Has anyone here done the NQPSL or thinking about it?

[Mrstumbletap]

My school have asked if I want to do it, I have done a bit of reading on it and it does seem to have mixed reviews, so maybe the lovely mumsnetters may have a bit of advice??

Just really want to know if anyone has done it and found it beneficial or a bit of a waste of time?

I'm in the SMT and have been for a couple of years, so work on whole school improvement within my area, so not sure what exactly this qualification will bring me, I'm not keen on more time away from my family as DS is so little.

I'm not looking to be a head anytime soon, maybe in 10 years, maybe not at all. But would I need the NPQSL to do the NPQH?

[toomuchicecream]

Yes I did NPQSL last year/the year before.
No you don't need NPQSL to do NPQH. But you no longer need NPQH to be a head.

The very sensible advice from my head when I started the course was that it's the same as all the national college programmes - you get out what you put in. The consortium I did it through didn't check up that you'd done all the on-line reading (although I did - some of more/less thoroughly than other bits...) although friends in other areas of the country have had a very different experience.

I found it very useful - a chance to get away from school and reflect. Even more useful was the chance to speak to others at the same stage of their careers. Nearly a year after our last face to face day, 5 of us are still meeting once per half term for a catch up - our schools are all VERY different, but it's good to talk to people who are in a similar position.

My experience was that all the tutors on the face to face days were well informed, helpful and facilitated the sessions effectively. I've heard of others saying that they were a waste of time, so I suspect it depends rather a lot on who is running your programme.

I found it beneficial and I'm glad I did it. Getting the assignment written up was quite stressful (somewhere in here there's a thread I started looking for advice which might be worth searching for). If your priority at the moment is time with your DS, and you don't have any immediate aspirations to be a deputy, then perhaps it would be better for you to put it on hold for a year or two? Having said that, no one knows what's round the corner so if you don't do it you might end up regretting it....

Sorry that's a bit of a woolly answer! I did it because at the time I wasn't sure if I wanted to be a deputy or not. My son was in year 11 when I started so I reasoned that by the time I finished he'd be getting ready to go to university so by doing the course I'd be keeping open the option of applying for deputy jobs. I also thought it would be easier to do the qualification before having the workload of a deputy. (As I started the course my head announced she was pregnant so the deputy became acting head and I became acting deputy, so I ended up doing the course and the job at the same time after all. My son then took the scenic route to A levels and had 3 years in 6th form so he didn't leave home when I expected him to either. That's what I mean about not knowing what's around the corner.)

Good luck with your decision.

[Mrstumbletap]

Thank you that is really helpful. I agree that the face to face days (there are 10 aren't there?) would be really good, that's the bit that appeals to me, but I may try and arrange a placement with another school anyway.

I have heard that the NPQSL is ending this year, so it is kind of now or never. But I just think it would be too much to take on. I hope I don't regret it but I feel I may regret it more this time next year when I'm supposed to be starting a 20 page document.

Congratulations on becoming a deputy!

[ConesOfDunshire]

MrsTumble where have you heard that the NPQSL is ending?

[Mrstumbletap]

My head said the licence was ending. Is it not then? Maybe the licence for my school? Not sure, but he definitely said it was as I said there will probably be something else in a couple of years that would be similar and he agreed.