Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department plans to introduce a national professional qualification for religious education leaders.

National professional qualifications (NPQs) are a national, voluntary suite of qualifications, designed to support the professional development of teachers and school leaders.

NPQs are based on the latest evidence of what works and have been developed by teachers, leaders, and education experts, and are designed to allow for practical implementation in their own settings across the country. NPQs provide teachers access to the best possible in-role training and support, both in specialist areas of practice, such as leading the teaching and learning of a subject, key stage, or phase, and in leadership roles, too.

Each NPQ is underpinned by a content framework. The content of the NPQ frameworks build on and complement one another, to deliver a shared understanding of the principles of effective professional development.

While it is not subject-specific, the NPQ in Leading Teaching will enable professionals to develop expert teaching practice within their relevant context through the use of subject-specific, phase-specific, or domain-specific exemplification materials.

NPQs are also designed to allow professionals to develop expert teaching and leadership practice to apply this to their relevant context.

NPQs can and should be supplemented by a variety of subject-specific professional development, including that which is provided by schools, trusts, subject associations, charities, curriculum hubs, Oak National Academy, and other private training organisations.

The government is committed to delivering 500,000 teacher training opportunities over the next 3 years. As part of this, we are investing in training scholarships so that all teachers and school leaders in state-funded schools can access NPQs for free over the next three academic years.

The department encourages all Religious Education leaders to consider enrolling on a fully-funded NPQ. To do so, they should contact their local Teaching School Hub in the first instance. Further information about NPQs and the content frameworks can be accessed on: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-professional-qualifications-npqs-reforms/national-professional-qualifications-npqs-reforms.