Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support leadership development pathways for teachers.

High quality professional development is important for teachers at all stages of their careers, ensuring they receive appropriate support and can continually improve their practice. The department offers five leadership National Professional Qualifications (NPQs), which help boost teachers’ and leaders’ knowledge and confidence as they progress into senior leadership roles, alongside five specialist NPQs for those who want to broaden their existing knowledge, expertise, and skills in specialist areas of leadership practice outside traditional leadership roles.

We are currently reviewing the NPQ suite to ensure courses remain up to date with best practice and evidence, support clear progression between leadership levels, and draw on insights from programmes such as the School Trust CEO programme

We will deliver a targeted package of interventions for Excellence in Leadership that update standards, strengthen professional development and support wellbeing. This includes additional investment in an early headship coaching, a new mentoring framework, and piloting a targeted place-based headteacher retention incentive. Together, these interventions reflect the government’s commitment to supporting high-quality leadership across the system.