performance management - briefing for unattached teachers

Performance Management- Briefing for Unattached Teachers

v.5

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The context for this briefing

• This briefing is designed to give unattached teachers general information about the revised performance management arrangements as they apply to schools.

• The briefing will provide insight into the obligations and entitlements the revised arrangements place on all teachers and head teachers. There is a specific section of the revised regulations which applies to unattached teachers.

• However, as unattached teachers work in a wide variety of services and settings, this briefing does not attempt to cover all of the variations but to provide an opportunity for you to consider the particular challenges raised by the revised arrangements in your particular work setting.

• Time will be provided at each stage in this briefing for you to raise issues about complexities and challenges of the application of the regulations and guidance specific to your circumstances.

• RIG and the TDA have invited authorities to pass on any significant issues that are not addressed by the Regulations and RIG Guidance so that additional advice and support can be developed for these colleagues

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Where are we?

• Appraisal regulations were first introduced in 1991, following the 1986 Education Act

• Current Regulations for Performance Management have been in place since 2001

• Many aspects work well, but current practice does not reflect recent developments in schools’ and teachers’ working practices.

• New teacher professionalism builds on

– The National Agreement (building capacity for teachers and head teachers to focus on teaching and learning)

– New pay structure

– Review of staffing structures

• Teachers/head teachers need to have access to high quality professional development opportunities to enable them to meet their career aspirations

• The Education (School Teacher Performance Management) (England) Regulations 2006 were laid on the 9th October 2006

Source: TDA Performance Management Briefing and Planning event

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The context of Performance Management in the new professionalism agenda

• Revised arrangements key to the development of the new professionalism agenda described by RIG in their submission to the STRB in May 2005

• Aims to develop a culture whereby teachers/head teachers feel confident and empowered to participate fully in Performance Management

• Where those who manage staff engage in a professional dialogue with them, respect them as professionals, make decisions about their work and contribute in an open, equitable and fair manner

• Acknowledges that professional development should be an ongoing part of everyday activities not a separate activity adding to workload

• Entitlement and duty to engage in CPD which is effective and relevant to individual’s professional development, career progression and aspirations


Please read the document “Performance Management key messages” which needs to be considered in conjunction with these slides. This document is available for LAs to download from the TDA web site.

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The RIG Guidance clarifies some key elements of the revised Performance Management arrangements

• Performance Management is the process for assessing the overall performance of a teacher, in the context of the individual’s job description and any relevant pay progression criteria, and making plans for the individual’s future development in the context of the school’s improvement plan.

• Professional standards provide the backdrop to discussions about performance and future development. The standards define the professional attributes, knowledge, understanding and skills for teachers at each career stage.

• Professional development opportunities support achieving objectives and furthering career progression


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Achieving an understanding of ‘Overall Performance’

There are two elements to ‘overall performance’:

• An assumption that a teacher is meeting the requirements of their job description, the relevant professional duties, and the relevant professional standards

• The content of the planning and review statement, which focuses on the key priorities for the individual during that performance management cycle


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Revised Performance Management arrangements

• Refocuses current 2001 arrangements

• Implementation from September 2007

• “Non-bureaucratic, streamlined, multipurpose” arrangements

• Contribute to raising standards and tackling workload

• Effective, transparent, and fair – and applied consistently

• Need to be consistent with principles and practice of equal opportunities and legislative requirements


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The Performance Management cycle

Monitoring & Supporting

• Monitoring of performance throughout the cycle

• Provision of agreed support

• Evidence collection• Ongoing professional

dialogue

Reviewing• Overall assessment of

individual’s progress against the performance criteria

• Recommendations for pay progression made for eligible teachers

• Judgement on overall performance

• No surprises

Planning• Objectives agreed• Classroom observation

and evidence collection agreed

• Performance criteria for the above agreed

• Support, training and development agreed

• Timescales agreed


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The Planning Meeting- what the revised regulations say


Key message: the planning meeting is far more significant in the performance management cycle. Many authorities will need to organise their arrangements for unattached teachers differently as all expectations for the reviewee are determined up front. The review of performance at the end of the cycle is based on those matters agreed in the planning meeting.

• At the meeting the reviewer and reviewee meet to consider and determine:

• Objectives - which must contribute to improving the progress of pupils• Performance criteria - against which progress will be judged• Classroom observation - the amount and its focus• Other evidence - what else will be gathered to help assess performance towards objectives• The support that will be provided to the reviewee to help with achieving the performance criteria• The reviewees training and development needs and the actions which will be taken to address them

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The Planning Meeting- what the guidance says

• Well planned event

• Sufficient directed time set aside

• Lunch breaks and PPA time must not be used for this purpose

• Professional dialogue with both parties playing an active part

• Specific priorities and specific actions

• Realistic and manageable, and taking account of the desirability of a satisfactory work/life balance


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Objective Setting- what the guidance says

• Focus on priorities for the individual

• Objectives should be time bound, challenging and achievable

• Different timescales for different objectives

• No specified number or type

• Reviewers responsible for ensuring rigour

• Reflect the need for a satisfactory work/life balance

• Reflect experience and aspirations

• Clear link with the school improvement plan


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Performance Criteria- what the guidance says

• Should show what success will look like at the end of the cycle

• The basis on which performance will be assessed

• This assessment will form the basis for a recommendation on pay progression for eligible teachers

• Applied appropriately in terms of equal opportunities considerations


Performance criteria need to be determined which relate to:

• The objectives• Observation of the reviewee’s performance in the classroom

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Classroom observation and other evidence- what the revised regulations say


Key messages: there should be no more than three hours of classroom observation for Performance Management; and it should be planned in advance. The authority’s Performance Management policy has to include a classroom observation protocol. Any other evidence to be gathered needs to be planned, and there are limits on where it can come from.

• Classroom observation for PM limited to no more than 3 hours per cycle

• No requirement to use all 3 hours

• Written feedback must be given on observation within 5 days

• Observations must be conducted by a qualified teacher

• The authority must establish a Performance Management policy which includes a protocol for classroom observation

• Only persons with direct professional knowledge of the work of the teacher can provide evidence

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Classroom Observation and other evidence - what the guidance says

• Clear rationale and focus - supportive and developmental

• Proportionate to need

• Limited exceptions to the three hour limit

• OfSTED and authority observations, and head teacher drop-ins are outside the 3 hours as they are not part of the planned PM observations


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dialogue





• No surprises







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Monitoring and Support- what the revised regulations say


Key message: all monitoring and support should be agreed at the start of the cycle, and changes formally agreed if circumstances change mid-cycle - there should be “no surprises” at the end of the cycle

• There is a regulated process for raising concerns• Regulatory provision exists for raising other concerns or where circumstances change

The Guidance adds that:

• The reviewer and reviewee should actively engage in a professional dialogue throughout the year• Reviewer must share evidence when it becomes available• Either party can request a meeting during the cycle• Reviewee can move from Performance Management into capability procedures if/when necessary

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dialogue





• No surprises







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The Review Meeting- what the revised regulations say


Key Message: the review of performance is based on the performance criteria established at the planning meeting, and any necessary pay recommendation is based on this review.

• Review performance against the performance criteria established at the outset

• The assessment at the review meeting (based on the performance/success criteria) forms the basis for the recommendation for pay progression for eligible teachers


•The review meeting would normally take place at the same time as the Planning Meeting

•Both parties should prepare thoroughly and play an active part

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• Establish the Authority’s Performance Management policy, monitor the operation and outcomes of performance management arrangements, and review the policy every year*

• Appoint a reviewer for each unattached teacher

• Retain a copy of each unattached teacher’s planning and review statement

• Where a teacher makes such a request, to transfer evidence from the current performance management cycle if the teacher transfers mid-cycle

• Where the authority has delegated the role of reviewer they may carry out a moderation role, where they deem it appropriate, on unattached teachers’ planning statements

• Ensure the content of each teacher’s planning and review statement is drafted having regard to the need to be able to achieve a satisfactory work/life balance

• Undertake action in relation to appeals in line with the authority’s policy

Roles & Responsibilities - Local Authorities


* The authority’s Performance Management policy should also indicate the extent to which the policies of theschools in which unattached teachers work should be assumed to apply. For example an unattached teacher may beexpected to comply with the classroom observation protocols of the school in which they work. All other aspects of the process should be the same as school-based teachers.

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Roles & Responsibilities - Unattached Teachers

• Play an active role in their own performance management and professional development including taking actions agreed at review meetings

• Where the role of reviewer has been delegated to them in accordance with the regulations, act as reviewers for other teachers

• Contribute to annual planning and assessment of other teachers where appropriate


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Governing Bodies

• Establish the schools performance management policy, monitor the operation and outcomes of performance management arrangements, and review the policy every year

• Appoint 2/3 governors to review the head teacher’s performance on an annual basis

• Use the SIP to advise appointed governors on the head teacher’s performance, or in the absence of a SIP, appoint an external adviser to do so.

• Retain a copy of the head teacher’s planning and review statement (normally the Chair)

• Where the head teacher makes such a request, to action requests for evidence from the performance management process if the head teacher transfers mid-cycle

• Ensure the content of the head teacher’s planning and review statement is drafted having regard to the need to be able to achieve a satisfactory work/life balance

• Undertake action in relation to appeals in line with the school’s policy

For information:Roles & Responsibilities within schools


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Head Teachers

• Report annually to the governing body on performance management arrangements and on training and development needs

• Play an active part in their own performance management and professional development including taking action as agreed at review meetings

• Act as performance reviewers and, where appropriate, delegate the role of performance reviewer in its entirety to the teacher’s line manager

• Retain copies of all review outcomes in school improvement planning and ensure the school produces and resources an effective plan for the professional development of its workforce

• Carry out a moderation role, where they deem it appropriate, on teachers’ planning statements


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Head Teachers

• Establish a protocol for classroom observation for inclusion in the performance management policy, if directed by the Governing body to do so

• Action any request from a teacher for evidence from performance management to be transferred if the teacher moves school mid-cycle

• Evaluate standards of teaching and learning and ensure proper standards of professional practice are established and maintained

• Ensure that the teacher’s planning and review statement is drafted having regard to the need for a satisfactory work/life balance


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Process and Timings- what the revised regulations say


Key message: Key steps in the process and their timelines are specified in the Regulations

• The annual cycle must be completed by 31st October each year in time for pay recommendations to be made to the authority

• Clarity on access and retention of statements

• The regulations governing the process are clearer and more detailed

• Provisions in the regulations seek to limit workload arising from Performance Management

• Clear right of appeal

• 2006/07 reviews carried out under current regulations

The Guidance adds that all parties should respect the confidentiality of planning and review statements

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5 days

10 days

Reviewee can appeal against

final copy of statement*

Planning meeting

Reviewer prepares draft

planning & review

statement

Reviewee may add

comments

Submit the signed statement to LA

Revised statement signed and resubmitted to LA within 10

days

10 days

10 days

Within 10 working days of receipt of the statement the LA may review the statement, and may instruct the reviewer to make changes

Copy passed to reviewee

Reviewer prepares and signs

final version

Consult with

reviewee

Reviewer prepares new

planning & review statement

Copy passed to reviewee

Reviewee may add

comments

If the LA instructs the reviewer to make changes, within 10 working days of being requested to make changes ....

* No appeal should be made until after any moderation process is complete.

Reviewee can appeal at this stage if LA decides no

changes are required to the statement*

Process and Timings- timeline for agreeing the planning meeting statement


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Continuing Professional Development- what the revised regulations say


Key Message: Support, training and development needs to be planned at the start of the Performance Management cycle.

• Each teacher’s support and training & development needs must be agreed at the beginning of the cycle, and the actions which will be taken to address them

• Professional development should support achieving objectives and respond to career aspirations


•Teachers should feel they have an entitlement to effective, sustained and relevant professional development

•Teachers should play an active role in their own professional development

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Continuing Professional Development- the new teacher professionalism

RIG’s Joint Evidence to the School Teachers’ Review Body, May 2005

“The major culture change initiated by the national agreements needs to extend to schools’ understanding of CPD.

RIG believes that there is scope for a greater emphasis on in-school and cross-school activities, such as coaching and mentoring, learning from others’ practice through structured, supportive, developmental classroom observation, and other forms of professional collaboration.

This needs to happen in the context of effective management and leadership and in a culture of openness and mutual professional respect. This is essential if the benefits of learning from other teachers through classroom observation are to be realised.”


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Continuing Professional Development- what are the implications for the authority?

• Need to review CPD policy to reflect revised regulations

• Join up and integrate CPD with other initiatives

• Take account of PM review outcomes to produce and resource an effective plan for CPD

• Ensure that teachers are involved in CPD that best matches their needs

• Where others can benefit from an individual’s teaching and subject skills, ensure that they are involved in coaching and mentoring activities


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Benefits of effective Performance Management for reviewees

• Provides clarity at the beginning of the cycle about the basis on which performance is reviewed and on which pay recommendations will be made

• Forms part of an ongoing professional dialogue

• Helps to develop professional practice

• Fairness and consistency of Performance Management within a national pay framework

• Rewards teachers as highly skilled professionals

• Professional development agreed at the beginning of the cycle, and ongoing part of daily activities

• Recognition that career aspirations need to be taken into consideration

• Impact on teaching and learning of their own professional development that they have undertaken and their contribution to others is taken into account


performance management - briefing for unattached teachers

Education

revised regulations

revised arrangements

planning event

professional dialogue

relevant professional

individuals future development

new teacher professionalism

arrangements implementation