Performance Managemen

Birchington CE Primary School

Policy for Performance Management 2007-8

CONTENTS

Page	Section	Title	Information
2	1	Introduction
2	2	Rationale	Explains the value of Performance Management.
2	3	Roles	Introduces the roles of different people in the Performance Management process.
3	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.
3	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.
4 - 6	6A	Performance Management Cycle for Teachers	Explains the cycle of planning, monitoring and reviewing performance as it will operate in the school.
6	6B	Performance Management Cycle for TAs, CSs and other Support Staff
7	7	Links between Pay, Career Stages and Performance Management	Explains links between the Performance Management system and other policies.
7	8	Managing Weak Performance	Explains that the Performance Management process does not form part of any formal disciplinary.
7	9	Confidentiality	Confidentiality - sets out clearly the confidential nature of Performance Management documents and the need to keep them in a secure place.
7	10	Access to Outcomes	Shows the statutory position about who can have access to review statements or information contained in them.
7 – 8	11	Complaints	Sets out the statutory process to follow if a complaint is made about the annual review.
8	12	Evaluation of the Policy	Brings out the school’s commitment to review the effectiveness of the review process each year.
8	13	Standardised Documentation (annexes)	Includes model documents for use by the school for Performance Management.
9 – 11	Annex A	Summary of Requirements
12 – 15	Annex B	Individual Plans	Performance Review and Target Setting sheet for managers/teachers and support staff.
16 – 23	Annex C	Competency Definitions	Senior Managers, Middle Managers and Staff Competency charts and definitions.
24 – 29	Annex D	Lesson Observation Forms	Lesson observation forms for Foundation stage and KS1& 2.
30 – 35	Annex E	Detailed Information for the IPO/DTN Process	Guidance for Reviewers and Reviewee.

1. Introduction

At Birchington CE Primary School we are committed to a Performance Management programme which develops all staff, improves teaching and raises standards of achievement for all children. We believe that staff, whatever their role, can make a significant contribution to this aim. Performance Management will ensure we have appropriate systems in place to listen to staff and to develop their effectiveness, both as individuals and as members of teams. Teachers on contracts of less than one year will be monitored and those in their induction year have their own NQT monitoring programme. This policy covers teachers, cover supervisors, teaching assistants and support staff.

2. Rationale

Performance Management means a shared commitment to high performance. It helps focus attention on effectiveness and monitoring. The Performance Cycle aims to raise the quality of teaching and to benefit pupils, teachers, other staff and the school as a whole. 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.

The evidence is, that standards rise when schools and individual staff are clear about what they want their pupils and themselves to achieve. That is why we believe Performance Management is so 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.

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

III. Honesty All Performance Leaders will be open, honest and hold constructive professional discussion about what their reviewees will need to do to improve and how they can be supported to reach goals.

3. Roles

Performance Management is a shared responsibility. The Governing Body will agree and monitor the school’s Performance Management Policy and process, ensuring that performance of staff at the school is regularly reviewed. The Headteacher is responsible for implementing the school’s Performance Management Policy and ensuring with the Performance Leaders that Performance Management reviews take place.

Performance Management involves the Performance Leader and member of staff 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. The Performance Leader will take a ‘professional’ interest in the development and well being of their reviewees. An External Adviser or SIP 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.

Each Performance Leader will:

· Clarify expectations including job description and any particular objectives

· Discuss appropriate monitoring arrangements

· Agree any areas of relevant training or development

· Assess performance against agreed expectations

· Challenge and support their review's throughout the review cycle

(see appendix E for guidance)

4. Responsibility for Reviews

The Senior Management Team and Governing Body have carefully considered the practical arrangements for Performance Management in the school. We appoint at least two governors to carry out the Headteacher’s Performance Management Review. The head decides who acts as Performance Leader for each member of staff. This judgment is made by deciding who has the best overview of the staff member’s work and has the ability to provide support. Each Performance Leader is responsible for a certain number of reviews. In some cases this is the head. Staff identified as Performance Leaders are as follows:

Kath Barham Headteacher (SMT)

Janet Monkhouse Deputy Headteacher (SMT)

Kate Callaway Assistant Headteacher (SMT)

Emma Impett AEN Manager (SMT)

Elaine Foundation Stage Leader (SMT)

Lesley Green FLO

Julia Morgan PA to Headteacher

Tessa Mueller Senior TA

Maureen West Senior TA

It is the responsibility of the Performance reviewer and the reviewee to meet formally with each other on an annual basis for the Performance Management review, half yearly progress discussion and observation and informally when necessary. All staff are expected to contribute positively to the process including involving themselves in discussions about development needs and record any comments on their own performance.

5.Timing of Reviews

A rolling Performance Management Plan is in place and targets and total contribution are reviewed according to this plan. The Performance Management cycle links with our planning for school management and target setting. The Governing Body is responsible for agreeing and reviewing targets with the Headteacher during Term 1 each academic year.

Our timetable is shown below:

Type of Review

SMT/Teachers

TAs

FLO/LMs/

BMs

Office Staff

Caretaker

Midday Supervisors

Annual Review

Sept - Nov

Jan - Feb

Progress Review

March - May

June- July

June - July

June- July

June - July

(a) Monitoring

Each teacher will receive at least 1 classroom observation as part of the Performance Management Cycle. This is separate to the monitoring of subject areas etc. included in the School Plan or monitoring by the Headteacher or member of the SMT.

(b) Formal Reviews for teachers

The Performance Leader and reviewee will set new targets and review final outcomes of previous targets between September and November and access progress during March to May.

(c) Performance Management Cycle for Teachers

This section demonstrates the concept of the Performance Management cycle of planning, monitoring and reviewing.

Performance Management is set in the context of our school’s plans for development, against the background of the Cluster Plan (CP), national and local initiatives on improving teaching and any recent OFSTED report for the school.

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 an ongoing cycle, not an event, involving three main stages of planning, monitoring performance and reviewing performance. The end of year review and Stage 1 happens at the same time.

Stage 1: Planning

Each teacher will discuss and agree targets with their Performance Leader and record these in an individual plan (an example of a blank review and target sheet is attached at Annex B). Targets need to be SMART and take account of a teacher’s job description and their existing skill and knowledge base.

Teachers will be set three to four objectives to reflect the nature and breadth of responsibility of the job including leadership or management responsibilities 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 responsibilities will have targets relating to their additional responsibilities as well as the pupil progress and professional practice. The head’s objectives will cover school leadership and management as well as pupil progress and their own professional development.

We will follow the following principles in discussing objectives:

· the Performance Leader will ensure that the teacher understands what his or her targets 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;

· targets are written clearly and concisely and will have clear impact;

· targets 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;

· targets for each teacher should relate to the targets in the School Plan and any departmental or team plans as well as to his/her own professional needs.

The Performance Leader should record the targets which will apply for the review period. These should be jointly agreed if possible. Staff may add comments to the written record of objectives if they feel it is necessary.

During the Headteacher’s Performance Management the head and the governing body representatives must jointly agree objectives, the governors appointed to review the performance of the head should record these objectives and the head may add comments to the written record if they feel it is necessary.

Professional development opportunities are needed to support agreed targets, to develop strengths and address areas for development or professional growth. Performance Leaders will liaise with the Headteacher to keep a list of professional development wishes updated and the Headteacher will offer opportunities for training when suitable and financially viable. The Headteacher will consider staff requests within the context of whole school development priorities.

Stage 2: Monitoring Progress

The teacher and Performance 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. Supportive action could include, for example, discussions with the team leader, support of other colleagues and mentoring.

Classroom observation is accepted good practice with a minimum of one observation per year as part of the Performance Management process. Teachers have at least three more lesson observations per year, which may be supplemented by observation of whole or part lessons which are useful for developmental purposes.

In planning observation, we will follow these principles:

· observations will require preparation, training and a clear understanding on the part of the teacher and Performance 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 and professional discussion offers an opportunity to discuss what went well, what might be done better or differently next time. When giving feedback, the Performance Leader should take into account all school policies and forms/frameworks related to lesson observations.

· a further date must be made to check progress after the feedback.

Stage 3: Reviewing Performance

The focus of the review is on how to raise performance and improve effectiveness. It will involve:

· A Self Review that the teacher will complete prior to the meeting

· Confirming or amending their job description

· Reviewing, discussing and confirming the teacher/manager’s essential tasks and responsibilities

· Recognising strengths and achievements and taking account of factors outside the teacher’s control

· Confirming action agreed with the teacher/manager at other reviews

· Recognising personal development needs

· Identifying areas for development and how these will be met

· Agreeing new targets and completing an individual plan for the year ahead – these targets must be SMART

· This process will be a joint two way professional discussion with the emphasis on the reviewee attaining their potential

The Performance Leader should evaluate the teacher’s overall performance, including an assessment of the extent to which objectives have been met, and the teacher’s total 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, experienced teacher, senior manager etc. A grading statement on Total Contribution must be made. (please see Total Contribution information in appendix E)

Within 5 days of the review meeting, the team leader will complete the Performance Management Review and Target Setting Sheet (PMRTSS), recording the main points made at the review and the conclusions reached, including any identified development needs and activities on the review statement. The final copy of the PMRTSS will be signed by the Performance Leader, reviewee and Headteacher on completion and photocopied for the member of staff to place in their personal portfolio. The final signed paperwork will be returned within 10 days of the Performance Management meeting taking place.

Newly Qualified Teacher

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. NQTs will have their own performance cycle according to Kent NQT Policy.

6. Performance Management Cycle for TAs, CSs and Support Staff

TA and Support Staff Planning

Each member of staff (reviewee) will meet with their Performance Leader to discuss their role making any amendments to their job description and to discuss the year ahead. All staff have the opportunity of discussing their role in the context of the School Plan and the agreed priorities for teaching and learning with a view to agreeing what contribution that person can make.

Specific targets should be confirmed and this should be recorded on the Performance Review and Target setting sheet (see appendix 1). Targets should reflect the whole job and its priorities and should not be regarded as additional to the job description. The PMRTSS is completed in the same way as Teacher/Managers.

(see page 4-6)

7. Links between pay, career stages and Performance Management.

· Up to the Threshold – teachers can expect an annual increment if they are performing satisfactorily.

· Threshold – teachers who want to move to the upper pay spine should inform the Headteacher and fill out the application form provided by the DfES. Evidence from reviews will be used to inform applications by teachers and assessment by heads.

· For those staff on Threshold, Upper 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 specific pay points to eligible teachers.

· The school will adhere to the Kent Pay Policy and the pay progression formats detailed in this document.

8. Managing Weak Performance

The review meeting and self review statements 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

Individual plans, classrooms observations and the review statements are personal and confidential documents and should be kept in a secure place. Copies are held by the Performance Leader, reviewee and Headteacher. The principles and provisions of the most recent Data Protection Act should be followed at all times by those who have access to the documents. Please refer to our Confidentiality Policy for more detail in this area.

10. Access to outcomes

Governors responsible for making decisions regarding pay could request access. A copy of the head’s review statement will be held by the Chair of Governors. The Chief Education Officer can request from the Chair of Governors a summary of the performance assessment section of the head’s review statement.

The school will 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:

Any member of staff 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 member of staff can raise the issue with the Chair of Governors or designated governor.

The Headteacher can record their dissatisfaction with aspects of their review on their 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 complaint process.

The review officer (who could be the Headteacher, 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

As we are members of a school committed to ensuring that individual teachers, TAs, CSs, support staff and the school continues to improve. The Governing Body and the Headteacher 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. The SMT 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 Headteacher will update and amend the documentation and the process as required, consulting with staff and incorporating any major changes introduced either by the DfES or the school to ensure that the policy is up-to-date and effective in our school.

13. Annexes

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.

Annex A

Summary of Requirements

The Governing Body

· must determine the procedures for the Performance Review of school teachers at a school. (It is a requirement that these should be embodied in a school Performance Management Policy, developed after consultation with staff and reviewed annually.)

Is responsible for:

· securing that the performance of teachers is reviewed in accordance with the regulations

· appointing an accredited external adviser/SIP for the Headteacher’s Performance Management from an approved list

· deciding on the exact timing of the Performance Review Cycle for the Headteacher

· carrying out the performance review of the Headteacher. Representatives should not include teachers or other members of staff at the school

· ensuring that, in the first Performance Review Cycle, Headteacher objectives are set and recorded by December and teacher objectives by the end of November

· appointing one or more review officers where a complaint is made by the Headteacher about his/her performance review and the Chair of Governors has been involved in that performance review

The Chair of Governors

· is the review officer for complaints from the Headteacher where s/he has not been involved in the performance review, and for teachers where the Headteacher is the team leader

Must:

· provide any review officer or new reviewer with a copy of the Performance Review Statement and with the objectives relating to that statement

· pass the training and development annex of the Headteacher’s Performance Review Statement to the person responsible for training and development in the school

· provide a summary of the Overall Assessment of Performance section of the Headteacher’s review statement to the Chief Education Officer, or an adviser specifically designated by the Chief Education Officer, on request

· provide a copy of the head’s appraisal statement to appropriate parties

The governors responsible for reviewing the performance of the Headteacher

Must:

· seek advice from the appointed external adviser/SIP when setting targets and reviewing the

performance of the Headteacher

· meet with the Headteacher and adviser at the start of the Performance Review Cycle to plan and prepare for the Performance Review and set and record Headteacher objectives relating to school leadership and management, pupil progress and professional development needs/activities

· meet with the Headteacher and adviser at the end of the Performance Review Cycle to review the head’s performance and identify achievements, including assessment of achievement against targets, and to discuss and identify professional development needs/activities

· write a Performance Review Statement and give a copy to the Headteacher within 10 days of the review meeting, and allow 10 days for the Headteacher to add written comments

· provide the Headteacher and chair of the governing body with a copy of the Headteacher’s Performance Review Statement

· on request, provide a copy of the Headteacher’s statement to those governors who are responsible for taking decisions in relation to promotion and pay, who should take account of this when making such decisions

The Headteacher

· as proposed, will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the school’s Performance Management Policy, consulting with staff and gain agreement by the governing body.

Is responsible for:

· ensuring that individual training and development needs are reflected in the school plan and the program for professional development

· ensuring that training and development needs are reviewed

· reporting annually to the governing body on Performance Management in the school, including the effectiveness of the Performance Management procedures and the training and development needs of teachers

· appointing an appropriate Performance Leader for each teacher, to carry out their performance review process

· deciding on the exact timing of the Performance Review Cycle for teachers

· deciding on the exact length of the first Performance Review Cycle for teachers

· providing a copy of a teacher’s Performance Review Statement to any review officer, including the targets relevant to that statement

· ensuring that current targets are made available to a teacher’s new team leader, if there is a change of reviewer

Must:

· report annually on the operation of Performance Management in the school, the effectiveness of the school’s Performance Management procedures and the training and development needs of the teachers to the governing body

· provide whoever is responsible for planning and coordinating teachers’ training and development in the school with a copy of the part of the Performance Review Statement that relates to training and development

· keep teachers’ Performance Review Statements secured on file until at least three years after they have left the school

· review complaints by teachers about their Performance Review Statement, where they are not the Performance Leader

· pass a copy of the Performance Review Statement to those teachers for whom they are team leader

· on request, provide a copy of the Performance Review Statement to those governors who are responsible for taking decisions in relation to promotion and pay, who should take account of this when making such decisions

· ensure they follow process on page 11 for those managers/teachers/support staff they are Performance Leader for

The Headteacher as job holder

Must:

· meet with the appointed reviewers and external adviser to agree targets at the start of the Performance Review Cycle

· meet with the appointed reviewers and external adviser to review performance at the end of the Performance Review Cycle, including achievement against targets

May:

· add written comments to the record of targets set by his reviewers

· add written comments to the Performance Review Statement or lodge an appeal against the Performance Review Statement, within 10 days of receipt from the governors

The Performance Leader

Must:

· meet with each of the members of staff for whom they will be the reviewer before or at the start of the Performance Review Cycle to plan, prepare for performance review and discuss target setting

· record targets in writing and allow the job holder to add written comments if they wish. Teacher targets must include those relating to developing and improving professional practice and pupil progress

· monitor performance against these targets throughout the year and observe a teacher teaching in the classroom at least once during the review cycle

· meet with the member of staff at the end of the Performance Review Cycle to review performance and identify achievements, including assessment of achievement against objectives, to discuss and identify professional development needs/activities

· treat matters related to staff performance as confidential on a ‘need to know’ basis

· write a Performance Review Statement and give a copy to the reviewee within 10 days of the final performance review meeting, and allow 10 days for the job holder to add written comments

· pass the completed Performance Review Statement to the Headteacher

The Job Holder (staff who are not the Headteacher)

Must:

· meet with their team leader at the start of the Performance Review Cycle to discuss setting objectives if new to the cycle

· if the reviewee is not new they will identify achievements, including assessment of achievement against objectives and to discuss and identify professional development needs/activities

· either agree objectives with the team leader or add written comments to the objectives recorded by the team leader

· meet with their team leader in the middle to review progress so far

· may add comments to the Performance Review Statement or complain about their Performance Review Statement within 10 days of receipt from the team leader

Performance Review Cycle

The length of the Performance Review Cycle shall normally be one year. Where a staff member changes jobs within a school, the Performance Review Cycle may be less than a year.

Lesson Observation: Observing teachers in the classroom is an important part of improving the effectiveness of teaching and learning. There are three stages: collecting evidence; drawing conclusions based on the evidence; and giving feedback.

Collecting Evidence: Before the observation, the observer and teacher should be clear about the context of the lesson, the activities planned and the learning objectives. This should be done through discussion and from the lesson plan which must be given to the observer at least 24 hours in advance of the lesson.

Drawing Conclusions: The observer will take note of the aspects of effective teaching, with a fuller description of each in the guidance sheet. Most if not all should apply to any lesson. The description should help both teacher and observer in assessing the quality of teaching and learning.

The observer then considers for each aspect whether it has been shown to an excellent standard, a good standard, a satisfactory standard, whether further development is needed or whether the aspect is not applicable or there is not enough evidence to assess it (N/A). Conclusions should always be supported by evidence and will form the basis of discussion with the teacher.

Giving Feedback:: The teacher and observer should be involved in a professional discussion, with the observer giving full and constructive feedback. The teacher should be given the opportunity to record any comments if necessary. This should take place as soon as possible after the observation.

There is further guidance in the OFSTED Handbooks for inspecting secondary, primary and special schools, which include information on judging the quality of teaching in lessons, feedback and self-evaluation.

Cross Reference to Threshold Standards: Teachers applying for threshold assessment may wish to draw on observation evidence for the Performance Management process.

Training:

All Reviewers will be trained appropriately for their role and the full process of Performance Management and any updates to this policy will be shared with staff.

Performance Review and Target Setting Sheet fort for TAs/CSs, Support & Office Staff, Caretaker and Midday Supervisors Name of Post Holder: Responsibilities: Performance Reviewer: Date:
Self-Review
Are there any aspects of your job description that need updating or changing? Since your last review, what parts of your job have you been particularly pleased/satisfied with? Which areas of your job have not gone as well as you would have hoped? What changes do you need to make/what additional support can be given to improve your performance? Do you have any skills or interests you would like to develop that would help you professionally or develop/improve the skills of others? What issues would you like to discuss in relation to your work practice and/or pupils/people you interact with?
Review of Work Competencies
Self-Awareness		Social Awareness
Self-Management		Relationships
Review of Previous Targets				Target Met Yes/No/Partially
1) 2) 3) 4)
New Targets	Impact		Action Steps		Dates for Completion
1)