About the NPH

NPH links Primary Headteachers throughout England with the aim of improving Primary Education. It was formed once Heads from across the country met at the House of Commons as they waited to give evidence to the Education Select Committee on the disparity in funding between Primary and Secondary Schools. Its members are either individuals or, increasingly, those who belong to a similar group at LEA or regional level.

"NPH has been described as the 'Primary pupils' union': the pupils deserve better from the education system than the system currently provides."

NPH is not a Union, and does not seek to take on the roles and responsibilities of the established Unions and Associations. It speaks out on current issues, and has had considerable success in lobbying for a more rational and transparent approach to the funding of education. NPH has been described as the 'Primary pupils' union': the pupils deserve better from the education system than the system currently provides.

NPH encourages the formation of local groups: most successful LEAs have established partnerships with Headteachers. These partnerships do not have to be based on membership of particular Unions or Associations: NPH believes it is better to separate 'conditions of service' issues from those relating to the management and organisation of schools.

NPH News is published five times per year, and contains articles from leading figures in the world of Primary education as well as the views of serving Headteachers.

"NPH has urged Heads to 'reclaim' the curriculum from the current over-emphasis on that which can be subjected to SATs. "

NPH has no paid staff: it is run by, with and for Primary Heads, all of whom can readily empathise with feelings triggered by 'the brown envelope' or the LEA's approach to target setting.

NPH has urged Heads to 'reclaim' the curriculum from the current over-emphasis on that which can be subjected to SATs. The appalling inconsistencies in SATs marking, the iniquity of league tables and the dubious benefit of achievement awards have been key themes for the association in recent months. NPH runs conferences across the country. Among the most popular focus on the place of creativity, the use of the imagination and the arts in an otherwise highly pressured and inflexible curriculum. Headteachers are keen to see the pendulum swing back from the rigidity of the Literacy and Numeracy strategies and the inevitable narrowing of the curriculum.

NPH is always ready to welcome new members: the recent ministerial pronouncement on the place of modern language teaching is one example of an initiative that needs to be thoroughly aired by the profession before legislation. We already face a serious situation: teachers are leaving the profession in droves, recruitment and retention problems are burgeoning, the quality of 'supply' teachers is a major concern. These are the day to day realities experienced by our members, as by all Headteachers. The more members we have, the more effective our campaigns can be.

Our existence is justified by our ability to speak for Headteachers on these concerns, the same Headteachers who have managed to achieve impressive improvements in performance in the face of continual 'initiative overload' from politicians. The same politicians who have allowed an indefensible disparity in funding to survive from the 19th century into the 21st.