Best Practice

Performance management: Are you ready to change?

Appraisal & PM Workload Government policy Trade unions
From September, performance-related pay is a thing of the past and this presents us with a huge opportunity to think about CPD and appraisal in a creative and innovative way. Helen Osgood advises
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Sometimes, the very mention of change stirs fear deep in the hearts of headteachers and school leaders. But in this instance, we consider the forthcoming reforms to performance-related pay to be change for good.

We have been calling for the removal of performance-related pay since it was introduced way back in 2014. Why? Quite simply because there is no evidence – and there never was – that it improves teacher performance or, more crucially, outcomes for pupils.

That some academy trusts have already realised this and have already detached pay from performance is significant because it means that improvements to the terms and conditions of teachers are being driven by the sector rather than dictated by government.

But finally the government has caught up and, accepting the proposals put forward by the Workload Reduction Taskforce, it has agreed that from September 2024 performance-related pay will not be a feature of the appraisal process for teachers (see Headteacher Update, 2024).

The problem is, when you remove something there is often a rush to fill the void, and yet since the government announcement in January (DfE, 2024), there has been relative silence on the issue and as this edition went to press nothing has as yet been published.

We know that the government is planning to undertake a “rapid review” ahead of September and many schools are understandably waiting for the outcome of this before taking any action – but are there things that should be being done now, in readiness?

 

Some principles to consider

First, don’t throw out the baby with the bath water. The existing performance management policy is a good place to start – after all, you have been using it for the last few years and are familiar with it, with the evidence it requires, and the demands it places on your time.

Perhaps all you need to do is remove all references to pay progression. With new guidance, this would be the bare minimum that might be necessary. But of course you can – and maybe should – go further. 

Most importantly, it really is about all staff. Staff are the single greatest resource in the school – all staff – so make sure that all staff are included and have the opportunity to learn and develop.

Now you have a basic starting position, what might this look like in practice? It is fair to assume that your teachers are all doing their job as defined by the Teachers’ Standards. You would find out pretty quickly (from parents, children, and colleagues) if they were not! 

But remember, these standards are not a checklist and shouldn’t be used as one – they are a guide for what teachers should be doing, day-in, day-out.

It is also easy to assume that teachers should be doing other things in addition to their basic duties – and many are keen to do so – but it is important to be careful, since expectations around extra activities are not the same as duties and requirements. What a teacher does and what they can be required to do under the terms of their contract are very different things. For example, many PE staff run after-school clubs, but is it a requirement that a PE teacher runs a football team after school? Is it a part of their contract? If it is, are they paid extra to do so, and if not, why not?

Assess performance, based on nothing more than the Teachers’ Standards and the targets that were established at the beginning of the performance review cycle, but always bear in mind what has happened throughout the year for the school and that individual.

Is it reasonable to expect a teacher who has had time away for maternity to meet all of their targets? Or where there has been disruption due to the concrete crisis or other classroom closures? 

In such circumstances, consider whether those targets remain appropriate for the individual and what they want to achieve. Perhaps they can be extended into the new cycle or maybe it is appropriate to refresh those targets without any penalty for the teacher (and remembering the reason why).

Think about what it is you want the school to achieve, what the school’s objectives are, and how all of the staff together play a role in achieving these goals. While it is about personal development, it is not really about individual performance – more about how teams of staff can achieve positive change together.

It is not about data, although you will inevitably use that within the process, but it is about improving teaching and making the school better, more welcoming, more inspiring, more creative, and more supportive for staff and pupils alike.

 

Change takes time

Change takes time, but this is a good change. Because appraisals are no longer to be tied to pay, it is possible that, in time, people will be more creative and experimental with what they want to try and with the expectations they set themselves.

If someone is encouraged and supported to try something new but it doesn’t work out, this should still be seen in a positive light. Just as with our pupils, failure should not be stigmatised. It will be important to reflect on why it didn’t work out – was more time needed, were additional resources required, or was it simply the wrong target or at the wrong time?

Where previously there has been a focus on safe and achievable targets, there is perhaps now an opportunity for “blue-sky thinking” and to shake off the fear of failure. 

But all of this will only work in a system that is safe and supportive, where staff are not penalised for trying something new, and where creativity and imagination are welcomed and encouraged.

Yes, there is always a risk when things change, but this can be a good change if we take the opportunity to think about professional development in a more creative and innovative way.

 

Headteacher Update Summer Term Edition 2024

This article first appeared in Headteacher Update's Summer Term Edition 2024. This edition was sent free of charge to UK primary schools in May 2024. A free-to-access digital edition is also available via www.headteacher-update.com/content/downloads 

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