Examius
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Teaching
National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) Syllabus
Professional development qualification for current or aspiring school headteachers in England.. The complete National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) outline — 6 subjects, 19 chapters and 78 topics — laid out so you can see exactly what has to be covered and tick each item off as you go.
National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) subjects
Each subject below has its own page with the full chapter → topic → sub-topic tree and a set of real exam-style flashcards.
3 chapters · 12 topics · 19 sub-topics
Teaching, Learning and Curriculum4 chapters · 17 topics · 16 sub-topics
Leading and Developing People3 chapters · 13 topics · 8 sub-topics
Organisational Management and Governance3 chapters · 12 topics · 11 sub-topics
Safeguarding and Statutory Responsibilities3 chapters · 13 topics · 8 sub-topics
Strategic Leadership and Improvement3 chapters · 11 topics · 12 sub-topics
National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) flashcard decks
317 question-and-answer cards across 6 decks, written against this syllabus. Preview any deck free.
How to work through the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) syllabus
The outline on this page is arranged the way the syllabus itself is: subject, then chapter, then topic, then sub-topic. That last level is what most study plans skip, and it is where coverage actually goes wrong — a chapter marked "done" often has three sub-topics inside it that were never touched.
Weight your plan accordingly: Teaching, Learning and Curriculum carries 17 topics while Strategic Leadership and Improvement carries 11. Giving both the same number of weeks is the most common planning mistake for National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH).
The ~75 hour estimate above is a first pass only: roughly 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic. Revision cycles, past papers and mocks sit on top of that number.
National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) syllabus FAQ
What subjects are in the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) syllabus?
National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) covers 6 subjects: School Culture and Ethos, Teaching, Learning and Curriculum, Leading and Developing People, Organisational Management and Governance, Safeguarding and Statutory Responsibilities and Strategic Leadership and Improvement. Together they contain 19 chapters and 78 named topics.
How much do you have to study for National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH)?
The full National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) outline breaks down into 19 chapters, 78 topics and 74 sub-topics. Teaching, Learning and Curriculum is the largest single subject with 17 topics across 4 chapters.
How long does it take to cover the whole National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) syllabus?
Roughly 75 hours for one full pass. That estimate allows about 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic, so it is first-pass coverage — revision, past papers and mock tests sit on top of it. At 3 hours a day that is about 4 weeks.
Are there National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) flashcards?
Yes — 317 question-and-answer flashcards across 6 decks, one per subject, written against this syllabus. A sample of every deck is readable on this site for free, and the complete decks are in the Examius app.
Is this National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) syllabus free to use?
Yes. Every page here is free to read, and importing the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) syllabus into the Examius app to tick off topics as you finish them is free too, in United Kingdom and everywhere else. No account is needed to start.
Related Teaching syllabuses
Level 5 qualification for teachers and trainers working in the UK further education and post-16 skills sector.
Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) syllabusProfessional status for specialists leading early years education and care for children aged birth to five.
Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) syllabusA postgraduate teacher-training qualification taken by graduates entering the teaching profession, often awarded alongside QTS.
Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) syllabusThe licence required to teach in maintained schools in England, awarded after Initial Teacher Training and (formerly) a skills assessment.
edTPA (Educative Teacher Performance Assessment) syllabusPerformance-based portfolio assessment of teaching candidates' planning, instruction, and assessment, required for licensure in several states.
KVS Recruitment (PGT/TGT/PRT) syllabusKendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan recruitment for Post Graduate, Trained Graduate and Primary Teachers.
National Board Certification (NBPTS) syllabusAdvanced voluntary certification for experienced teachers issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
Praxis (Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments) syllabusETS-administered exams used by most US states to license K-12 teachers, covering core skills and subject-specific content.
Super TET / State TET syllabusState-level teacher eligibility and selection tests for government primary and upper-primary schools.
Browse all 11 Teaching syllabuses → · All United Kingdom exams →