UK Department for Education (DFE) Accredited (NPQs)

National Professional Qualification for Leading Behaviour & Culture (NPQLBC)

The National Professional Qualification in Leading Behaviour and Culture (NPQLBC) prepares international teachers to lead on behaviour and culture, fostering a positive and supportive environment for learning.
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Quick Facts

Awarding Body
UK Department for Education
Study Mode
Online / Blended
Course Format
Online Study Units
Certification
England's DFE Accredited
Registration
Up to 4 weeks in advance of course
Certificate Timeline
Issued after completion within 4 weeks

Who should apply for NPQLBC?

Teachers
Heads of Year
Pastoral Leaders
Heads of Department
Subject Leaders
Heads of Year
Course Duration
12 months
Master Credits
40
Virtual Face-to-Face Events*
3
Online learning
34 hours
Coaching
5 hours
Total Learning Hours
74 Hours

Registration Process

Submit Application
Submit your application through ICD's online form. Shortlisted candidates receive an offer letter.
Payment & Enrolment
Pay the course fee and share the payment receipt to confirm enrolment.
Access Portal
Once enrolled, you'll receive your login details by email to begin coursework on ICD's portal.
Each of the four annual intakes (Jan, April, July, October) runs for 3 months.
Register here

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What are the benefits of completing the NPQ Leading Behaviour and Culture (NPQLBC)?

Benefits for schools
Positive School Culture
Leaders trained through the NPQLBC will contribute to building a culture of high expectations, positively influencing the behaviour and attitudes of pupils across the school.

Participants will develop strategies to create a safe, predictable, and nurturing environment, fostering an atmosphere conducive to learning and well-being.
Tailored Professional Development
This programme aligns behaviour and culture priorities with wider school improvement goals, ensuring a cohesive and strategic approach to development.

School staff will gain insights from local experts and content that is relevant to their context, promoting practical and impactful outcomes.
Improved Behaviour Management
Participants will be equipped to support students who require more intensive behaviour interventions, improving overall pupil engagement and outcomes.

By enhancing staff expertise in behaviour leadership, schools can see a reduction in behaviour issues and an increase in positive, productive classroom environments.
Benefits for learners
Expert-Led Learning
Participants will receive guidance and mentorship from experienced school leaders working in outstanding schools, providing valuable, real-world insights.

The NPQLBC content is phase-specific and developed with contributions from a diverse network of education experts, ensuring high-quality and relevant learning.
Convenient and Supported Study
Access a purpose-built virtual learning environment compatible with mobiles and tablets, allowing for flexible and accessible learning alongside work commitments.

Benefit from guaranteed support to pass the final assessment, providing confidence and reassurance throughout the course.
Relevant and Impactful Content
Learn using material that is contextualised to your locality and kept up-to-date with national policies and legislation, making it highly applicable to your role.

Regular progress updates for your mentors and headteachers ensure that your development is aligned with your school’s improvement priorities and your professional growth goals.

What will you learn on the NPQ for Leading Behaviour and Culture (NPQLBC)?

The NPQ in Leading Behaviour and Culture (NPQLBC) equips international school teachers with the skills needed to foster a positive, inclusive, and respectful learning environment. This programme covers essential strategies for establishing consistent behaviour expectations, supporting student wellbeing, and developing a culture that values respect and responsibility across diverse cultural backgrounds.

You’ll gain expertise in identifying and addressing the root causes of challenging behaviours, creating supportive systems that promote resilience and positive attitudes, and implementing policies that contribute to a safe and nurturing school atmosphere.

Additionally, the NPQLBC focuses on the practicalities of building strong relationships with pupils and families, recognising the unique dynamics and expectations within international school communities.

How is the Leading Behaviour and Culture programme delivered?

The NPQ for Leading Behaviour and Culture (NPQLBC) is a 12-month programme that includes three Face-to-Face events, 34 hours of online study, and a total of 74 hours of learning, with time dedicated to independent study and practical application.
This qualification is structured as a cyclical programme, beginning with a face-to-face event that participants can attend either in person or remotely from anywhere in the world
Each cycle continues with an online course module, practice activities, and a formative assessment task, enabling you to apply new strategies to enhance behaviour and culture in your school with immediate effect. The cycle concludes with in-school performance coaching, offering personalised support to help you implement your learning effectively. This approach blends flexibility with practical, in-depth learning, tailored to meet the specific needs of educators in international school environments.
The programme culminates in an Impact Review, followed by a Summative Assessment Case Study to showcase the impact of your leadership on fostering a positive school culture.

FAQs

What are the requirements?
Applicants must have full support from a sponsor within their school/organisation. This can be a head teacher, member of the SLT, line manager or Chair of Governors (or similar authoritative role) who must confirm their support for your application and that all information submitted is true and correct. There is no financial obligation for this role and it is a Department for Education mandatory requirement.

To apply for NPQLBC, applicants must have the following:

2 years teaching experience
Leadership aspiration/experience
Must be proficient in English
A Teacher Reference Number (TRN) will also be required to obtain a DfE accredited certificate upon successful completion of the programme. Applicants will be supported to obtain their TRN during the registration process if they do not already have one.

If you are unsure if you meet the above requirements or have other relevant experience then please contact our team who will be able to support your application.
What does it cost?
NPQLBC International costs £1375 plus VAT where applicable. VAT is chargeable on courses funded by private individuals.

‍Please refer to our NPQ programme funding guidance document for more information.
Leadership Mentor
The Leadership Mentor is a participant’s main point of contact for the duration of the NPQLBC. Our Leadership Mentors are experienced teachers and leaders who are experts in our programme curriculum. They understand first-hand the challenges teachers experience in work life. Their role is to support a participant's progress and development through the programme. They support you by:

Providing advice and feedback throughout the programme
Marking and responding to all of your practice task activities completed for each online course
Providing you with feedback on each of the Formative Assessment Tasks following their completion

Our Leadership Mentors apply flexibility and are accountable to ensure success on your programme. With the above responsibilities, their main role and purpose is to help you manage your workload and ensure work life balance as much as possible whilst studying with us.

At the end of the programme, in conjunction with their mentor and in-school performance coach, participants will evaluate the impact of the programme on their leadership development and the benefits to their school.
In-school Performance Coach?
The in-school performance coach, nominated by the participant’s school, will offer support, guidance and challenge to a participant through six planned coaching sessions. They will provide feedback following their completion of formative assessment tasks and monitor and support participant progress through the programme. At the end of the programme, in conjunction with their mentor and in-school performance coach, participants will evaluate the impact of the programme on their leadership development and the benefits to their school. See the In-School Performance Coach (ISPC) Handbook for more information.
NPQLBC Framework
The NPQ frameworks are based on a robust method of design and development, building on the evidence base and expert guidance already established in the ECF and the ITT Core Content Framework. The NPQ frameworks reflect the Teachers’ Standards and Headteachers' Standards to ensure coherency with the requirements already used by the teaching profession.

Please see the NPQSL Framework below. If your computer or device does not support the Adobe plugin you can download the framework pdf here.

Program Fee

LEADERSHIP Qualifications

Empowering school leaders and aspiring heads.

Specialist NPQs Certificates

£1,705.00
Leading Teaching, Behaviour & Culture, or Teacher Development

Need-based and merit-based scholarships available at ICD Centers.

Enquire Now

Take the next step in your teaching journey by registering your interest with ICD. Submit your enquiry online to receive guidance on modules, preparation options, registration, and payment process.
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Teaching Qualifications and Preparation Classes

Meet the Team

Our tutors bring a wide range of expertise across teaching qualifications, language training, corporate development, and academic instruction. Below is a selection of our current instructors.

Syeda Alishbah Zehra

Founder & CEO of IWZ International

Aminah Ali

English Language Educator & Teacher Trainer

Hamad Ul Qudous

Instructor

Warjil Augustine

IELTS Trainer

Syeda Alishbah Zehra

Founder & CEO of IWZ International

A CELTA Certified Trainer from the University of Cambridge, Syeda Alishbah Zehra serves as a Pre-CELTA Interview Examiner, Cambridge Speaking Examiner and Train-the-Trainer at the Institute of Career Development (ICD), Karachi. She previously dedicated five years to Beaconhouse Defence Campus as Cambridge O Level English Language and Global Perspectives Subject Specialist, contributing to academic development and student learning.

Today, as the Founder & CEO of IWZ International, Zehra has built an education enterprise dedicated to international English education and learning opportunities. She is a British Council Trained IELTS Trainer. Under her leadership, IWZ received two distinctions from the British Council: Best Emerging Partner – South Region (2024) and Highest Volume Contributor (2025–26). IWZ operates as an official British Council IELTS preparation and registration centre, reflecting her commitment to accessible, internationally recognised education.

Her professional association with the British Council continues through IWZ’s partnership, alongside her recently completed contractual tenure as a Professional Qualifications Examinations Officer for Sindh and Balochistan, where she supported the secure administration and quality assurance of international examinations.

A distinguished Gold Medallist of the Pakistan Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management (PITHM), Batch of 2017, Zehra earned the highest marks among all the students in her batch, receiving recognition from the Minister of Culture & Arts, Sindh. She began her professional journey in hospitality, gaining experience at Marriott International, Karachi, before establishing herself as an entrepreneur and education leader.

In 2024, Zehra represented Pakistan as an IMI delegate at the United Nations Headquarters in New York during an official month-long visit associated with the 68th Commission on the Status of Women. Her engagement reflects her commitment to women's representation and the advancement of equality and quality in education for all.

Guided by the principles of UN Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 10: Quality Education and Reduced Inequalities, Zehra is committed to advancing equitable access to quality education for all, regardless of social or economic background. Through her entrepreneurial leadership, educational initiatives and international engagement, she champions inclusive learning opportunities that empower individuals, bridge inequalities and make education a pathway to greater opportunity.

Aminah Ali

English Language Educator & Teacher Trainer

Aminah Ali is a Cambridge CELTA-certified English language educator and teacher trainer with over ten years of experience. She holds an MPhil in American Studies and an MSc in Applied Linguistics. She currently teaches at National Defence University and Bahria University, Islamabad, specialising in EFL, ESP, academic writing and business communication. At AlBasir, she designed and delivered workplace English programmes for software professionals. At the Institute of Career Development, she trains aspiring teachers on the Advanced TEFL programme. Her expertise includes curriculum design, language assessment and communicative language teaching across academic and professional contexts.

Hamad Ul Qudous

Instructor

Hamad Ul Qudous is a Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science at FAST-NUCES, Pakistan, where he also earned his BS and MS degrees in Computer Science and is currently pursuing his PhD. With approximately eight years of university-level teaching experience, he specializes in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Computer Vision, Natural Language Processing, and Programming. His research interests include medical image analysis and multimodal AI. He has extensive experience in curriculum development, student assessment, examination design, and academic project supervision, alongside practical industry experience as an AI consultant.

Warjil Augustine

IELTS Trainer

Warjil  is an educational leader, master trainer, and language assessment specialist based in Karachi, Pakistan. Serving as School Principal at Pak British Schooling System, he brings advanced qualifications in international pedagogy and curriculum design.

His expertise spans institutional governance, Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs), and faculty development workshops. Additionally, he specializes in high-stakes test preparation for IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE, and the Duolingo English Test, delivering strategic masterclasses and tailored instructional frameworks.

Sadaf Iftikhar

Instructor

About Sadaf

Sadaf Iftikhar CELTA certified TESOL Professional | Cambridge Certified Tutor | Teacher Trainer | English Lecturer | Tutor & Assessor. Extensive experience in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), including instruction and administration in ESL programs in primary, secondary, higher, adult, and continuing education environments. Active in TESOL professional organizations.

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Aya Badr

Instructor

About Aya

Aya Badr is a Cambridge CELTA Main Course Tutor, freelance Teacher Trainer with the British Council, and experienced IELTS Trainer. She is an edupreneur, educational consultant, and Academic Director at Teachers College, where she leads the development and delivery of professional teacher education programmes. Aya holds a Level 7 DipTESOL from Trinity College London, alongside Cambridge qualifications in Train the Trainer and Educational Leadership and Management. With extensive experience in teacher development, academic leadership, and language education, she is passionate about empowering educators and creating meaningful, high-quality learning experiences.

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Anna Hasper

Instructor

About Anna

Anna Hasper Teacher Development Specialist ▏CELTA/DELTA Trainer & Assessor⚡ Empowering ELT teachers to enable better learning ▏SEL, IELTS & YLs ▏Course & Materials designer ▏Educational consultant ▏ELT author▏

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Hina Tehman

Instructor

About Hina

Hina Tehman CELTA certified/Teachers Trainer/Academic Coordinator at LGS

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Peter Lucantoni

Instructor

About Peter

Peter Lucantoni is the author and co-author of a range of popular course books for students, including Cambridge IGCSE English as a Second Language and Introduction to English as a Second Language. He is also co-author with Matthew Ellman of From Teacher to Trainer, all published by Cambridge University Press. Peter regularly speaks at ELT conferences and trains teachers internationally in both the public and private sectors.

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Alexandar Makarios

CELTA Instructor

About Alexandar

Experienced teacher trainer and educator with expertise in Cambridge CELTA, DELTA, and Train-the-Trainer courses. Extensive background in designing and delivering EFL lessons across diverse contexts, managing teacher training programs, and collaborating with Cambridge for course standardization. Proficient in staff mentoring, test development, and client communication, with international teaching experience in Greece, South Africa, and China.

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Danilo Garrido

Instructor

About Danilo

Danilo Garrido is a doctoral candidate in Language Studies at PUC-Rio with extensive experience in English language teaching, both face-to-face and online. He is a CELTA tutor, ELT materials editor, Cambridge speaking examiner, and a professional translator between English and Brazilian Portuguese