Windsor Academy Trust, Trinity Point, High Street, Halesowen, B63 3HY
npq for leading literacy

NPQ for Leading Literacy

In the Department for Education's (DfE's) March 2022 white paper, it states that:

“Schools will be able to have a trained literacy expert through a new National Professional Qualification for Leading Literacy.”

The new National Professional Qualification for Leading Literacy is important for primary and secondary schools.

Although the role varies, many phase leaders, key stage leaders, and heads of department (or similar titles) with responsibilities for leading literacy are considered to be part of the middle leadership team.

An excellent literacy leader will have a deep understanding of the fundamental importance of literacy and recognise its influence on students’ future academic achievement, wellbeing, and success in life.

In addition, they will have expertise across several specialist areas related to their role (eg developing students’ spoken language) and a passion for literature that they want to share with the school community.

Literacy leaders also need to understand the school and wider community in which they work, enabling them to share their expertise effectively. They must understand how to prioritise professional development to ensure their colleagues have the knowledge, skills, understanding and professional support to teach reading and writing effectively. They must also work with their colleagues, collectively enabling their school to keep improving. This new qualification will assist with all of these elements.

To find out more about the NPQ in Leading Literacy with the National Institute of Teaching please visit their website:

NPQ in Leading Literacy with NIOT 

Who is the NPQ for Leading Literacy for?

  • Teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading literacy across a school, year group, key stage or phase.
  • Anyone who needs to understand how to prioritise professional development to ensure their colleagues have the knowledge, skills, understanding and professional support to teach reading and writing effectively.

What does the programme include?

The key sections of the qualification are as follows:

  • Teaching
  • Developing Language
  • Developing Reading
  • Developing writing
  • Professional Development

This National Professional Qualification will be a highly practical blended programme. It will allow you to reflect on best practice and to hear from excellent leaders delivering in these areas both locally and nationally.

The qualification will include self-directed study, webinars and face-to-face sessions. It will be assessed through a short case study at the end of the programme.

View further information on the content included

When does the course start?

October 2024

Fully funded by the DfE

For staff from state-funded schools or 16-19 organisations in England, places are fully funded by the DfE. There will be no cost to the participant.

You can study towards more than one NPQ, but will only be eligible for funding for each NPQ once. If you withdraw from or fail your programme, you will not be funded again for the same NPQ.

If you are not eligible for funding, please contact NIOT for further information on programme costs.

Find out more

To find out more about the NPQ in Leading Literacy with the National Institute of Teaching please visit their website:

NPQ in Leading Literacy with NIOT