National Professional Qualification for Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL) – for leaders qualified to at least Level 3 with a full and relevant qualification who are, or are aspiring to be, managers of Private, Voluntary and Independent nurseries, headteachers of school-based or maintained nurseries, or childminders with leadership responsibilities. More information is available via the Framework.

Leading a nursery requires a wealth of strategic and operational knowledge. The role is reliant on working with and through colleagues to ensure every child gets the best start in life.

Early years leaders need to have a strong understanding of their context, community and the children and adults they work with. They also need to have expertise across a number of areas related to their role (e.g. high-quality early education and care, parental engagement, additional and special educational needs, and organisational management) and in approaches that, through working with their colleagues, enable their nursery to keep improving (e.g. professional development and implementation). They must understand the relationship between these different areas, how they can change over time, how to set an ambitious vision for their nursery, and how to establish the unique culture and conditions which can shape the experiences of children and be a deciding factor in practitioners, teachers and leaders remaining in the profession.

The framework is a codification of essential knowledge, skills and concepts that underpin successful leadership of a high-quality nursery. It sets out what those leading a nursery should know and be able to do within the areas related to their role and in relation to approaches that enable their nursery to keep improving.

Providers of this qualification will design a curriculum that draws on and blends together sections from across this framework, and which is responsive to the needs of the participants who are taking the course and considering the context of their nursery (or school).

Thrive as a leader

This programme is designed specifically for leaders of early years education. Through evidence-based professional development, you’ll learn what great early years learning looks like and how to lead others and your setting. You’ll also look at what others can learn from you.

Close the gap

Evidence shows that high quality care and education in early years is fundamental for a child’s development, preparing them for school and later life*. We’ll help you to develop the knowledge to deliver this to the children you support.

Train to your timetable

This is a flexible programme, designed to fit around your existing work commitments. Most of the training can be completed at a time that suits you with minimal time spent away from your early years setting.

Connect with peers

You’ll train with people from early years settings, sharing your experiences and building a strong support network.

Tailor your training

The programme allows you to apply the theory to your early years’ setting.

*Sources:

Barnett, W. S. (1995). “Long-term effects of early childhood programs on cognitive and school outcomes”. The Future of Children, 25-50.

Heckman, J., Pinto, R. and Savelyev, P. (2013). “Understanding the mechanisms through which an influential early childhood program boosted adult outcomes”. American Economic Review 103(6), 2052-2086.

Give young people the best start

Equipping your leaders with evidence-based training on what good education and care looks like will help to create a level playing field for children in the early stages of life.

Benefit from tailored training

This is the first NPQ that is designed specifically for early years practitioners. It will develop expertise that can be applied to identifying and addressing persistent and common challenges in early years leadership.

Invest in high-quality professional development

Participants will learn how to unpack and apply learning across all aspects of the early years – and support their colleagues to develop in these areas too.

Create a ‘golden thread’

The new NPQs are all aligned. Right from the start, your leaders will benefit from an evidence-based framework with a common language that they can pass onto colleagues.

Tap into a network

Your leaders will train alongside peers from other early years settings, supported by facilitators who fully understand their needs.

You will learn how to:

• Set a strategic direction for your early years setting and apply ambitious standards for all children
• Champion evidence-based practice
• Plan and deliver care and a high-quality curriculum to support children’s development
• Establish communication, language and literacy approaches to support children’s learning
• Make sure all children experience success
• Identify children who need support and make appropriate referrals
• Create an environment for all children and colleagues where everyone feels welcome and safe.

Note: programme content is subject to change.

How you’ll learn

The programme is delivered through blended learning. This includes a mix of real-time interactive online sessions, face-to-face training, peer-led sessions and self-guided modules which you complete in your own time.

The assessment window starts at the end of the 18-month programme and runs for three months. During this time, participants will be given an eight-day window to sit an ‘open book’ style assessment in which they respond to a short case study.

There are two assessment windows every year, and participants can sit the assessment two times, if they need to.

You need to complete the course to qualify for the NPQ accreditation.

Exceed Teaching School Hub will offer a webinar and live clinic in advance of the assessment window to support participants.