New heads need more than a one-off qualification, say charities

Two leading education charities have teamed up to devise a new programme to help “accelerate” aspiring headteachers’ careers and support them when they get their first big job.

Teach First and the Reach Foundation want a model that goes “beyond” one-off training opportunities, such as the government-backed national professional qualification for headship (NPQH).

James Toop, the chief executive of Teach First, said while plans were at an early stage, the scheme would crucially feature ongoing support from peer networks once new heads were in-post.