Need to apply for threshold, advice please!

[Yorkiegirl]

Just realised that as I'm on pay spine point M6 I can apply for threshold. EEek! Having nightmares about it already. Anyone got any advice?

The form filling is a nightmare. Here's what I did (with added complication that I had just arrived at a new school when applying, so a lot of my statements needed hard copy paper evidence that I had to find...)

1. In notepad wrote each 'standard' at top of individual page. Broke down the sub sections.

1. Went through guidance (NUT, school training, download stuff) and added notes on types of evidence/examples that could be used to proove each part.

1. Collected together everything I could think of that would help - my planning and assessment files, INSET/courses list, observations paperwork (VERY important, as I found some criteria could only be met by quoting from observations done on me), performance management paperwork, Ofsted report (if you've been 'done' in the last 3 years)..even positive letters from parents, saying what they were pleased with/grateful for..

1. In notepad wrote examples of what I had done/could use to meet each target, and made note of parts I was struggling with, and bits that needed research (pupil performance results)

1. Talked to others/got advice about missing bits, what could I use etc?

1. Found that some major bits of work (eg. redoing schools curriculum planning and topic formats) could be used to exemplify more than one target, so went through and did cross-referencing in notepad.

1. Tried to get over the horrible feeling of showing off/being pompous, and accepted the fact that for 'threshold' you have to take on the attitude of "I am brilliant and this is what I've done to proove just how brilliant and fab I am".....

1. Filled in the form.

1. Drank a lot of wine.

Took bloody ages! Are you Primary or Secondary? I'm Primary - will make a big difference to the type of evidence you use, and any other advice I can give.

Good luck, and just keep thinking about the money

Thanks, bee3. Planning on looking at this after Christmas. My mum is going to help me too, she retired last year and got her threshold when it first started.

Ask friends and colleagues if you can look at their successful forms! That is a big time saver. Plus ask them what you could include, they often think of things you do that you have forgotten or take for granted! Also I used advice from the NUT. Bee3 also has good advice, but IMO shouldn't take hours and hours. Took me about 2 hours.