Help me choose the right NPQ

[Flibbyjibby]

I am going into my sixth year of teaching in September and after thinking about NPQs for a couple of years, have decided I would like to do one before they stop being funded.

My current job role is secondary teacher (of an arts subject, if that matters!). I currently have no extra responsibilities or TLRs but hope that doing an NPQ might give me some confidence to move up the ladder. Also, I did an MA in education part-time a couple of years ago, which I passed with flying colours.

I am looking at either NPQLT or NPQLTD, but can’t decide which would be most useful. Looking at both courses, I feel like NPQLT would be more suitable for my current role and would give me the chance to move into a head of department role.
However, over the last couple of years I have been thinking about career progression and I would like to be a mentor/professional coach/ECT or ITT co-ordinator. NPQLTD would be massively helpful in this case, particularly as the government have hinted that it will eventually be a requirement in order to be an ITTCo. But I don’t currently have any mentoring responsibilities (I am hoping that doing the NPQ would make me more suitable for mentoring roles in the future).

I know that I can always do both, one after the other, and if I find the first manageable then I will do that but I worry that the government will withdraw funding after next year so I want to make the best decision for my first one.

Just after opinions from those who have done them. Which option would realistically be better for me?

Thanks!

I've done LTD and support colleagues on LT and LBC. I'd suggest applying for the one in which you can develop most effectively now. You have to undertake an implementation project and whilst you don't have to deliver it, it would essentially just be extra work if it wasn't useful to you.
I can't see needing an NPQ becoming a thing - they tried it with masters degrees but the cost of time is significant.

I thought the main feature of the reformed and specialist NPQs was the absence of projects? Perhaps it varies by provider. There’s no implementation project in the Ambition LT or LTD.

I am looking at Ambition courses and there is no project, just an assessment at the end which is an open book essay. I believe you have 10 hours to do it and it’s 1500 words.

Yes, there's an assessment at the end. I actually thought they all had the project as a thread running through them - it wasn't assessed on mine, or on the ones I'm mentoring, but it was integral to the thing because it was part of thinking about what you were learning.
Either way, I'd say choose the one which has most application to the work you're doing.

Would also advise the NIoT’s NPQs as they’ve all got school-led facilitators.

and no projects! Like others have said, they did away with the projects when they reformed the curricula

I am following this thread with interest because I’ve just signed up to do a SENCo post graduate course but I’ve just found out that the government are thinking of doing away with Senco courses next year in favour of an NPQ and my senco course is going to cost me 2.5k whereas the NPQ might be free.
Im in a school that I’m not particularly happy in and one that won’t give any CPD to teachers so my rationale for self-funding a senco course was that it will look good on my CV and maybe give me an edge over other candidates.

To be honest, I’m a bit depressed with how teaching is going and maybe I need to just spend a little more time thinking.

I don’t know where you are in the country @Stripeymum11 but here in the west mids aspiring SENCOs are much in demand. I’ve never heard of anyone self-funding NASENCO. I’d start applying for jobs and wait for the NPQ SEN in autumn ‘24.