Those applying for the Chartered Teacher of History are likely to have a plethora of evidence that can be provided. The application process though is not seeking a full portfolio of such evidence – rather the best exemplars to illustrate how the criteria have been met.

See our exemplar applications here

Key documents

A key document in the application process is the Self-Evaluation Statement. This is an opportunity to explain how you believe you fit the criteria. This can include cross referencing with specific sections of the criteria. However, the whole statement should be 1000 words maximum. Examples of Self-Evaluation statements can be found on the HA website. Accompanying this Self-Evaluation statement should be a supporting statement from a third party verifying its authenticity. This can be extremely brief, just a sentence or two is all that’s required.

A CV should also be included. This should not exceed 2 pages (A4) and need only include aspects that demonstrate fulfilment of the eligibility criteria, e.g. degree, appropriate length of experience. The CV should include contact details for two referees. A scan or copy of your degree certificate can be attached to this or with the CPD Log.

Also provided should be a CPD Log. This should list recent and ongoing CPD undertaken (not delivered). Guidance on the type of CPD that may be relevant can be found through looking at the examples of CPD logs on the HA website. However, it should be noted that any CPD included on the log should be history focused rather than generic. . It is unnecessary to include CPD undertaken which does not directly impact on history. CPD can be internal or external, although it is a good idea to try and include a mix of both. CPD can include a podcast listened to, a meeting involving significant discussion of history, lectures/talks, visits and online courses as well as more traditional face to face CPD. Residential conferences such as the HA annual conference count as 20 hours.

Supporting evidence

The supporting evidence should relate directly to the Self-Evaluation statement. It is recommended that six pieces of evidence are provided. The pieces of evidence are exemplars and are certainly not intended to demonstrate the full work and activity of the applicant. The evidence may well differ depending on teaching phase or current role. Again, there are examples of evidence in the example applications on the HA website. What is most definitely NOT needed is a scattergun set of disparate pieces of evidence with many sub-species of the 6 exemplars. It is important that applicants use their professional judgement to select the six most telling exemplars that illuminate the claims in the Self-Evaluation statement. The assessors reserve the right not to view material that is supplementary to the six.

It can be helpful to organise the supporting evidence by numbering, i.e.

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE 1
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE 2
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE 3
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE 4
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE 5
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE 6

Each should represent a ‘type’ such as those listed on the HA’s criteria, e.g. teaching plans, learners’ work, resources produced. In many cases, it may be sufficient to produce one powerful example, e.g. of a resource produced. In other cases, it would be acceptable to include a couple, e.g. for Key Stage 1 and 2, or Key Stage 3 and 4. Producing plans, work, resources etc for every year group is certainly not required.

It is a good idea to clearly draw reference to each of the 6 pieces of evidence chosen within your 1000 word self evaluation statement at the point where you feel the evidence you have supplied backs up the claim that you make in your statement. You can see examples of how this has been done in the example applications. It is helpful for example if the statement can include a margin to include any cross reference to a piece of supporting evidence that is being referred to.

It is tempting to want to provide as full a picture as possible but this should be avoided. The aim should always be the best 6 pieces of evidence that enhance the application. The HA can always request further information if further clarification is needed.

It is important to remember what is being sought, i.e. evidence of keeping up to date with subject knowledge as a subject discipline, pedagogy and the curriculum. There should also be a demonstration that professional practice has been shared.

Evidence is submitted electronically using the HA evidence upload facility (MyHA space) or by post. Details of how and when to submit are provided in the unit for registered participants.

Below is an example of the type of supporting evidence that might be included. This is illustrative only. There are many ways in which evidence can be submitted.

Supporting evidence – Example

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE 1: LESSON PLAN that reveals challenging and interesting activities developing historical knowledge and understanding – e.g. a plan for a Year 1 and a Year 5 lesson or a Year 7 and Year 10 lesson.

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE 2: LEARNERS’ WORK e.g. an innovative or effective piece of work from one class perhaps showing its relevance and accessibility to lower and higher attainers complete with teacher annotation.

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE 3: RESOURCE A learning resource produced by the applicant that illustrates a good grasp of pedagogy and which perhaps reveals something that is innovative such as addressing an aspect such as diversity or local history or which perhaps addresses a misconception.

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE 4: WIDER HISTORICAL COMMUNITY such as brief details of activities such as contributing/organising a local forum; joint work with feeder or receiving schools, helping run a HA branch or a local history society, running a history blog, writing history articles for journals. Again there is no need to make this definitive. It would be suffice to include a description in 1-2 pages maximum of a small number of such activities (perhaps 3).

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE 5: MENTORING Brief details of involvement in mentoring other teachers of history (or including history in primary and other settings) over a period of time such as linked to a school-based training route or a higher education institute.

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE 6: A POLICY A copy with brief context of a policy or set of procedures the applicant has devised or played a significant part in producing with brief evidence of implementation, e.g. assessment, diversity.