From your very first day, you'll be part of a supportive network:

• Your Sponsor: A senior leader within your setting (such as your Headteacher or Chair of Governors) provides crucial support by formally declaring their commitment to your development and allocating you an Apprenticeship Mentor.
  
  
• Your Apprenticeship Mentor (AM): A colleague from your school will take on a dual role, combining the core responsibilities of an Apprenticeship Mentor with the developmental support traditionally provided by an NPQ In‑School Performance Coach (ISPC).
  
  This means the mentor will guide the apprentice through regular workplace engagement, on‑the‑job learning and progress reviews as part of the apprenticeship, alongside delivering structured coaching, challenge and developmental feedback aligned to NPQ requirements.
  
  

  Through planned coaching sessions, discussion of formative assessment tasks and ongoing monitoring of progress, the mentor will help participants reflect on their leadership growth and evaluate the impact of their learning on their school.
  
  

• Your Apprenticeship Performance Coach (APC): Your APC will be your primary point of contact throughout the programme. They will offer feedback on task submissions, support you when you are gathering evidence for the portfolio and coach you during the tripartite review meetings with the AM.
  
  
• Face-to-Face Event Facilitators: Expert facilitators lead engaging Face-to-Face events, fostering learning and networking opportunities with other leaders.

Off‑the‑Job Training (OTJT) is the time you spend developing new skills, knowledge and behaviours that directly enhance your effectiveness as a team leader, and reflects the learning you apply within your day‑to‑day role. As required by the Department for Education, every apprenticeship standard has a set minimum number of OTJT hours that must be delivered. Activities could include:

Operational Planning & Performance 

Activities that help build skills in planning, monitoring performance and understanding organisational priorities, such as:

• Creating or refreshing team KPIs, dashboards or scorecards
• Reviewing performance data with new analytical tools or methods
• Contributing to operational plans, rotas, workflows or staffing models
• Designing or updating standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• Participating in meetings focused on planning improvements or monitoring progress

Leading People & Team Management 

Development activities that strengthen leadership skills: 

• Coaching or mentoring sessions with staff
• Leading or co‑leading team meetings, stand‑ups or briefings 
• Planning or delivering training for colleagues 
• Supporting colleagues through change projects or new initiatives 
• Facilitating feedback or performance conversations using new models

Personal Development & Reflective Practice 

• Completing reflective journals or learning logs
• Attending workshops, webinars, inset days or CPD sessions
• Shadowing leaders in other departments or roles
• Participating in peer learning groups or communities of practice

Building Relationships & Communication

• Leading cross‑team discussions or working groups 
• Preparing and delivering team presentations
• Practising communication techniques learned in workshops
• Working with internal or external stakeholders to solve problems

Managing Change & Continuous Improvement 

• Supporting a change management project
• Gathering team feedback and contributing to improvement plans
• Conducting research or benchmarking best practice
• Trialling new processes and reporting on outcomes

Knowledge-Building & Research Activities 

• Researching legislation, policies, or industry updates
• Studying leadership models or management theory
• Preparing for assessments, revision, or consolidation tasks
• Reviewing organisational policies and exploring how they apply to team practice

Below is the programme structure for the Leader Apprenticeship with NPQLBC: