The AST grade is an exciting career option for teachers and new ASTs are coming into post each year. In order to become an AST a teacher has to pass a rigorous assessment undertaken by VT Education.  

Please note: A teacher cannot simply apply for AST assessment. There must be a post to apply for and the post can be in the teacher’s own or another school.

If you want to create an AST post in your school please contact either Michelle Shipley or Claire Birch on 01623 433225 to discuss this or go to Creating an AST Post.

The Local Authority has a limited number of 'funded' AST posts. There is movement each year and vacancies occur on a regular basis. The LA keeps a succession list of potential ASTs and matches this with local as well as national priorities. If you would like, or have a colleague in school who would like, to become an AST, please contact the AST Management Team to discuss the possibility and add the colleague’s name to the succession list.

The LA supports AST candidates by carrying out an observation at an early stage to ensure the candidate is on track to meet the AST assessment criteria. We also identify an existing AST as a 'buddy' for the process.

If you are not seeking funding from the LA for an AST post, the school can support the AST post independently and application for AST assessment can be direct from the school to VT.

The application process for any AST candidate is the same:

  1. The Application Form (main scale teachers) and the
    Application Form (post-threshold teachers) plus the
    Guidance Notes are available to be down loaded
  2. Further details are available electronically at:   www.teachernet.gov.uk access the application form here
  3. The application can be completed electronically but must be sent to VT in hard copy with original signatures
  4. Once the application for is complete: send a hard and electronic copy to Michelle Shipley or Claire Birch
  5. Compile a portfolio of evidence to support the application to be available on the day of assessment (NB use the application form as a guide for the contents of the portfolio)
  6. On receipt of the application from VT will allocate the assessment to a suitable assessor who will contact the school to agree a date for assessment (normally within 3 weeks)
  7. The assessment day includes the following processes:
    • two observations of teaching
    • time to view the portfolio of evidence
    • an interview with the candidate
    • an interview with the headteacher
    • an interview with a group of children (6-8)
    • an interview with a group of colleagues (4-8)
    • an interview with a group of parents (4-8)
  8. You will know the result at the end of the day of assessment – fully met or not fully met
  9. A fully met assessment means that the teacher can go into post as soon as the post is available
  10. A not fully met result means additional support to prepare for re- assessment.

AST Outreach Work

AST are required to complete 20% outreach work. A full-time AST will work In their normal school with normal teaching responsibilities 4 days per week with one day (or its equivalent) as dedicated AST time.  

Experience has shown that where an AST has a full day allocated for AST work, the teacher can maximise their impact. Two half days are the next best option but a series of single non-contact sessions distributed across a week have proven to limit success.

In Nottinghamshire the 20% deployment is divided into three areas:

  1. Work with colleagues in their own school and known as INREACH (managed by the headteacher/line manager and monitored by the Local Authority AST management Team)
  2. Partnership with other schools (managed by the headteacher/line manager and monitored by the Local Authority AST management Team)
  3. Work which is directed by the LA to support school improvement (managed by the Local Authority AST management Team).
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