The arrangements for school leaders to achieve the National Professional Qualification for Headteachers (NPQH) have now changed and can no longer be pursued through participation on the Aspiring Headteachers Development Programme.

The participants currently on the Aspriring Headteachers Development Programme, who  commenced the programme in January 2023, will be the last to go through to NPQH assessment following participation in the programme in this current format.

Welsh Government, in collaboration with other stakeholders are in the process of developing new NPQH arrangements, by which a new programme will be in place for Autumn 2024. Further details about this new NPQH programme will be issued in due course.   

These changes are a decision made by Welsh Government, following the publication of Professor Mick Waters’ report of his review of the current NPQH arrangements. A statement from Welsh Government is available here.

Previous participants on the Aspriring Headteachers Development Programme, who deferred their NPQH assessment, or did not meet the required standards, will have  opportunities to be assessed at an NPQH Assessment Centre in February 2024 and again in May / June 2024.