Professional development

• Head Start
  • Who is Head Start for?
  • Details
  • Apply
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Contact details
  • Professional partners

Head Start

Head Start is a professional development programme for new headteachers, providing a seamless transition from the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) into early headship. It replaces the Early Headship Provision (including New Visions and the flexible grant). The programme includes an entitlement to support from an experienced serving headteacher (professional partner), together with a range of high-quality, contextualised learning materials and local opportunities.

Head Start supports new headteachers in becoming highly effective in their roles through increasing their leadership skills and confidence, while encouraging learning, self-reflection and development.

Key facts

• Head Start replaces the Early Headship Provision, which offered new headteachers a £1,300 flexible grant and access to the New Visions development programme.
• NPQH graduates will be given access to a suite of materials, including an online community and networking tools, learning modules exploring headship in different contexts, and guidance on finding and securing a headship.
• Newly-appointed headteachers will be entitled to a further range of materials including an additional online community, tailored online courses, as well as 20–30 hours’ mentoring support from an experienced, practising headteacher during their designate stage and in their first two years of headship. This support will include face-to-face meetings and telephone/email communications.

Duration

NPQH graduates are automatically enrolled on the programme and will then be able to access online materials.

Newly-appointed headteachers will receive the support of a professional partner from the point they are offered the job and during their first two years of headship.

Delivery method

Head Start is flexible and highly personalised. It includes face-to-face interaction with the professional partner as well as a wide range of individual and online learning activities.

The College will additionally be providing grants to enable local and diocesan authorities to apply for funding to support local induction and networking opportunities. Further information on this will be available shortly.

Who can apply?

Head Start is available to NPQH graduates and new headteachers.

Next application round

Open now