News just released about NPQ funding for autumn 2026!

At Five Counties, we’re really proud of our National Professional Qualification provision – we’re one of the strongest providers in the country with some of the highest pass rates nationally. We deliver all our NPQs through Ambition Institute , so you know your colleagues will be getting the highest quality professional development.

The DfE has just released the funding details for the autumn 2026 NPQ cohort, and there are some really positive changes. You can find all the details on GOV.UK

In summary:

Fully funded NPQs (no disadvantage criteria needed) – funding available to all schools:

• NPQ for Headship* 
• NPQ for SENCOs*
• NPQ for Senior Leadership* (this is new – now fully funded!)
• NPQ for Early Years Leadership* (now fully funded for anyone working in Early Years settings)

All of the above apply if you’re working in an eligible educational setting.

The Early Headship Coaching Offer is still available if you’re in your first 5 years of headship and either doing or have completed the NPQH.

Other NPQs will still need to meet disadvantage criteria for funding (schools need to be in the highest 50% of schools for PP).

Check if your school is on the DfE eligibility list.  If you are not on this list, staff can still access the NPQ programmes for a fee.

The full list of NPQs available are:

National Professional Qualification in:

• Leading Teaching  (NPQLT)
• Leading Behaviour and Culture (NPQLBC)
• Leading teacher Development (NPQLTD)
• Leading Literacy (NPQLL)
• Leading Primary Mathematics (NPQPML)
• Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL)*
• Senior Leadership (NPQSL)*
• Headship (NPQH)*
• Executive Leadership (NPQEL)
• SENCos (NPQ for SENCOs)*
• Early Headship Coaching Offer (EHCO)*

*Funded for all schools but with very limited scholarship places

Important dates: The DfE Registration Service opens on 23rd June 2026. But don’t wait – submit your expression of interest with Five Counties now and we’ll contact those interested as soon as applications open so your staff can apply quickly!

Please note: Funded places are extremely limited, so it’s first come, first served from 23rd  June.

Programmes commence in November 2026, and there’s only one cohort per academic year – so if you miss this window, staff will be waiting until the 2027-2028 cohorts.

If you want to find out more about each NPQ and who they’re for, please visit the Five Counties NPQ pages.