Head teacher Performance
Management
A briefing for Governing Bodies 2012
Martin Lawrence - Leadership and Governance Team
Session Objectives
• The governing body’s strategic role in managing teacher
performance in schools including head teacher appraisal
• Why it is important for your school
• The 2012 Appraisal Regulations
• The key players and when they are involved
Objectives continued
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Preparing for the HT Appraisal meeting
Data available to support governors
Reviewing overall performance
The Teachers’ Standards and their application in Head
teacher Appraisal
• Setting objectives
• Monitoring and Interim Reviews
Head teacher appraisal is
• The formal annual assessment of the overall
performance of the head teacher, in the context of their
job description, objectives set, against the Teachers’
Standards, pay progression criteria and their
professional development needs
The statutory duties of the governing
body: your school’s appraisal policy
• Adopt a document that sets out the appraisal process
for teachers
• Make that document available to teachers
• Determine the appraisal period that applies to teachers
• Ensure that the head teacher carries out their duties in
respect of appraising other teachers
Governing bodies will also want to:
• Ensure that the appraisal policy is being implemented
effectively and fairly
• Ensure that appraisal evidence informs other decisions
eg on professional development and pay
• Keep the policy under review and amend it as necessary
Appraisal is a key driver of school
improvement ....
• Effective governance is demonstrated by “how well
governors use performance management systems,
including the performance management of the head
teacher, to improve teaching and leadership and
management”, impacting upon the quality of outcomes
for all pupils
Ofsted September 2012
Head teacher appraisal and the role of
the governing body
• Governors ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic
direction
• Governors contribute to the school’s self-evaluation and
understand its strengths and weaknesses
• Governors provide challenge and hold the head teacher
to account for improving the quality of teaching, pupils’
achievement, behaviour and safety
Headteacher Performance Management Cycle
Monitoring & Supporting
Planning
• Objectives set
• Performance criteria and
evidence required agreed
• Timescales set including any
interim reviews
• Monitoring of performance
throughout the cycle
• Provision of agreed support
• Evidence collection
• Ongoing professional dialogue
Appraisal Review
• Overall assessment of Headteacher’s
performance against the performance
criteria and the teachers’ standards.
• Assessment of development and
training needs of the Headteacher.
• Recommendations for pay
progression made for eligible
headteachers
What the 2012 regulations say…
• The governing body of a school must appoint an external
adviser for the purposes of providing it with advice and
support in relation to the appraisal of the head teacher.
• The governing body must consult the external adviser in
appraising a head teacher’s performance
• The governing body must consult the external adviser in
setting objectives for a head teacher
Head teacher appraisal will consist of...
• Formal annual assessment of a head teacher’s
performance against the Teachers’ Standards
• Formal annual assessment of a head teacher’s
performance against their objectives
The role of the external adviser
• Advise governors on the current performance of the
school (including considering the Local Authority
Evaluation Report)
• Advise governors on their judgements about the
meeting of the objectives from the previous cycle
• Advise governors on the setting of the objectives for the
coming cycle
The role of the performance
management governors
• Ensure that the delegated group are properly briefed
and prepared
• Appoint the external adviser to provide advice and
support
• Inform the head teacher of the standards against which
they will be assessed in the coming cycle
• Assess the head teacher against the objectives set last
year
The role of the PM governors (2)
• Assess head teacher overall performance
• Consider the head teacher’s professional development needs
• Give the head teacher a written report of their appraisal, outlining
judgements made
• Make a recommendation on pay, where relevant, and include this
in the written statement
• Set objectives for the head teacher for the coming cycle
• Provide the head teacher with a Statement of Objectives
• Arrange Monitoring and Interim Reviews
The External Adviser preparing for the
HT Appraisal meeting
• Arrange with the lead governor a suitable date and time
for the HT appraisal meeting
• Ask for the objectives from the previous cycle and
information about interim reviews
• Consult the IER and any other school evidence
• Request the head teacher to forward any self-evaluation
evidence
Time-table for the school visit
• Allow at least 30 minutes for the discussion between the
head teacher and the external adviser
• Allow at least 30 minutes for the discussion between the
governors and the external adviser
• Allow at least 1 hour for the appraisal meeting, covering
the review of the head teacher’s overall performance,
professional development needs and the setting of
objectives for the coming year. NB Drafting time
Preparing for the Appraisal Meeting at
the school
• The External Adviser meets with the head teacher to discuss their
self-evaluation of their overall performance and against the
achievement of objectives set last year. Discuss CPD needs.
Discuss the Teachers’ Standards to be assessed and the objectives
for the coming cycle. The objectives must contribute to:
– Improving the education of pupils at the school
– The implementation of any plan of the governing body designed
to improve the school’s educational provision and performance
Preparing for the HT Appraisal
Meeting at the school (2)
• The external adviser meets with the representatives of the
governing body to clarify judgements about the achievement of the
objectives set last year and overall performance, the Teachers’
Standards to be assessed in the coming cycle and help to shape
the objectives for the coming cycle. Remind governors about the
head teacher’s professional development needs.
• Identify who will chair the head teacher appraisal meeting and who
will take notes.
The External Adviser supporting the
HT Appraisal meeting
• Assist the conduct of the meeting to be constructive and
professional
• Clarify assessment about the objectives set last year and overall
performance, using the head teacher’s evidence
• Help to support the governors’ dialogue about the head teacher’s
professional development needs
• Clarify the Teacher’s Standards to be assessed next year.
• Shape the objectives for the coming year
• Offer to draft the Appraisal judgements and the Statement of
Objectives
How do you know how well the school is doing?
Raise –
on-Line
Inspection
Report
Pupil, parent, staff
and other surveys
Statutory
Test
Results
Progress on
School
Development
Plan
School
self-evaluation, including
observations of teaching
and learning
The School’s Performance
Internal tracking
procedures
Nonstatutory
test results
Head
teachers
report
Benchmarking data
Value added
information
External quality
standards (11P,
Curriculum Awards,
Charter Mark etc.)
Individual target
setting and
education plans
The Teacher standards
1. Set high expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge
pupils
2. Promote good progress and outcomes by pupils
3. Demonstrate good subject and curriculum knowledge
4. Plan and teach well structured lessons
5. Adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all
pupils
6. Make accurate and productive use of assessment
7. Manage behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe
learning environment
8. Fulfil wider professional responsibilities
Making a judgement against the
teaching standards
Achievement
1 – high expectations
2 - good progress and outcomes
Teaching and learning
3 – curriculum knowledge
4 - planning and teaching
5- adapt teaching
6- productive assessment
Behaviour and Safety
7 – manage behaviour
Leadership and Management
8 – wider responsibilities
1 – high expectations
Reviewing performance
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Ask open questions
Be positive and encourage a climate of trust
Allow the head teacher to provide evidence
Consider whether objectives have been achieved
Consider overall performance
Consider the professional needs of the HT
Consider issues of work life balance
Why do we have objectives?
• They focus on the priorities of the school
• The objectives promote positive action for school
improvement
• They encourage the use of targets and clear success
criteria
• They offer identifiable achievements
• They offer the opportunity to celebrate
Objectives need to be:
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Specific – without ambiguity
Measurable
Achievable but challenging
Realistic
Time related – use of milestones
Head teacher CPD
• What are the identified development needs?
• Are there issues about their work life balance and well
being?
• Are there issues about any potential change to the
current model of leadership during the coming cycle?
• Are there any issues concerning succession planning?
Good Luck and ask for help if you
need it?
• If you need help?
• mlawrence@northamptonshire.gov.uk
• We can help you access an external adviser