Contents
- introduction
- rationale - explains the value of performance management
- roles - introduces the roles of different people in the
performance management process
- responsibility for reviews - recommends careful planning to
make sure the review process is manageable and to ensure all teachers know
who will be responsible for their reviews
- timing of reviews - explains the timing of the school’s
review cycle taking into account the statutory requirements for setting
objectives and the length of review cycles
- performance management cycle - explains the cycle of planning,
monitoring and reviewing performance as it will operate in the school
- links between pay, career stages and performance management -
explains links between the performance management system and other
policies
- managing weak performance - explains that the performance
management process does not form part of any formal disciplinary or
capability processes but may inform certain decisions or recommendations
- confidentiality - sets out clearly the confidential nature of
performance management documents and the need to keep them in a secure
place
- access to outcomes - shows the statutory position about who can
have access to review statements or information contained in them
- complaints - sets out the statutory process to follow if a
complaint is made about the annual review
- evaluation of the policy - brings out the school’s commitment
to review the effectiveness of the review process each year
- standardised documentation - includes model documents for use
by the school for performance management. Annex A summarises the statutory
requirements of the new
- Regulations. Annex B gives a model for an Individual Plan and Annex C
a classroom observation form which schools may wish to use.
NOTE: Annexes mentioned are contained
in the downloadable Word and PDF documents.
1. Introduction
This policy is based on the new performance management system which has
statutory effect from 1 September 2000. Items in bold italics are required
to comply with regulations.
In this school we are committed to performance management to develop
all staff and improve teaching and to raise standards of achievement for
all children. To do this we shall be introducing a Performance Management
Policy based on the Performance Management system which comes into
statutory force from September 2000. This policy covers all teachers
except teachers on contracts of less than one year and those in their
induction year. All teachers have been consulted in developing this
policy. It sets a framework for all staff to agree and review priorities
and objectives within the context of the school’s development plan and
their own professional needs.
2. Rationale
The benefits of performance management are described in the Performance
Management Framework.
Performance management means a shared commitment to high performance.
It helps to focus attention on more effective teaching and monitoring to
raise the quality of teaching and to benefit pupils, teachers and the
school. It means providing appropriate and effective personal training and
development to ensure job satisfaction, a high level of expertise and
progression of staff in their chosen profession.
We want to improve school performance by developing the effectiveness
of teachers, both as individuals and as teams. The evidence is that
standards rise when schools and individual teachers are clear about what
they expect pupils to achieve. That is why performance management is
important.
We will implement our performance management arrangements on the basis
of:
- Fairness. We all need to be aware of the potential for
unconscious discrimination and to avoid assumptions about individuals
based on stereotypes; and
- Equal Opportunity. All teachers should be encouraged and
supported to achieve their potential through agreeing objectives,
undertaking development and having their performance assessed.
3. Roles
This section introduces the roles and responsibilities of different
staff in the performance management process. In this policy document the
term ‘team leader’ refers to a teacher who, on the basis of
responsibility for learning in the school, has the best overview of the
teacher’s work and the ability to provide support to staff. The team
leader is the person who will carry out the review.
Performance management is a shared responsibility. The Governing Body
has a strategic role in agreeing the school’s performance management
policy, ensuring that performance of teachers at the school is regularly
reviewed and for monitoring the Performance Management process. The
headteacher is responsible for implementing the school’s performance
management policy and ensuring that performance management reviews take
place.
Performance management involves both the team leader and the teacher
working together to ensure that objectives are discussed and agreed;
regular and objective feedback is given; adequate coaching, training and
development is provided and that the performance review takes place. An
External Adviser will provide advice to the Governing Body’s
representatives on the setting of performance objectives for the head and
will support them in reviewing performance at the end of the review cycle.
A more detailed breakdown of statutory roles and responsibilities is
included in the summary of the Regulations at Annex A.
Annex A summarises the main points set out in Regulations
4. Responsibility for Reviews
This section shows how the school plans its reviews so that each
teacher understands who is
responsible for his or her performance review. The Headteacher is the
team leader for the Key Stage Managers. The Key Stage Managers are the
team leaders for their own Key Stage. Where a Key Stage has more than 4
classteachers, the Manager may with the express permission of the
Headteacher and Governing Body delegate responsibility to others who hold
significant management posts within the team.
We have carefully considered the practical arrangements for performance
management in the school. We have appointed two governors to carry out the
head’s performance management review. The head has decided who shall act
as team leader for each teacher on the basis of responsibilities for
learning in the school, a judgement about who has the best overview of the
teacher’s work and the ability to provide support to staff. In doing
this, the head has delegated responsibility to an appropriate team leader
to ensure that each reviewer is responsible for a limited number of
reviews. In some cases this is the head. Good practice shows that
reviewers do not have more than 6 reviewees. We have decided that we will
try to limit the number of reviewees to 4.
5. Timing of Reviews
This section explains the timing for the review cycle. The performance
management Regulations take effect from 1 September 2000. The review cycle
operates on a continuous one year cycle, except for the first year, when
schools have the option of setting a cycle of between 9 and 18 months for
teachers only. The Regulations specify that the Governing Body decides on
the timing for the head’s review cycle and the head decides on the
timing for teachers’ reviews. The head needs to consider the workload
implications and how the cycle will fit best with the school’s other
planning arrangements. In the first review cycle the first meeting and
setting of objectives should have taken place for heads by 31 December
2000 and for teaching staff before the end of February 2001. The timing of
reviews is based on an annual cycle starting from autumn 2000. After the
first cycle, planning should flow naturally from the previous year’s
review.
The one year performance management cycle links with our
planning for school management and target-setting. The Governing
Body needs to ensure that objectives have been agreed or set for the head
by the end of December 2000 and for all other teaching staff by the end of
February 2001.
Our timetable is shown below:
(a) Objectives set in the Autumn term 2000/Spring Term 2001
These will inform and support our school management policies for the
financial and academic years 2001/2002 and 2002/2003. We will take account
of professional development objectives in setting the school’s overall
priorities for staff development.
(b) Monitoring and Feedback
This section explains the school’s arrangements for review. All
teachers will be observed at least once between their Planning Meeting and
July 2001, when the Review Meetings will take place.
(c) Formal Reviews Autumn Term 2001
We will take into account Key Stage, and other outcomes from
June/August 2001 in considering pupil progress. We will set new objectives
and discuss future professional development activities. A new individual
plan will be completed for each teacher.
The review process will inform our school management policies, the
Education Development Plan and the School Development Plan for financial
and academic years 2001/2002 and 2002/3 (especially the costs of the
development/training discussed in reviews).
(d) The process outlined in (c) above continues annually.
6. Performance Management Cycle
This section introduces the concept of the performance management cycle
of planning, monitoring and reviewing. The Governing Body is responsible
for performance review and for agreeing the performance management policy.
The head is responsible for implementing the policy. The circumstances in
which teachers work and the range of responsibilities they carry out vary
considerably. Discussions should be set in the context of the professional
duties set out in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions document and
the teacher’s own work and job description.
Performance Management is set in the context of our school’s plans
for development, against the background of the local education development
plan (EDP), national and local initiatives on improving teaching and any
recent OFSTED report for the school.
Performance Management is an ongoing cycle, not an event, involving 3
stages of planning, monitoring performance and reviewing performance. The
end of year review and Stage 1 may happen at the same time.
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Stage 3 Review: End of Year Review of progress |
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Teacher Team Leader
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Stage 1 Planning: Agree Objectives and complete an Individual Plan |
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Stage 2 Monitoring: Teaching in progress in year |
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Stage 1: Planning - Each teacher will discuss and agree objectives
with their team leader and record these in an individual plan (an example
of a blank individual plan is in at Annex B). Objectives should be
challenging but realistic and take account of a teacher’s job
description and their existing skill and knowledge base.
There can be no hard and fast rule about how many objectives there
should be for a teacher but we expect a minimum of three and no more than
5 or 6 to be agreed. Agreeing objectives does not mean itemising every
activity but picking out key expectations and yardsticks. The range of
objectives should match the nature of the job, including leadership or
management areas as appropriate. Where someone has a wide range of
managerial duties, objectives might focus on specific areas of this work.
Teacher objectives will cover pupil progress as well as ways of
developing and improving teachers’ professional practice. Leadership
group staff and those with management allowances will have objectives
relating to their additional responsibilities. The head’s
objectives will cover school leadership and management as well as pupil
progress.
We will follow the following principles in discussing objectives:
- the team leader should ensure that the teacher understands what his or
her objectives involve, is in a position to achieve them, knows what they
need to do to achieve them and understands when and how they will be
reviewed;
- objectives are written clearly and concisely and are measurable;
- objectives focus on issues/matters over which a teacher has direct
influence/control and take into account fully the wider socio-economic,
cultural and other external influences on pupils; and
- objectives for each teacher should relate to the objectives in the
school development plan and any departmental or team plans as well as to
his/her own professional needs.
The team leader should record the objectives which will apply for the
review period. These should be jointly agreed if possible. If there are
any differences of opinion about the objectives the teacher may add
comments to the written record of objectives. If the head and the
governing body representatives are unable to agree objectives, the
governors appointed to review the performance of the head should set and
record the objectives. The head may add comments to the written record of
objectives.
Professional development opportunities are needed to support agreed
objectives, to develop strengths and address areas for development or
professional growth. The development page of the individual plan will be
used to record action.
Stage 2: Monitoring Progress - The teacher and team leader will
keep progress under active review throughout the year using classroom
observation and other relevant information. They will discuss any
supportive action needed and keep development plans up-to-date.
The team leader should consult the teacher before seeking to obtain
information, written or oral, relevant to the teacher’s performance from
other people.
Classroom observation is accepted good practice with a minimum of one
observation each year required by Regulations. It is not a requirement to
observe headteachers with teaching responsibilities. In our school
we have agreed to have one full lesson observation per year, supplemented
by any fuller observation of whole or part lesson which are agreed to be
useful for developmental purposes.
In planning observation, we will follow these principles:
- successful observation requires preparation and training, and a clear
understanding on the part of the teacher and team leader of its purpose;
- the nature of the observation will depend on its purpose;
- it is important that the observer ensures that the lesson proceeds in
as normal an atmosphere as possible;
- full, constructive and timely feedback offers an opportunity to
discuss what went well, what might be done better or differently next
time. When giving feedback, the team leader should take into account the
range of activities carried out by the teacher and the time spent on each
activity.
We will use the standard DfEE proforma for observations as attached at
annex C. Copies should be kept by the teacher and the team leader.
Stage 3: Reviewing Performance: The annual review of the teacher’s
performance will
use the recorded objectives as a focus to discuss his/her achievements
and identify any
development needs. It will be combined with agreeing objectives
for the following performance management cycle.
The focus of the review is on how to raise performance and improve
effectiveness. It will involve:
- Reviewing, discussing and confirming the teacher’s essential tasks
and objectives;
- Recognising strengths and achievements and taking account of factors
outside the teacher’s control;
- Confirming action agreed with the teacher at other reviews;
- Identifying areas for development and how these will be met;
- Recognising personal development needs; and
- Agreeing new clear objectives and completing an individual plan for
the year ahead.
The team leader should evaluate the teacher’s overall performance,
including an assessment of the extent to which objectives have been met,
and the teacher’s contribution to the life of the school during the
review period. It should take account of the stage the teacher is at in
his or her career e.g. teacher with 2 - 3 years service, advanced skills
teacher, senior manager.
Within 10 days of the review meeting, the team leader will prepare a
written review statement recording the main points made at the review and
the conclusions reached, including any identified development needs and
activities recorded in a separate annex (but forming part of) the review
statement. Once written, the team leader will give the teacher a copy of
the statement. The teacher may within 10 days of first having access to
the statement, add to it comments in writing. Good practice shows
that the review statement should be written as soon as possible after the
review, whilst the facts are still fresh in the team leader’s memory.
7. Links between pay, career stages and performance management.
This section describes the links between some of the different policies
and how the performance management process may impact on them.
Induction - the final review meeting of the induction period can be
used to agree objectives and professional development opportunities as the
first stage of the teacher’s subsequent performance management cycle;
(Circular No: 5/99 The Induction Period for Newly Qualified Teachers para
58.)
Information from the performance review statement can be used to inform
aspects of the new pay structure from September 2000.
- Up to the Threshold - teachers can expect an annual increment if they
are performing satisfactorily. Double increments for exceptional
performance would need to be justified by review outcomes.
- Threshold - teachers who want to move to the upper pay spine should
fill out the application form provided by the DfEE. Evidence from reviews
will be used to inform applications by teachers and assessment by heads.
- Performance Pay Points above the threshold, Advanced Skills Teachers
and teachers in the leadership group - performance reviews will form part
of the evidence which schools can use to make decisions about awarding
performance pay points to eligible teachers.
8. Managing Weak Performance
Good management, with clear expectations and appropriate support, will
go a long way towards identifying and handling weaknesses in performance.
The review meeting and review statement do not form part of any formal
disciplinary or capability procedures. However, relevant information
from review statements may be taken into account by those who have access
to them in making decisions and in advising those responsible for taking
decisions, or making recommendations about performance, pay, promotion,
dismissal or disciplinary matters.
9. Confidentiality
The individual plan and the review statement are personal and
confidential documents and should be kept in a secure place. The
principles and provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 should be
followed at all times by those who have access to the documents.
10. Access to outcomes
There will only be two copies of the review statement - one held by the
teacher and another held by the head on a central file, to which the team
leader or Governors responsible for making decisions regarding pay could
request access. A copy of the head’s review statement should go to the
Chair of Governors.
Information about performance reviews should be made available as
listed below:
- the head should ensure that individual training and development needs
are reflected in the school development plan and the programme for
professional development;
- the head should ensure that training and development needs from the
review statement are given to the person responsible for training and
development at the school;
- the head should report annually to the governing body on performance
management in the school, including the effectiveness of the performance
management procedures in the school, and the training and development
needs of teachers; and
- the CEO can request from the Chair of Governors a summary of the
performance assessment section of the head’s review statement.
The head should keep review statements for at least three years.
11. Complaints
This section explains the procedures for complaining about reviews.
The Review
Within 10 days of receiving the review statement:
Teachers can record their dissatisfaction with aspects of the
review on the review statement. Where these cannot be resolved with the
team leader, they can raise their concerns with the head. Where the head
is the team leader, the teacher can raise the issue with the Chair of
Governors.
Headteachers can record their dissatisfaction with aspects of the
review on the review
statement. Where these cannot be resolved with the appointed governors,
they can raise their concerns with the Chair of Governors. Where the Chair
of Governors has been involved in the review process, the governing body
should appoint one or more governors who have not participated in the head’s
review to act as review officer. No governor who is a teacher or staff
member can be involved in performance review.
The review officer (who could be the head, the Chair of Governors
or the governors appointed by the governing body) will investigate the
complaint and take account of comments made by the job holder. The review
officer should conduct a review of the complaint within 10 working days of
referral. S/he may decide that the review statement should remain
unchanged or may add any observations of his/her own. The review officer
may decide, with the agreement of the person responsible for carrying out
the initial review, or in the head’s case all the appointed governors,
to amend the review statement; or declare that the review statement is
void and order a new review or part of the review to be repeated. Where a
new review is ordered new governors will be appointed to carry out the
review of the headteacher. For teachers, the headteacher will appoint a
new team leader. Any new review or part review ordered should be conducted
within a further 15 days.
12. Evaluation of the policy
The head shall provide an annual report to the Governing Body on how
effective the
performance management procedures have been.
As a school committed to ensuring that individual teachers, teams and
the school continues to improve, the Governing Body and the Head will
check that effective and challenging objectives are set, that all reviews
are completed on time and the assessment of performance is consistently
applied in the school. We will evaluate the effectiveness of the policy in
helping to improve standards of teaching and learning.
As part of our ongoing commitment the Governing Body and the Head will
update and amend the documentation and the process as required, after
consultation with all staff, to incorporate any major changes introduced
either by the DfEE or the school to ensure that the policy is up-to-date
and effective in our school.
13. Copies of all Standard Documents, which we will use - the
individual plan, which includes the review statement and the
classroom observation form, can be found attached in the annexes. (See
Word or PDF documents available to download: here)
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