Why your choice of NPQ provider matters
...and what to do if you change your mind.
It would be easy to assume that one NPQ provider is much like any other - after all, they're all working to the same NPQ framework, right?
Well, yes and no. While all NPQ curricula are written according to the same framework and evidence base, what this looks like in the delivery can vary.
All the new and updated NPQs are designed to be flexible, with sessions delivered in a combination of virtual and face-to-face formats, so that you can organise your studies around the busy life of an educator; and they all feature an open book, 1,500-word assessment at the end of the course - but there's so much more for a potential applicant to consider.
At the Julian Teaching School Hub, we have chosen to work with the Teacher Development Trust (TDT) as our lead provider of NPQs, and this wasn't a decision we took lightly: there were many reasons why we felt they were the right partner for us.
Most importantly for us, we believe in TDT's core values and think they resonate with our own.
SMART: we think about what the evidence tells us, but we also really care about how things are done.
HEART: it's not just taking the evidence base and implementing it any old way; it needs to be done in the right way if you want to have that sustainable impact.
HUMBLE: we recognise that there is no single perfect answer to any situation - participants will come from different environments, different schools, different contexts - and we need to understand the limits of what the evidence tells us at times and use our judgement.
We also considered what the learning journey would look like for our participants: how they would access the materials; how much time they would need out of school; how many live sessions they would need to commit to; and how they would prepare for the assessment.
The learning journey for a participant on a specialist NPQ looks like this:
We thought that the balance of live sessions with self-study was about right for educators with busy lives (both in and out of school), and that the amount of self-study needed between live sessions was realistic. The case studies included in each theme provide a robust preparation for the final assessment. TDT also offer audio content for those who prefer to learn by listening rather than reading.
Finally, we thought about cohort numbers: too few participants and the peer network is too sparse for meaningful communication and learning from each other; too many, and there's not enough time to give every participant the personal coaching and guidance on which we pride ourselves. TDT have minimum and maximum recommended cohort numbers for these reasons, and we appreciated the attention they paid to maximising the participant experience.
While other providers offer a high quality experience to all, our NPQs are the only ones where we can guarantee that the face-to-face sessions will be held in Broadland, Kings Lynn and West Norfolk, North Norfolk or Norwich, minimising your travel time. Locations for NPQs from different providers will vary.
If you've already applied to a different provider, and you'd like to change to the Julian TSH for your NPQ, no problem!
- Notify your existing provider that you would like to withdraw your application.
- Complete a new application here.
The closing date for applications is Monday 5 February, so don't delay!