In July 2024 the DfE released new guidance for schools on teacher appraisals. Here is what you need to know.
- The appraisals process should be intrinsically supportive and developmental, conducted within a school culture that values openness and fairness. Appraisal should be a non-bureaucratic process that recognises, encourages and validates a teacher’s commitment to professional development, pedagogical excellence and effective performance.
- It should offer a supportive and safe environment where individual teachers and their line managers can have open and honest conversations about successes and areas for improvement.
- It should address the support that will be provided to enable all teachers to achieve their objectives and continue to meet the teacher’s standards.
- Reducing unnecessary workload should be at the forefront of any considerations around implementing appraisal processes.
Concerns about aspects of the teacher’s work performance – support before capability
- Where there are concerns about aspects of the teacher’s work performance, at any point throughout the appraisal process, teachers should receive informal focused support. In most cases this should be separate and come before any capability procedures are considered. This might include mentoring, training, or resources to address specific needs.
- This support should have clear, achievable objectives and timelines. The line manager/appraiser should partner with the teacher in a collaborative manner to establish objectives and timelines, taking into account the teacher’s circumstances. This may include any medical conditions, working pattern, well-being support needs, or disabilities protected by equality legislation. The line manager/appraiser is responsible for providing specific feedback, with examples of where standards have not been met, and identifying the appropriate support to help the teacher improve. There should be a clear relationship between the issue, the objectives set, and the planned programme of support put in place. The consequences of not meeting the required improvements should be communicated to the teacher and confirmed in writing.
- Informal support should be provided for a reasonable period (for example a minimum of 6 weeks) to allow for performance improvement. However, the duration should be determined based on the specific circumstances, with appropriate support in place to facilitate improvement. The line manager should meet with the teacher regularly to assess progress and ensure the agreed-upon support is being provided.
- When progress is reviewed after the defined period, if the appraiser is satisfied that the teacher has made, or is making, sufficient improvement, the appraisal process will continue as normal, with any remaining issues continuing to be addressed though that process. Teachers and school leaders should normally only enter capability procedures when there is unsatisfactory progress made with their work performance that the appraisal process, including the informal support mechanisms have been unable to address.
The appraisal cycle
- Autumn term – All objectives, success criteria, and evidence to be used will be finalised between the appraiser and appraisee. If agreement cannot be reached, they are set by the appraiser. The appraisee can record their disagreement in writing which should then be taken into account at the review stage.
- Spring and Summer term – Performance is reviewed against objectives and standards as set out in the school’s appraisal policy (such as through lesson visits and ongoing professional dialogue between the relevant parties and mid-year reviews).
- Summer and Autumn term – At the end of the appraisal year, teachers must receive an appraisal report which includes (amongst other things) an assessment against their objectives and success criteria and the relevant standards. In addition to assessing a teacher’s achievement of objectives, it is important for line managers to also discuss workload, wellbeing, working hours, flexible working opportunities, and career aspirations in a supportive manner. This can help the teacher identify strategies to effectively manage their workload and wellbeing, as well as provide feedback to management for further improvement and retention.
The main roles and responsibilities in appraisals
- School leaders, governing bodies and teachers all have a role to minimise burdens on their staff, including in relation to paperwork and evidence collection.
- Responsibilities for school leaders include reviewing the appraisal policy for governing body approval; Ensuring all teachers are made aware of the policy and that they have the knowledge and skills to apply procedures fairly and effectively; Keeping records of the decisions and recommendations in order to demonstrate that all judgements have been made objectively, and in compliance with the school’s policy and equalities legislation; Ensuring teachers are notified in writing of any recommendations made and decisions reached.
- Teachers must ensure that they understand their responsibilities and the arrangements within their school; Keeping records of their objectives and identify evidence as part of review throughout the appraisal process.
Reducing workload
A fundamental principle that schools should take into account when developing, implementing and reviewing pay and appraisal policies is the need to minimise the impact on workload for individual teachers, line managers and school leaders.
It has been recommended that schools use the following workload toolkit: https://improve-workload-and-wellbeing-for-school-staff.education.gov.uk/workload-reduction-toolkit/
The guidance says that appraisal decisions should use evidence that is easily available from day-to-day work, and that it should not be necessary for teachers to collate large portfolios of evidence for their appraisal.
The guidance reminds us that governing bodies and school leaders have a duty of care to protect the health, safety and welfare of their staff under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and should ensure staff wellbeing is routinely considered in setting appraisal objectives and making pay decisions.
Professional development
- Effective professional development is an integral part of ensuring high-quality teaching that enables teachers to manage teaching and learning effectively.
- Schools should consider how they establish strong professional development cultures which elevate the quality of teaching and ultimately improve pupil outcomes.
- Professional development should form a key component of teacher objectives, ensuring their professional practice remains up to date with the latest methodologies, technologies, and educational research.
- Professional development is a shared responsibility between the individual teacher and their school. It is good practice for staff and leaders to consider the personal development needs of teachers alongside school improvement needs.
- The removal of the requirement for performance related pay is to allow schools to have a greater opportunity to focus on professional development in objectives and appraisals. (Note – the new government has confirmed it will amend the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document to remove the performance related pay requirement. It is therefore expected to be removed from the 2024/25 document and as a result, all schools and employers should prepare to amend their pay and appraisal policies accordingly).
- Schools should identify sufficient resources and support to meet teachers’ and the school’s professional development needs. When they do so, teachers have a responsibility to be proactive in identifying their own needs and utilising all resources and opportunities open to them to meet them (such as collaborating, observing and making use of research).
The DfE have produced a model policy for appraising teacher performance. This can be found from page 11 of the guidance document: Teacher Appraisal – guidance for schools (publishing.service.gov.uk)
