Assessment

Formative and Summative

Formative assessment is embedded throughout LLSE’s NPQs, encouraging you to reflect on your learning, enabling your coach and facilitator to understand and support your progress and preparing you for summative assessment.
The summative assessment of all NPQs take place immediately after the conclusion of the programme. If you have completed all of the programme you will be invited to respond to a case study, setting out how you would apply your knowledge and skills to a specific school improvement scenario.

Formative Assessment

What is the purpose of formative assessment in the NPQs?

Supports participants in accurately identifying strengths and areas for development, and planning for these
Underpins participant self-evaluation (helping to increase purpose and agency) and supports the peer review process and communities of practice discussions
Informs the planning of future sessions and online materials
Provides information to support the experiential learning process (adult learning, leader and teacher development)
Evaluates the programme experience in its entirety
The rationale for this approach is rooted in principles of adult learning and leadership/teacher development
Monitors participant engagement in the programme

What is the process of formative assessment in the NPQs?

After specific learning experiences you will be asked questions that help you reflect on your learning, understanding and developing leadership practice and behaviours; evaluate the quality of facilitation, the usefulness and accessibility of programme materials and your coaching experiences
You will be able to demonstrate your fluency in the curriculum and your developing skills and behaviours in discussion with your coach
In your coaching sessions you will triangulate your self evaluations with evidence of your impact as a leader on staff and pupils
The formative assessment process will also register your engagement with the programme and hlep you see the progress you are making
Your facilitators will use the information you provide to adapt curriculum materials for subsequent aspects of the programme

What are the outcomes of formative assessment in the NPQs?

Provides highly adaptive, responsive and flexible participant learning feedback
Increased participant agency;  participants will be acutely aware of their own progress in relation to the content framework and their leadership development
Provides information for both peer review and communities of practice discussions
Participants will be involved in researching their own practice and the impact thereof
Facilitators and coaches will have up-to-date accurate information about learning
Participants will be preparing well for assessment

Summative Assessment

What are the summative assessment questions in the NPQs?

The assessment will be based on a case study with questions that:

allow you the participant to demonstrate their knowledge and skills of implementation and (at least) one other strand, rather than whole curriculum
include the identification of problem(s), selecting and justifying solution(s) and defining and justifying implementation strategies for sustainable change

The assessment questions will be well-crafted and supported by a mark scheme that promotes that expectation that you will pass if you have been fully engaged in their learning.

The questions will have:

a narrow focus to increase depth of thinking
sub-questions and preamble to remind you of the expectations

How are the NPQs marked?

The mark scheme will indicate:

the pass mark,
the failure-level omissions, i.e., anything that is vital to include - e.g. stages of implementation.

The scripts will be marked positively for relevance and justification.

You will need to demonstrate that you have understood the curriculum and applied ‘learn that…’ and ‘learn how to…’ knowledge explicitly or implicitly.

How much do I need to write for the assessment?

The maximum word lengths are:

1,500 words for NPQLT, NPQLBC, NPQLTD or NPQLL
2,000 words for NPQEYL
2,500 words for NPQSL or NPQH or NPQEL

When does the assessment take place?

Each assessment window is 8 calendar days (deadline is at 12.00 midday). The assessment takes place at the end of the programme, Eligibility for assessment is based upon reaching 90% overall course completion.

Specialist NPQs

April 2025

Assessment starts at 12 noon on Wednesday 22nd April 2026
Submission deadline is 12 noon on Thursday 30th April 2026
Results received in August 2026

November 2025

Assessment starts at 12 noon on Wednesday 11th November 2026
Submission deadline is 12 noon on Thursday 19th November 2026
Results received in March 2027

November 2025 cohort (NPQ Leading Literacy through Teach First)

Cohort 5A Specialist - 30th November - 7th December 2026

Leadership NPQs

October 2024 cohort

Assessment starts at 12 noon on Wednesday 22nd April 2026
Submission deadline is Thursday 30th April 2026
Results received in August 2026

October 2024 cohort (NPQ SENCO through Teach First)

Cohort 4A Leadership - 20th - 27th April 2026