Ethical Training and Consultancy - Performance Management

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Continuing professional development and career development opportunities should be at the heart of an effective performance management programme. The PM Statement should identify an individual's CPD needs and should, through the criteria, set the career development aspirations and goals.

The school CPD policy should set out the CPD entitlements both in school and beyond school for all of its staff and should set out the career pathways available in the school.

Example career paths for teachers and support staff can be downloaded here:

Career Paths for Teaching Staff
Career Paths for Support Staff

A model CPD Policy can be downloaded from the Policy section below.

Following the excellent support and guidance for teachers in their early years and their mentors we have been working on the links between the performance management process and career development.

Once teachers pass their induction year they enter the performance management process setting objectives that continue development work identified through their induction year. Future career priorities may have been identified and some teachers will have elected to undertake the Masters in Teaching and Learning.

These objectives will also need to reflect school improvement priorities. Objectives must take account of a teacher’s job description so we believe it is time to set out career progression against the teacher standards and school improvement priorities with a succession of job descriptions that will track a teachers progress using the objectives and evidence of performance management.

You will find job descriptions for post-threshold teachers in the Job Description section, below. I have now written a draft job description for pre-induction (NQT), post-induction (tiers 2 and 3) and pre-threshold (years 4, 5 and 6) that requires teachers to meet all the professional standards for teachers but to focus on specific standards that relate to their career stage.

I am also developing an integrated strategy for managing teachers in their early years that connects performance management, job descriptions, transition from induction, CPD and the Masters in Teaching and Learning. Please click here to download a copy of this 'Teachers in their Early Years Strategy' document.

One of the consequences of a PM process that is tighter and pay related is that teachers have up to date job descriptions that are fit for the purpose of setting objectives and reviewing performance.

In my view, job descriptions should reflect the teacher's work in terms of the School Development Plan and priorities, the competencies required in terms of the national standards and tasks related to the specific role they are paid to undertake.

The keystone of performance management is the job description. This must be the basis for setting objectives and should make the link between the School Development plan and the relevant National standards. Examples of job descriptions can be found below but ETC consultancy may offer the quickest and easiest solution for schools wanting to review and update their job descriptions.

Schools are working on suites of job descriptions and our examples are getting refined daily as a result of our work with schools.

Job descriptions for support staff should follow the same format as for teaching staff and begin with the contribution to the School Improvement Plan. Most support staff will be subject to the competencies set out in the National Standards for Supporting Teaching and Learning. These can be downloaded via the link on the news page. Individual job descriptions will need to select from these competencies those that are most appropriate to the level and the duties of the individual. An example of competencies for a Learning Support Assistant is included below.

Please contact Jean Hemsley if you would be interested in a workshop to review and rewrite current job descriptions using a range of templates and examples of new job descriptions.

Job Description for Headteacher
Job Description for an Assistant Head
Job Description for PA to Headteacher [NEW]
Job Description for a Post-Induction Teacher
Job Description for a Pre-Threshold Teacher
Job Description for a Post-Threshold Teacher
Job Description for a Cover Supervisor
Job Description for a Learning Support Assistant

If the job description you require is not listed, please contact jean.hemsley@ethicaltraining.com

•	Many schools ask too much of their performance management objectives.
•	They can become too complex and cumbersome.
•	They can take up too much time.
•	They can distract, distort and diminish a teacher's work.

1	Set two objectives - one for learning and one for teaching.
2	Relate both objectives to the School Development Plan.
3	For each objective, set a clear outcome.
4	Teachers take responsibility for their actions.
5	Monitor consistently.
6	Agree and record evidence continuously.
7	Derive performance criteria from the National Standards.
8	Evaluate rigorously.

For more detail and examples of objectives, see below.

There is widespread confusion and poor practice in the setting of PM objectives. Many teachers are unclear about the difference between the planning statement, the objective and the performance criteria. A short guidance paper for staff should include the following explanation of what constitutes a completed planning statement.

Each reviewee will discuss and agree a statement addressing two objectives (student learning and teaching) each derived directly from the current School Development Plan (SDP) with their reviewer who will record these in an individual plan.

Each Planning statement has five parts:

1. The Outcome (derived from and linked to the School Development Plan)

This will be determined each year by the Headteacher from the SEF/SDP process.

2. The Action Steps (derived from job description duties and responsibilities)

There are usually no more than two action steps for each outcome. They should be drafted by the reviewee prior to the planning meeting. They set out what the reviewee intends to do to deliver the outcome. They will take account of the job description, career aspirations and their existing skill and knowledge base. Action steps should not be a list of tasks. Each action step should describe a process and may have several constituent parts. (see exemplar objectives Action Step 1a,1b,1c,1d). CPD will often be required to effectively and successfully achieve the complete action step. Therefore any CPD required should be set out within the Action step and highlighted. (Exemplar objectives set out CPD in blue text).

3. Timelines and Quality Assurance (QA) (part of the Action Steps)

This will ensure that the action steps are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable realistic and time bound).

4. The evidence (derived from agreed evidence protocols and linked to knowledge, skills and competencies)

To be presented by reviewee at the end of the cycle and used to assess the impact of the action steps on the objective and evaluate performance against agreed criteria.

5. The Performance Criteria (derived from Competencies)

The reviewee and reviewer will agree the performance criteria against which the evidence will be assessed by the reviewer. The criteria will be drawn from the standards identified in the knowledge and competencies sections of the job description. Normally one criterion will be set for each action step. So that over two objectives a reviewee should have no more that four criteria to meet. In order for a reviewer to determine performance as good or better or to make a pay recommendation all criteria must be fully met, i.e. a Green record in the progress column of the performance management statement and a fully met judgement in the review statement.

A summary slide showing the layout of an objective and describing each of the parts that make up a quality objective and criteria can be viewed by clicking here.

To see two completed planning statements (one for pupil achievement and one for teaching) with outcome statements, action steps, evidence and performance criteria, click here.

An example of PM guidance notes for teachers can be downloaded from the Policies section below.

If you need help setting, reviewing or revising objectives contact Ian Draper on 07962 448848 or send an e-mail to ian.draper@ethicaltraining.com.

The latest training on objective setting offers participants an opportunity to review the quality and effectiveness of objectives. If you are interested in attending an objective setting workshop, (full details can be found on the Events page) or would like to discuss your objectives directly with Ian Draper, contact Jean Hemsley on 07956 640196.

•	Objectives are set in the context of a teacher's job description and against the SIP and relevant teacher standards.
•	Two objectives for each teacher – one pupil driven focussing on achievement and attainment, one teacher driven focussing on attributes, knowledge and skills.
•	The headline in each objective should link to the SIP and be aspirational and be the same for all teachers.
•	Two action steps for each objective – this will ensure achievability and manageability.
•	Action steps will require the teacher to do something that would not otherwise have happened.
•	Action steps in the pupil/learning objective will focus on specific children or groups of children at greatest risk of underachieving.
•	No tasks - vocabulary for action steps to require a process by combining verbs, e.g. 1. Identify and assess/analyse 2. Develop/plan and implement 3. Monitor and evaluate 4. Incorporate and embed.
•	SMART action steps have a date for completion and a quality measure e.g. if a teacher is going to implement intervention strategies where will they come from?
•	Performance criteria standardised and linked to job descriptions.

Headteachers, like teachers, are required to set objectives such that, if they are achieved, they will contribute to improving the progress of pupils at the school (2006 Regs para 13.3).

I recommend three objectives drawn from the School Improvement Plan:

•	One related to students’ learning: e.g. *5 A to C including English and maths to be greater than 30%**
•	One related to Quality of Provision: e.g. 70% of teaching is good and 20% outstanding.
•	One related to Leadership: e.g. Providing effective organisation and management of the School and improving organisational structures and functions based on rigorous self-evaluation

Each will have an outcome statement and performance criteria will be set from the competency section of the job description.

To view an exemplar Headteacher objective for Quality of Provision, click here.

See section on Objectives/Planning Statement, above.

The conjunction of the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions 2007 (STP&C), the New Professional Standards for Teachers and the 2006 Performance Management Regulations offer schools and headteachers the opportunity to address performance, pay and career development for teachers on UPS ... > Read more

STPC make a clear and explicit link between the performance management process and judgments about national standards and pay progression.

STP&C are now available to schools. They make a clear link with PM and the National Standards.

The most important sections are assessment against the post-threshold standards (section 2 para 21.5) and the revised professional standards for teachers (section 3 paras 39 and 40).

STP&C can be viewed at:

www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/payandperformance/pay/STPCD_2007

This document makes it clear that performance management is the key process for development and career progression and requires post-threshold teachers to:

•	act as role models for teaching and learning;
•	make a distinctive contribution to raising standards;
•	support improvements in teaching practice;
•	support and help colleagues to improve effectiveness;
•	address development needs through coaching and mentoring (section 1 para 12).

This model policy draws on and develops the RIG model policy and combines it with a CPD policy/entitlement.

In addition to the complete policy there are seven annexes including the school PM protocols and pro forma statements, an evidence protocol and a checklist for reviewers' part of the quality assurance provision.

You can download a copy of the policy below.

A shortened version of the Performance Management Policy has been drafted to provide reviewers and reviewees with guidance on the purpose of performance management and the drafting of a planning statement, objectives and performance criteria. This can be downloaded below.

Changes in threshold and in the centrality of performance management in pay and performance decisions may require some revisions to the school's pay policy. A sample updated pay policy can be downloaded below.

A model policy is available below.

Model Performance Management Policy
Model CPD Policy
Model Pay Policy
Model Work-Life Balance Policy
Protocols for Classroom Observation
Sources of Evidence for Performance Management
Sample Performance Review Statement pro forma
Classroom Observation pro forma
Sample Pay Policy
Performance Review Statement pro forma
Threshold Changes 2008–2011
Performance Management Guidance for Teachers

This is an integrated model of performance management linking the school improvement plan with the key processes of performance management and outcomes of pay recommendations and professional and career development opportunities.

Our latest iteration uses the 2009 pilot SEF headings. This makes the diagram less complicated and connects to job descriptions also developed according to the latest SEF headings.

For a copy of the wiring diagram, click the link below:

Successful Schools - Successful Teachers (Wiring Diagram)

ETC and Brin Martin from West Sussex County Council have written a software programme for reporting to governors on compliance and quality of performance management in the school.

To obtain a copy of this, please contact jean.hemsley@ethicaltraining.com or ian.draper@ethicaltraining.com.

A model PM policy and observation pro-forma for unattached teachers are now available for download.

You can view the policy by clicking here and the observation pro forma here.

Reviewers	Reviewees

PM Policy	Job Description
Professional Standards	Professional Standards
School/Department Improvement Plan	Current review statement
Objective pro formas	Student data
Performance criteria	Self assessment against standards
CPD Policy	\|

Many schools have asked for a simple checklist that reviewers and reviewees can follow through the process. The checklist is a means of quality control and serves to ensure consistency of delivery across reviewers.

A copy of this checklist can be found by clicking here.

Many school are developing their own PM guidance, observation and statement pro formas, example objectives and PM policies.

If you are happy to share your materials we will make them available to others through this site (you can find our contact details here).

Blackfen School for Girls, Bexley

Performance Management Guidance
Planning Statement (with example)
Checklist: Prof Standards for Teachers: P (Post-threshold teachers)
Checklist: Prof Standards for Teachers: I (Post-induction/main scale teachers)

Drayton Manor School, Ealing

Performance Management Guidance

Including:

Overview of the stages of and timescales for PM cycle
Guidance on setting objectives
Potential sources of evidence of impact for PM review

Performance Management Pack

Including:

Appendix 1 – Self Review
Appendix 2 – Performance Management Planning Record
Appendix 3 - Classroom Observation/Area Self Review Proforma
Appendix 3a - Student interviews
Appendix 3b - Work Scrutiny
Appendix 3c - School Diary Review
Appendix 4 – Annual Review Statement
Appendix 5 – Staff Development and Training needs
Appendix 6 – Documentation and Timescale Checklist

Lord Williams's School, Thame

Planning statement with 3 objectives and school criteria for each objective
Review statement
Lesson observation pro forma

Felpham Community College

Performance Management 2007-08 - Preparation for Post threshold teachers

1.Headlines: Assessment for Learning; Teaching and Learning; Curriculum; ICT
2.Performance Criteria
3.Action setps
4.Evidence of Impact

•	CPD and Career Development
•	Job Descriptions
•	Objectives/Planning Statement
•	Performance Criteria
•	Performance Pay
•	Policies and Guidance
•	Reviewers
•	School Examples