Performance Management in Schools

Model Performance Management Policy



Model Performance Management Policy
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Contents
1. introduction

2. rationale - explains the value of performance management

3. roles - introduces the roles of different people in the performance management
process

4. 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

5. 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

6. performance management cycle - explains the cycle of planning, monitoring
and reviewing performance as it will operate in the school

7. links between pay, career stages and performance management - explains
links
between the performance management system and other policies

8. 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

9. confidentiality - sets out clearly the confidential nature of performance
management
documents and the need to keep them in a secure place

10. access to outcomes - shows the statutory position about who can have access
to review statements or information contained in them

11. complaints - sets out the statutory process to follow if a complaint is made
about the annual review

12. evaluation of the policy - brings out the school’s commitment to review the
effectiveness of the review process each year

13. 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.
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1. Introduction

This section introduces the contents of the policy and explains that it is based on the new
performance management system which has statutory effect from 1 September 2000.

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.

This section is recommended.

2. Rationale

This section explains your vision for performance management in your school. It sets out some of
the benefits of performance management, as 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:

i. Fairness. We all need to be aware of the potential for unconscious discrimination
and to avoid assumptions about individuals based on stereotypes; and

ii. Equal Opportunity. All teachers should be encouraged and supported to achieve
their potential through agreeing objectives, undertaking development and having their
performance assessed.

This section is recommended.

Model Performance Management Policy
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3. Roles

This section introduces the roles and responsibilities of different staff in the performance
management process. Each school will need to be clear about roles and responsibilities under the
performance management system. 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.

This section is recommended. Annex A summarises the main points set out in Regulations.
Schools may find it helpful to attach this to their policy or make it available to staff separately.


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. For example, the head may be the team leader for
all school staff in a small school or team leader of the senior management team in a larger school.
Where a team is too large for the leader to be the reviewer for all the team, the task could be
shared with others who hold significant management posts within the team. Schools should
consider the time involved in doing a number of performance management reviews.


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 limit the
number of reviewees to 4.

This section is recommended.
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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 in the model policy 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, including at least 1
classroom observation for each teacher.

(c)
Formal Reviews Autumn Term 2001

We will take into account Key Stage, GCSE 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.

To comply with Regulations, the information in bold italics should not be changed. These parts
should be taken directly from the document and used in your school policy. Other parts are
recommended.

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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.

S t a g e 1
S t a g e 3
T e a c h e r
P l a n n i n g : A g r e e O b je c t i v e s
R e v i e w : E n d o f Y e a r
a n d c o m p l e t e a n
R e v i e w o f p r o g r e s s
I n d i v i d u a l P l a n
T e a m L e a d e r
S t a g e 2
M o n i t o r i n g :
T e a c h i n g i n p r o g r e s s i n y e a r



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
attached 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.

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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;
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• 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.

To comply with Regulations, the information in bold italics should not be changed. These parts
should be taken directly from the document and used in your school policy. Other parts are
recommended.


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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. Schools may want to expand this section to include
more details on other school policies, such as professional development. Schools should explain
either here or in the school’s pay policy how information from reviews will be used to inform
decisions on teachers’ pay for all those who are eligible for performance pay points.

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.

In order to remain within the Regulations, the information in bold italics should not be changed.
These parts should be taken directly from the document and used in your school policy.

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.

To comply with Regulations, the information in bold italics should not be changed. These parts
should be taken directly from the document and used in your school policy.


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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.

This section is recommended.

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.

To comply with Regulations, the information in bold italics should not be changed. These parts
should be taken directly from the document and used in your school policy.

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Document Outline

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