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National Professional Qualification

National Professional Qualifications for Gloucestershire 

Working in conjunction with Balcarras Teaching School Hub, Odyssey Teaching School Hub have partnered with UCL Institute of Education to deliver NPQs for Gloucestershire and surrounding areas.

Events are hosted in Cheltenham, at Balcarras School or Pate's Grammar School.

UCL IOE is ranked number one globally for Education in the QS World University Rankings, and were judged by Ofsted as outstanding in all areas with inspectors noting how UCL IOE set the bar for what outstanding delivery of NPQs looks like.

NPQs are flexible professional development courses for teachers and leaders to improve skills, progress careers and deliver improved outcomes for pupils and schools.

Why choose UCL?

The programmes are designed to grow 'Learning Leaders' who question, reflect, learn and "apply their learning to improvements that lead to desired outcomes" (Stoll 2020).

All UCL NPQs, uniquely, include an implementation project that allows this new leadership learning to be applied in the workplace.

The benefits to you and your school:

  • Our programmes are delivered face-to-face and contextualised to our local area

  • Our participant groups all benefit from having a Primary and a Secondary facilitator

  • Our experienced facilitators are established local senior leaders

  • Our participants learn with colleagues who hold similar responsibilities, from different educational settings

  • Our excellent professional and support networks enable collaboration with peers and facilitators, building local contacts and wider professional relationships

  • Our first class communication throughout supports participants to stay on track.

Next Cohort - Autumn 2026

Our next intake will be in Autumn 2026, with registrations opening on 23rd June 2026. 

If you are interested in securing a place in our next cohort Register your interest here and we will contact you with relevant DfE updates and more information on your chosen programme and how to apply.

The DfE have confirmed there will be only one recruitment window each academic year.   

For Autumn 2026 we are are delighted to offer the following 9 NPQ programmes

How to Apply? 

Registrations open 23rd June 2026

Step 1: Register with the DfE 

Please note, you will need the following information to be able to register:

  • Teacher Reference Number (TRN) Name as recorded by the Teacher Regulation Agency (TRA)

  • Choice of NPQ (programme applying for)

  • Lead Provider : UCL IOE (Institute to Education) 

  • Delivery Partner (for schools in): 

    • Cheltenham, Stroud and the Cotswold: Balcarras TSH

    • Gloucester, Tewkesbury and the Forest of Dean: Odyssey TSH

Once registration is complete, the DfE will confirm registration to the applicant, funding eligibility and forward applicant details to our chosen Lead Provider - UCL IOE (Institute of Education), usually within three days.

Step 2: Complete application with UCL IOE (Institute of Education)

UCL will contact applicants with a link to their UCL application form.  On receipt of the completed application, headteachers will be contacted via email to confirm that the applicant has been accepted onto an NPQ programme as well as funding confirmation (if relevant).

Step 3: Programme Confirmation

UCL will confirm your place and your scholarship. We will then contact all participants with the dates and programme outline of their chosen NPQ.

 

  

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