NPQ for Leading Literacy (NPQLL)

Why this programme?

Choose our NPQ for Leading Literacy and you’ll be joining over 37,000 teachers and school leaders (as of July 2025), who have decided on Ambition to complete their NPQ since they were launched in 2021.

Evidence informed curriculum
Our carefully sequenced and evidence informed NPQ is designed around the key problems you face. You’ll learn to implement tailored literacy strategies related to your school’s context.

Access the latest literacy research
This includes the science of learning, developing spoken language, reading including phonics, fluency and comprehension, and writing to support you in building your knowledge and practice.

Train to your timetable
Our ‘little and often’ approach means you can engage with our NPQs around your busy timetable, with minimal time needed out of school. On average just one hour per week to engage in our NPQLL.

No large project
Plus, on our NPQs there’s no large project at the end. Instead, you’ll sit an ‘open book’ assessment with support via two on-demand webinars and a dedicated, live assessment preparation clinic to help you get the most from your NPQ.

Benefits for you

Make a real difference
Ensuring that all pupils become confidently literate is an essential responsibility of leaders of literacy. The NPQLL will help you to offer all children in your school access to high-quality literacy in their education.

Excel at literacy leadership
Become a true champion of literacy. You’ll develop a thorough understanding of how you can improve literacy in your subject, phase and school, using the latest evidence informed research.

Impact your whole school
As well as providing the key domains of leading literacy, you’ll build your leadership skills by learning how to share your new literacy expertise through effective professional development and implementation, so you can enact lasting change in your context.

Designed by experts
Benefit from a programme which is designed and delivered by literacy, language, reading and writing specialists and experts from across the sector.

Invest in your future
Ongoing professional development helps you to grow and thrive as a leader. You will follow an evidence-informed framework and gain a professional accreditation at the end of the programme.

Learn to your pace
This programme is designed to fit around your busy teaching role. Much of the work can be completed in short bursts around your existing schedule.

Connect with your peers
You will train alongside literacy leaders from similar school contexts. You can share your experiences and build a strong support network.

Benefits for your school

Build brighter futures
By expertly championing literacy leadership in your school, you can make sure that every young person has the literacy skills to succeed across all curriculum areas.

Improve literacy at all levels
Participants will work on applying learning and improving literacy across your school and different subject areas – and support colleagues to do this too.

Put knowledge into practice
This programme gives literacy leaders a comprehensive and accessible evidence base. This allows them to bridge the gap between what they know and how to apply it effectively in your school, to improve literacy and outcomes for pupils.

Create a ‘golden thread’
The NPQs are all aligned. So, no matter what career stage your teachers are at, by joining this programme, they will benefit from an evidence-based framework. They will also share a common language with other NPQ participants that they can pass on to colleagues.

Invest in your leaders
By aligning staff professional development with wider school improvement priorities, you can make sure all pupils have access to high quality literacy support in their education.

Tap into a network
Your teachers will train alongside peers from other schools with similar contexts, supported by facilitators that fully understand your needs.