1. How will we decide if we are ready?
Use the Challenge Award Framework as an audit tool to evaluate your practice against the criteria. If you meet about 90% of the criteria and have action planned for the rest then consider applying. Ensure that The Challenge Award and the commitment to support AGT pupils is a whole school undertaking.

2. How big is the Assessment team?
Either one or two assessors, dependent on the size of your school. However we will on occasion ask if a newly trained assessor can support an assessment as part of their induction

3. How big should the portfolio be?
This should be no larger than your Challenge Award folder.

4. What kind of evidence should we include?
The assessors will want to see evidence that demonstrates policy into practice and how that practice is monitored and evaluated. Ensure that the portfolio contains 'real' documents not templates or illustrative evidence. The assessors will want to see documents that are in use such as annotated plans, notes from staff meetings etc.

5. How should we organise the portfolio?
You will need to include evidence for each of the criteria. It is useful to collate the evidence under each element and sub element but make use of cross referencing to save repetition within the portfolio. It can also be useful to 'signpost' evidence to direct the assessor's attention.

6. What happens on the Assessment Day?
Exact timings are agreed with the school but an assessment day has the following components carried out in this order:

8.00am Arrival and set-up
Interview with parent/s and governor/s
Lesson observations
Interviews with able pupils from each key stage
Interviews with staff
Interview with A, G and T coordinator
Team meeting and work scrutiny
Feedback to Headteacher
4.30pm Close

Top Tips:

• Get detailed advice about portfolios from Challenge Award Supporting Document 18 on 'Guidance Document on Evidence Gathering'
• Use the 'What is Good Teaching and Learning?' matrix (Challenge Award Supporting Document 1) as a benchmarking tool. Cross-reference your own tools for evaluating teaching and learning against it.
• Ensure that evidence is included from across the school to illustrate that this is a whole school undertaking
• Book a NACE 'Pre-Assessment' visit through our CPD services (contact cpd@nace.co.uk)

Challenge Award Supporting Documents 1 and 18 are available to Challenge Award website subscribers. Click here to subscribe.