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It’s a blow to the engine room of teaching

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The end of funding for specialist NPQs is a blow for some of the most vital members of the teaching workforce – middle and aspiring leaders, says Elizabeth Jobling
Cut backs: Since September, only professionals working in schools with most students on Pupil Premium have been eligible for funded NPQs. NPQs for headteachers and SENCOs are still available for free - Adobe Stock

The Leadership and Training Centre has delivered the suite of National Professional Qualifications for more than 12 years, locally and nationally, sitting at the heart of the 5 Dimensions Trust.

I like to think that we have our “finger on the pulse” in terms of educational workforce. We are well placed to witness the very real impact that the recent funding cuts linked to the qualifications are having on schools.

The cuts came into effect in September last year when the Department for Education’s £184m fund for NPQs ended.

Since the autumn, only professionals working in those schools with most students on Pupil Premium will be eligible for funded NPQs, with funded places limited to 10,000. NPQs for headteachers and SENCOs are still available for free to all schools (DfE, 2025; 2024).

The cuts hit hard specialist areas such as Leading Teaching, Leading Teaching Development, and Leading Behaviour and Culture. It represents yet another challenge that could have long-standing implications for the retention and professional development of the most vital members of our workforce – middle and aspiring leaders.

The qualifications were not only critical to nurturing talent, but also giving teachers the opportunity to showcase talent and leadership capacity within different forums. The fallout from these funding cuts may exacerbate the already serious issue of leadership erosion, resulting in a profession haemorrhaging skilled educators at all levels.

 

Stoking the fire

NPQs have long been regarded as an essential element of professional development within the education sector, providing structured and high-quality leadership dialogue linked directly to educational research.

These qualifications allow teachers the cognitive space to deepen their knowledge in relation to school culture and ultimately student outcomes.

Leading Teacher Development and Leading Behaviour and Culture were particularly critical because they targeted areas of practice that impact the everyday running of schools – “the engine room” of the profession.

For many educationalists the programmes represented a way to gain leadership experience and make meaningful contributions to their schools without climbing the formal hierarchy.

Teachers often need opportunities to demonstrate leadership in their current roles and NPQs show how they can influence key aspects of teaching and learning or school culture from the classroom. NPQs provide the “soapbox” allowing colleagues to grow professionally and contribute to school improvement from within their current positions.

The free provision of these opportunities could have been further enhanced with the removal of performance-related pay and the subsequent potential impact this has on performance management in schools – basically allowing schools the opportunity to become more agile when rewarding contributions.

 

The chalkface

The NPQ funding cuts have left a significant gap in the market that cannot be filled with trust/school-based professional development. The cuts have taken away vital opportunities for teachers to grow as leaders within their schools.

This came just at a time when the Education Endowment Foundation’s mechanisms for effective professional development (EEF, 2021) have birthed the first real conversation around what “effective staff curriculum” should look and feel like.

Without targeted, accessible and regulated professional development in this area schools will again struggle to improve in the very real areas that directly impact student learning and teacher retention.

Funding has always been a major factor in supporting the professional development of the education sector and with the tightening of budgets, school leaders will often look to this area to cut first.

The NPQs, previously funded by the government, were offered free of charge to eligible teachers – making leadership training accessible to a wider range of professionals. With funding reduced or removed, fewer teachers will be able to afford these qualifications, and schools facing budgetary constraints may no longer be able to subsidise them. This creates an inequitable system where only those with additional resources can afford to pursue further development, while others miss out.

 

Retention: The bigger issue

It comes at a time when the sector is already grappling with significant retention issues. A substantial number of teachers leave the profession within the first five years, many citing “lack of professional development and career progression” (NEU, 2023) as the key reason for their departure. Indeed, as SecEd has reported we have lost more than 80,000 teachers in the last two years.

The middle tier of the profession – teachers within five to 10 years’ experience – is particularly vulnerable to burn-out and cynicism. For them the qualifications have provided a vital and necessary sense of professional fulfilment.

One of the most important, but often overlooked, aspects of retention is providing teachers with opportunities to lead and grow in their roles, even when formal promotions may not be immediately available.

Many teachers do not aspire to become headteachers or senior leaders but still want to make a difference beyond their classroom. The NPQs offer routes to evoke change and develop leadership capabilities with a renewed sense of purpose. Limiting access to the qualifications risks driving away experienced and motivated individuals that no longer see a future for themselves as part of the profession.

 

Weakening the leadership pipeline

The longer-term impact of losing specialist NPQs could be problematic. These programmes were designed not only to retain teachers, but to create a pipeline of future leaders. By limiting the accessibility of leadership development at the middle level, schools are likely to see fewer teachers stepping up into senior roles in the future.

Moreover, the very areas where specialist NPQs made the most impact – teaching quality, teacher development, and behaviour management – are essential for the overall effectiveness of schools.

Without qualified leaders in these areas, schools may struggle to improve, affecting everything from staff morale to student outcomes. This could, in turn, create a vicious cycle where the lack of professional development opportunities drives more teachers out of the profession, further weakening school leadership and making it harder for schools to offer quality education.

 

Moving forward: Addressing the gap

In light of these challenges, it is clear that something must be done to address the gap left by the removal of specialist NPQs. If the sector is to retain its most talented and dedicated teachers, policy-makers need to recognise the value of professional development in leadership and provide the necessary funding to support it.

There is also a need for schools and trusts to advocate for alternative pathways for leadership development, ensuring that teachers at all levels have access to training that allows them to grow without the expectation of immediate hierarchical promotion.

The profession also needs to explore ways to make leadership development more accessible, whether through alternative funding models, partnerships with universities, or professional organisations.

Investment in middle leadership is an investment in the future of the profession. It ensures that schools have a steady supply of capable leaders who understand the intricacies of classroom practice, teacher development, and school culture. Without this investment, we risk weakening the very core of the education system and failing that all-important engine.

  • Elizabeth Jobling is acting principal of the Leadership and Training Centre based at the 5 Dimensions Trust in Milton Keynes. The centre opened in 2012 to provide nationally accredited and bespoke professional development and training for leaders in education within the school, community, Milton Keynes and further afield. Find Elizabeth’s previous articles for SecEd via www.sec-ed.co.uk/authors/elizabeth-jobling. Visit https://ltc.5dimensionstrust.com 

 

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