NPQSL - final assessment

[toomuchicecream]

Is anyone here doing NPQSL? Or know anyone who is? I'm trying to put together the documentation for my final assessment at the moment, but am going round and round in circles.

Previously, there were 2 separate assessment tasks but these have now been combined into one. Nearly all the documentation I can find relates to the 2, old tasks. I'm trying to find out if there's a pro-forma I need to follow or if I just write it like a normal assignment.

I know it's a long shot, but you never know who's lurking around here....

[busybee78]

Hi there! How did you get on with completing your final assessment? Mine is my project for this Easter hols so that I can give it to my supervisor with plenty of time to make any amendments before submitting. It's currently terrifying me. I'm sure I've not done enough work or kept enough evidence to back up what I'm trying to say.

[toomuchicecream]

On phone at mo - will reply properly when on laptop. How far gave you got?

[busybee78]

Not as far as I'd like. It's a real struggle juggling normal school responsibilities, family life and the project. I've basically finished my whole school task and just need to evaluate the effectiveness of it after the holiday. Just want it done and out the way now.

[toomuchicecream]

OK - on laptop now.

When I wrote that post it was half term and I was trying very hard to get as much of the writing up done as possible as I've got a new job to start after Easter, so all evidence needed to be gathered before the end of term. I managed to work out that there is a form to complete for the final submission which is split into 3 sections - planning, implementation and review. If you go on the website of the assessing people (EMLC?) there's a useful podcast to listen to which gives lots of helpful advice about how to go about doing the write up. One thing which really stood out was that the form should be +/-10 pages and the supporting evidence +/- 12 pages - the limit is 22 pages.

My biggest problem was that in February I discovered that last September, before starting the task, I should have written an action plan for how I was going to do it. As is always the way in schools, my original project had been somewhat overtaken by events - I'd done everything I'd planned to but a whole lot else besides. So I went to see my mentor (who works in a different school) who helped me to write the action plan to incorporate all the other things I'd been doing as well so it looks like it always was my intention to do them!! I've written a second, personal action plan as well, focusing on the key competencies my diagnostic identified as areas of relative weakness (ones that are included in the assignment). That way I can tick the boxes which show what I've learnt as a leader on a personal level.

Does all that help at all? I reckon I'm about 1/2 way through my write up - one of the things I haven't got round to doing today was to tackle it. I need to look properly at the data I gathered before I left and analyse the results of the pupil questionnaires I did, in the hope that they show the change I need them to. The bit I haven't done is reference my learning from the course yet - I need to go through my notes and find some useful quotes to squidge in somewhere.

My submission window is July - September so I've got plenty of time yet, but as soon as I start my new job I'll forget what happened in the last one so I need to get down to it asap. I'm also concerned that the HT of my previous school was never great at replying to emails when I was his Deputy and I know he's got a very stressful term ahead of him. So I'm trying to work out what I can do if my reference form (whatever it's called) doesn't actually come back in time - the earlier I get it to him, the greater my chances of getting it back.

[Lovinglifeandbusy]

Just read your post and found it really helpful. I am writing up my NPQSL and still have a lot of work to do when I go back to school. Feeling stressed! I'm really struggling to write up and have been looking for examples of completed projects but cannot find any. Do you know where I could get hold of any to view?

[ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged]

Just came across this by chance. I'm hoping to do npqsl this year. Am I mad? How much extra work has it been?

[MichelleDaisy]

I am sooooooo relieved to find this conversation on here! It is certainly reassuring to know im not the only one ever to find this tricky to get started! I am trying to complete my write up over half term as it needs to be in in a few weeks and i'm even finding the layout of writing the background confusing. I've searched for some NPQSL exemplars without any luck. Can anyone offer me any advice on how you set yours out please. Thank you in advance

[toomuchicecream]

Sorry it's taken me a couple of days to respond on this one - since Jeffreygate I've not yet logged back into MN on my phone and it's taken until today for me to turn my laptop on :) Hopefully you've answered your own questions by now, but if not, here are my thoughts, for what they're worth.

As far as I know, there aren't any exemplars out there - we asked our course facilitators and they weren't able to supply any (possibly because of the change from 2 assignments to 1).

You need to use the form on the EMLC website: www.emlc.co.uk/assessment-documents.aspx?id=5 When it came to my write up, I just started at the top of the form and ploughed through. Because 2 or 3 of the competencies appear twice I found that I ended up moving stuff between sections. For me, the hardest bit was keeping down to the 22 page limit. I ended up leaving out loads of stuff eg the personal action plan I refer to in my last post, and lots of detail from the pupil surveys - I only had room to include a brief comparision of the key messages from the 2 surveys.

If you haven't already listened to it, then I can't recommend strongly enough that you download the webex from EMLC - it really helped me to get my head round what I should be doing. And finally - don't forget that your final write up isn't actually about your project or what you did in school. It's about how you've changed and grown as a leader during the course. The project is there to provide evidence of how you've met the 9 competencies. Good luck! (I'm still waiting for my results - it seems like such a long time ago that I did all this now!)

[Lawreann]

Hi I'm really struggling with how to start to write my npqsl project up, could anyone send me a sample please? Many thanks

[MichelleDaisy]

Did you have any luck with a response?
I'm still trying to get my head round it!

[MichelleDaisy]

Did you have any luck with a response?
I'm still trying to get my head round it!

[Bhavisha]

hi guys,
I know you were talking about this ages ago but I'm hoping you can still help!
I'm just in the process of writing up my report/collecting evidence for the NPQSL combined project but have a baby due within 4 weeks! eeeek....
The link for the web recording is no longer available so I called them up and the person on the phone was very good to talk to and told me bout areas in particular which people find difficult to evidence. I was just wondering however how you got on with yours? Did it pass? and if possible could I have a look at it?
I just want to make sure I'm on the right track with making valid links to the competencies and providing appropriate evidence.
Hope you can help!!
Bhavisha =)

[Cherry78]

I'm about to start this too.
Any tips appreciated.
Thank you in advance

[Paulamci]

Hi, I am sat here trying to start mine too. I wish there was an example of what they are looking for. Has anyone found one?

[Snowberry86]

I abandoned mine! I was doing my masters at the same time and took on too much so it never got done.

Have since left my school and am no longer doing an SLT role (so much happier!) so not looking to do it again any time soon!

[toomuchicecream]

I got mine done in the end - it seems funny to see my post keep coming back! My best suggestion would be don't stress too much about it! The feedback I got implied that the marker perhaps hadn't read what I'd written in as much detail as I would have liked them to... I spent hours and hours on mine, drafting and re-drafting. Friends who bashed theirs out in a weekend passed in just the same way I did. So if I did it again I'd set a strict time limit, get it as close to right as I could in that time and then submit. If they deem there to be insufficient evidence they'll tell you what you need to do. Nobody cares or knows if you pass first time or not, so why waste as much time as I did trying to make it perfect? Bang it out, stick it in and then if necessary make the changes they ask you to.

[raz74]

Help. I'm just finishing the elective modules. I am doing them in as much detail as time allows. Does my supervisor sign off on these? I'm about to start my final project, due September...2016 I know..nothing like the last minute). I have some research and can put more together. Is it the final project and supporting materials that are sent off and graded or does anything else go in? Can I get this done in a weekend..seriously? My pastoral commitments for over 200 students in a deprived area and being a full time working single mum explain my last minute.com ness :-)

[showtime7]

I am now writing mine up. It has been extremely tedious. In terms of time - I have spent the last couple of days on it and reckon I'm halfway through. I did leave quite a bit of it until the last minute though! I am teaching full time but am due to start a part time distance Masters in October and want this out of the way. I'm going to do my MA in Literature (my passion!) as, although I love being in education, have decided that projects centered around education are not my great love!

[showtime7]

Meant to say - toomuchicecream - interesting about what you said about it being spot on - I do wonder how closely they look at it. I am a bit of a perfectionist however, but I also know people who did their submission very very quickly and passed!

[bethanevans87]

Hi everyone,

I'm just starting my NPQSL and it has really helped reading all your messages. Does anyone have a copy or know where to find any examples of competed final assessments?

Thanks x

[KM2468]

This thread has made me feel a little better about my final assessment. Due mid Sept and was seriously considering changing my dates. Have all most of the information I need just not sure how long it will take to actually complete the final part. Why oh why did I sign up for it! 🤔😃

[showtime7]

Hi KM2468

I've been writing it up on and off for few days now. I think its quite time consuming but to be honest, although Ioved doing the project, this part seems very tedious!

[EmsyB123]

This was really nice to read! I am doing the NPQSL that started before 2014 with the two tasks and I have never done anything so tricky! I went on mat leave before completing it hence having to complete it now so everything I learnt on face to face days is now a little stale. Maybe I am reading too much into it but there seems so little guidance and I am completely lost! Think I am just about there with task 1 but just getting started with task 2 and I have cracked open the wine at 3pm before I have a mental breakdown! If anyone out there has an example of task 2 please please can I have a peek? I'm losing the will to live!!

[sazzleberry79]

Can someone please help?

I started my NPQSL in March 2014!
Since then I had a baby, injured my back and left my school.

I restarted my NPQSL in January 2016 when I started at my new school as a SENCO.

I have just attended the two elective modules having done the core ones before having my son.

I have completed my project and have booked my hand in date for Jan 2017.

But there it stops, I have no idea what I am meant to write on the form Figure 4: as it has been two years since anyone spoke to me about this.

I email people, spoke to people at the IOE when attended the modules in the summer but there never seems to be anyone to help me. I feel anxious about the whole thing, have almost quit so many times as I just don't know what I am meant to write or hand in.

I feel like I've done all the hard work and don't want to let myself down after this has been on my mind for over two years at the last hurdle.

Is there anyone who has handed theirs in got a moment to speak on the phone, email me a copy of theirs as a guide.

I really need help and would appreciate any support.

Kind regards

[sazzleberry79]

I'm doing the combined task