The Church of England’s Education Office has achieved 'Outstanding' in all categories following a recent Ofsted inspection covering its delivery of NPQs (National Professional Qualification).
NPQs are professional development courses for teachers and leaders to develop skills, progress careers and improve school outcomes. The Church of England began as lead provider for NPQ training in September 2021.
The inspection, conducted from 14 to 17 May 2024, highlighted the exceptional quality of professional development, training, and leadership provided by the Church of England.
The report said that participants in the Church of England’s NPQ programmes benefit from “exceptional training” received from “highly skilled and expert trainers, facilitators and coaches” which are well suited to the individual participant’s needs. The bespoke approach enables participants “to develop as leaders in their current roles and prepares them extremely well for their next stage of career progression.”
The Church of England’s commitment to establishing a common good is highlighted as being evident in the ethical and moral guidance integrated into the training, helping participants to reflect on and manage their workloads and well-being effectively.
Ofsted commend the Church’s rigorous selection and continuous development of trainers and coaches. The meticulously crafted curriculum and expertly designed teaching cycles ensure participants engage deeply with new content, refine their understanding through coaching, and apply their skills in various scenarios.
The report notes that "expertly designed teaching cycles provide a highly effective delivery structure for each programme" and that there are "rich opportunities for participants to engage with research, allowing them to apply the principles that they have learned to different scenarios."
It also highlights strength of inclusivity and diversity, where the Church’s approach ensures that leaders from all backgrounds, including those from small schools and minority ethnic backgrounds, have access to appropriate NPQ programmes.
Safeguarding and participant support are given the highest priority, with robust policies and procedures in place from induction through to the completion of the training. Ofsted state, "the lead provider is relentless in its determination that current and future leaders from all backgrounds should be able to benefit from the most appropriate NPQ programme on offer."
The Church of England’s Chief Education Officer, Nigel Genders, said: “Developing leaders is a central element of the Church of England’s Vision for Education and so this ‘Outstanding’ outcome is a great testament to the quality of our provision and strength of partnerships across our Dioceses, MATs and with our Catholic Education Service partners.
"We look forward to further deepening this commitment to exceptional training and the development of flourishing leaders in the coming years.”