Application criteria and process

Please note that:

We will be conducting Teacher Status Checks with the Teaching Regulation Agency to ensure that no prohibited teachers are accepted onto the programme. If Teach First is made aware that you are prohibited from the teaching profession, we reserve the right to withdraw your place from the NPQ programmes.

We recommend that you visit our NPQs webpage before applying. 

Important: Please save responses to the free text questions in a Word Document as you go in case you encounter any technical difficulties.

Be sure to check your spelling and grammar before submitting it as this will also be looked at in your application.

We want to assess your true potential and are committed to safer recruitment for the schools and pupils we serve, so the use of ChatGPT or other AI in your written application form and in all future formal assessments, is strictly forbidden. If we suspect AI technology has been used, your application will be withdrawn.

The commitment

Before starting, please ensure you have informed your line manager and headteacher that you are applying for the NPQs and the programme for which you are applying. If your application is successful, you will be sent a document outlining the expectations of the programme. You will be asked to sign the document to confirm you will meet these expectations, and your head teacher will also be asked to sign the document to confirm they understand and agree to the commitment involved.

The programme will start in October 2024 and will be a combination of online resources and live training sessions:

Online resources

All the high-quality resources that come with the programme are available online. You’ll access knowledge and tools to help you reflect on and track your leadership development, tackling the issues impacting your school. Each stage requires around ten hours of online learning through modules. You can take these as and when you choose.

Live training sessions

Get together online (and in-person where possible) with leadership experts and fellow participants to review your work, prepare for the next stages and share experiences. There are several focused learning events throughout the NPQ programme: these will be a mixture of virtual and in-person sessions, both one-to-one and in groups, providing an opportunity to focus on your context, deepen your understanding, and access support to reflect on your own and your pupils’ progress.

If you move schools, this may mean you are unable to complete the programme (see our eligibility criteria), so please do consider this as well.

Teacher Reference Number (TRN)

If you need to find your TRN or need to request one for the first time to access an NPQ, you can find out more information on how to do this via the DfE's teacher reference number guidance.

If you have any issues whilst completing the application form, please email npq@potentiatsh.co.uk