Growing Together NPQ Spotlight - Sarah Carroll
In this blog series, we shine a spotlight on the NPQ courses we have on offer in partnership with Teach First, including showcasing some of our fantastic programme members
Today’s post is a spotlight on… Sarah Carroll, Head of Enterprise and Personal Development for Aldridge Education. She has recently completed her NPQH assessment and is awaiting the results.
There are many reasons to study for an NPQ – today’s interviewee wanted to develop her understanding of a principal’s role in school in order to support her trust-wide role. Sarah drives enterprise and personal development across Aldridge Education, spearheading our work on such vital aspects of school life like the quality of PSHE and how schools meet the Gatsby benchmarks. The NPQH has been a welcome addition to her toolkit!
Why did you want to complete an NPQ?
My role as Head of Enterprise and Personal Development means I am no longer school based. Therefore, the NPQH was perfect to help me fill the gaps in my knowledge around school leadership and allows me to understand more about the competing pressures principals face, so I can better support the schools I work with.
How has your NPQ impacted on your work in school?
The NPQH has deepened my understanding of whole school priorities, especially of areas like ASEND and partnership working. This has impacted my work as it has allowed me to see the bigger picture - and how Personal Development compliments these priorities, and also where there can be competition for resources.
What are you hoping to do next with what you have learnt from the course?
At the moment, I am really happy in my current role so no plans to move back to school leadership anytime soon! However, I know that if I do make that decision, I've invested time in keeping my knowledge of leadership up to date.
I've also got a great grounding in research and theory to support MAT work, especially new projects that I'm developing in 2025.
What are the main reasons someone should consider completing a Teach First/ Aldridge Education NPQ?
The people! My NPQ was led by Aldridge's CEO and an experienced Principal - their knowledge and experience is outstanding and the small group sizes have facilitated excellent discussions. The admin support from Growing Together is also excellent - thank you Karen!
I've also loved the regular seminars, and the two in-person days are great for networking and sharing ideas with colleagues. There is a real sense of community, and it is great to work with leaders from different schools and MATs, and both primary and secondary level.
Best of luck to Sarah who finds out her results later in the summer term!
An announcement regarding 25-26 and cohort 5 from the DfE is imminent. If you want to be the first in the know when funding becomes available, log an Expression of Interest with us today: https://aldridgeeducation.org/NPQEoI/
Does this sound like the next step in your career? Or could there be a different leadership course for you? Find out more information about our courses and how to apply here: https://aldridgeeducation.org/myNPQ/ or get in touch with a member of the Growing Together team at GrowingTogether@aldridgeeducation.org.
By joining one of our NPQ courses, educators can unlock their leadership potential and make a significant impact on education, empowering students and shaping the future of learning. We offer a range of NPQ courses, including NPQLT (Leading Teaching), NPQLL (Leading Literacy), NPQLTD (Leading Teacher Development), NPQLBC (Leading Behaviour and Culture), NPQ for SENCOs (NPQSEN), NPQSL (Senior Leadership), and NPQH (Headship).
No matter where you are in your career, we have a course that's right for you.
