1.1This Policy Sets out Our Framework of Prospect Academies Trust for All Our Schools For

1.INTRODUCTION

1.1This policy sets out our framework of Prospect Academies Trust for all our Schools for clear and consistent assessment of the overall performance of teachers, including the head teacher, and for supporting their development It has been developed in consultation with staff and the National Union Forum in accordance with the Partnership Protocol.

1.2In this Policy “School” means any of our schools, colleges or academies and “Headteacher” means any headteacher or principal. Teacher shall include the Headteacher unless the context suggests otherwise.

1.3This policy applies to the headteacher and to all teachers employed by the Academy, except those on contracts of less than one term, those undergoing induction (ie NQTs) and those who are subject to our capability policy.

1.4From September 2014 individual performance will impact on decisions about pay progression under our Pay Policy.

1.5This policy replaces any other appraisal policies in place within our Schools with immediate effect.

2.OUR OVERRIDING PURPOSE

Our aim is for all teaching in all lessons by all teachers in all our Schools to be good or outstanding to ensure the best possible education for all our students. This policy supports that aim by:

• Ensuring that appraisal in each of our Schools will be a supportive and developmental process designed to ensure that all teachers have the skills and support they need to carry out their role effectively.

• Ensuring that teachers are able to continue to improve their professional practice and to develop as teachers.

• Indicating when matters may move out of the Appraisal Policy and into the Capability Policy.

3. THE APPRAISAL CYCLE

3.1The appraisal cycle will run for twelve monthsfrom 1st November to 31st October.

3.2Teachers who are employed on a fixed term contract of less than one year will have their performance managed in accordance with the principles underpinning this policy. The length of their cycle will be determined by the duration of their contract.

3.3The performance of teachers must be reviewed on an annual basis. Appraisal objectives and reviews must be completed for all teachers by 31 October and for the Principal by 31 December.

3.4Appraisal objectives and the formal review of the previous year’s performance must be set during the Autumn Term. The objectives will inform and support the School’s management policies for the coming financial and academic years. The School will take account of proposed development needs in setting the Academy’s overall priorities for staff development.

3.5Appraisal is an on-going cycle involving four stages:

Stage 1
Stage 2 / Self-Review against the relevant Standards and the previous cycle’s performance objectives material Teachers and Post Threshold Standards
The Setting of Objectives for the new appraisal cycle.
Stage 3 / The review of performance for the previous appraisal cycle.
Stage 4 / On-going monitoring of performance, to include Lesson Observations and at least two formal mid-year reviews.
Stages 1 2 and 3 will happen in September/October for all teachers other than the Headteacher

3.6 Teachers who are employed on a fixed term contract of less than one year will have their performance managed in accordance with the principles underpinning the provisions of this policy. The length of the cycle will be determined by the duration of their contract.

3.7Where a teacher starts their employment at the Academy part-way through a cycle, the School shall determine the length of the first cycle for that teacher, with a view to bringing the cycle into line with the cycle for other teachers at the School as soon as possible.

3.8Where a teacher transfers to a new post within the School part-way through a cycle, the School shall determine whether the cycle shall begin again and whether to change the Appraiser, depending on the extent to which the teachers’ responsibilities and job description have changed.

4. APPOINTMENT OF APPRAISERS

Leadership Appraisal Group

4.1Each of our School’s will have a Leadership Appraisal Group comprising 3 members of the Local Governing Body, which will be the Appraiser for the School’s headteacher.

Academy Improvement Officer

4.2We will appoint AcademyImprovement Officers for each of our Schools, who will provide the Leadership Appraisal Group with advice and support in relation to the management and review of the performance of the Headteacher.

4.3The Headteacher will appoint the Appraiser for each teacher and any replacement appraiser. This appointment is not subject to appeal or review.

4.4An Appraisal cycle will not begin again in the event of the Appraiser being changed.

5. SETTING OBJECTIVES

5.1 The Headteacher’s objectives will be set by the Leadership Appraisal Group after consultation with the Academy Improvement Officer.

5.2Objectives for each teacher will be set before, or as soon as practicable after, the start of each appraisal cycle. The objectives set for each teacher, will be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound and will be appropriate to the teacher’s role and level of experience.

5.3The appraiser and teacher will seek to agree the objectives but, if that is not possible, the appraiser will determine the objectives. Objectives may be revised if circumstances change.

5.4If a teacher does not agree with the objectives set they may ask for them to be reviewed by the Headteacher (or in the case of the Headteacher, the Trust CEO). There shall be no appeal against the outcome of this review and no right to use the Grievance Resolution Procedure.

5.5At all of our Schools

• all teachers will have no less than two and no more than than five.

• teachers will not necessarily all have the same number of objectives;

• all teachers will have an objective relating to pupil progress in relation to the pupils for whom they are responsible.

• all teachers will have an objective which focuses on improving their quality of teaching and learning to the required standard of consistently ‘Good’ or ‘Better’. For those who are consistently ‘outstanding’ the target will be on supporting other teaching staff in the School or the Trust.

• The objectives set for each teacher will, if achieved, contribute to our plans for improving educational provision and performance and pupil progress for all of our pupils.

• All teachers will be assessed against Teachers’ Standards and the job description of any posts they hold.

6. REVIEWING PERFORMANCE

Lesson Observation

6.1Observation of classroom practice and other responsibilities is important both as a way of assessing teachers’ performance in order to identify any particular strengths and areas for development they may have and of gaining useful information which can inform school improvement more generally.

6.2All observations will be carried out in a supportive fashion with professionalism, integrity and courtesy and will be evaluated objectively and reported accurately and fairly.

6.3Teachers’ performance will be regularly observed but the amount and type of classroom observation will depend on the individual circumstances of the teacher and the overall needs of the school. Classroom observation will be carried out by those with QTS.

6.4In addition to formal observation, headteachers or others with responsibility for teaching standards may “drop in” in order to evaluate the standards of teaching and to check that high standards of professional performance are established and maintained. The length and frequency of “drop in” observations or learning walks will vary depending on specific circumstances.

6.5Teachers (including the Headteacher) who have responsibilities outside the classroom should also expect to have their performance of those responsibilities observed and assessed.

Two Formal Mid-Year Reviews

6.6The appraiser must meet the teacher to check mid-year teachers’ progress towards objectives and compliance with the Teachers’ Standards and the requirements of their job description in December/January and in April/May. Progress towards achieving objectives must be formally recorded.

6.7It may also be necessary to review the original objectives set the due to a change in circumstances, for example, the teacher’s post and/or responsibilities have changed or a the teacher is on long term sick leave. Each School must ensure that its Directed Time budget allocates time for two mid-year reviews.

End of Year Review

6.8The appraiser must meet the teacher to review the whole appraisal cycle in September or October after which the appraiser will produce the Final Appraisal Report. This assessment is the end point to the annual appraisal process, but performance and development priorities will be reviewed and addressed on a regular basis throughout the year by for example:

•Lesson Observations

•Learning Walks

•Work Scrutiny / Book Looks

•Formal Mid Year Reviews

•Review of pupil progress data

•Observation and scrutiny of leadership and management activities

•Informal 1-2-1s

Self-Review

6.9The teacher will be expected to review themselves against Teachers Standards in advance of any review meeting under this Policy.

Final Appraisal Report

6.10The teacher will receive as soon as practicable following the end of year review – and have the opportunity to comment in writing on - a written appraisal report. Teachers will receive their written appraisal reports by 31 October (31 December for the head teacher).

6.11 The appraisal report will include:

• details of the teacher’s objectives for the appraisal period in question;
• an assessment of the teacher’s performance of their role and responsibilities against their objectives and the relevant standards;
• an assessment of the teacher’s professional development needs and identification of any action that should be taken to address them;
• from September 2014 a recommendation on in accordance with our Pay Policy.

6.12Substantial or significant progress towards the achievement of a challenging objective, even if the performance criteria have not been met in full, will be assessed favourably.

6.13 If the teacher is not satisfied with the pay recommendation the teacher may use the appeal process set out in the Pay Policy.

6.14If the teacher is not satisfied with the appraisal report other than in relation to the pay recommendation the teacher may ask the appraiser to review it and such a review may include the appraiser consulting with the Headteacher or Trust CEO (or his nominee) if appropriate.

7 SCHOOL RESPONSES TO APPRAISAL

Feedback

7.1Teachers will receive constructive feedback on their performance throughout the year and as soon as practicable after observation has taken place or other evidence has come to light.

7.2Feedback will highlight particular areas of strength as well as any areas that need improvement.

Development and Support

7.3Appraisal is a supportive process which will be used to inform continuing professional development. We wish to encourage a culture in which all teachers take responsibility for improving their teaching through appropriate professional development. Professional development will be linked to school improvement priorities and to the on-going professional development needs and priorities of individual teachers.

Remedial Action

7.4Where there are concerns about any aspects of the teacher’s performance the appraiser will meet the teacher to:

• give clear feedback to the teacher about the nature and seriousness of the concerns;
• give the teacher the opportunity to comment and discuss the concerns;
• agree any support or other remedial action (e.g. coaching, mentoring, structured observations), that will be provided to help address those specific concerns;
• make clear how, and by when, the appraiser will review progress (it may be appropriate to revise objectives, and it will be necessary to allow sufficient time for improvement. The amount of time will be decided by the School but should reflect the seriousness of the concerns);
• explain the implications and process if no – or insufficient – improvement is made.

7.5When progress is reviewed, 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 through that process.

Transition to Capability

7.6If the appraiser is not satisfied with progress, the teacher will be notified in writing that the appraisal system will no longer apply and that their performance will be managed under the capability procedure, and will be invited to a formal capability meeting under our Capability Procedure where they will have the right to be accompanied by their trade union representative or a colleague.

8.OFSTED INSPECTION

8.1The September 2012 Ofsted School Inspection Handbook confirms at paragraph 20 that the Lead Inspector at their first meeting with the Headteacher will ensure that the Headteacher is aware that Ofsted’s evidence from lesson observations, whether joint or otherwise should not be used as evidence in capability/disciplinary proceedings or for the purposes of performance management. We require that where any teacher was assessed by Ofsted as inadequate or satisfactory/requiring improvement, there must be a fresh lesson observation conducted by the Headteacher within 5 working days for the purpose of meeting our objective that all lessons are good or outstanding.

8.2The Handbook sets out at paragraph 27 that an appropriate lesson observation strategy for inspectors to adopt could include:

•Short visits to a number of lessons spending a few minutes in each

•Short observations of small group teaching

•Lesson observations of more than 25 minutes

•Longer observations of an hour or so

•Tracking a class or specific group of pupils to assess their experience of a school day or part of a school day.

In conducting lesson observations our Schools will have regard to the need for both staff and pupils to be familiar with the different types of lesson observations that Ofsted may conduct.

8.3In the Handbook at Paragraph 57 the Inspectors are directed to consider how effectively senior leaders use performance management and the School’s self evaluation to focus professional development activities and told that this should include:

• Analysis of the impact of professional development on teaching and on specific teachers
• Scrutiny of anonymised information on the performance management of teaching staff and its relationship to salary progression provided to those responsible for the governance of the School.
• Information about the performance management of the Headteacher
• Discussions with the Headteacher, Governors senior and middle leaders and other staff
• Scrutiny of the School’s records of lesson observations
• Evidence of improvements in teaching over time and improvement in systems for tracking monitoring and analysing the impact of teaching on progress
• Scrutiny of the School’s records on and evaluation of professional development
• Evaluation of the support and professional development provided for newly qualified teachers and other teachers who are in the early stages of their careers
• Analysis of information from staff questionnaires where available.

We expect all members of staff in the appraisal process to have regard to these requirements.

9. GOVERNORS

9.1A Governor (other than the Headteacher) does not have the right to observe lessons and may only do so with the consent of the Headteacher.

9.2Governors’ structured visits are a useful way for Governors to gain a deeper understanding of the educational context of the School. Nothing in this policy prevents Governors observing lessons as part of a Governor’s structured visit to the School.

9.3Governors taking part in observations on such structured visits shall not take notes and shall not feedback to the teacher observed.

9.4No evidence from a Governor in relation to a structured visit (other than any child protection or safeguarding incident) may be used as part of appraisal or any capability or disciplinary process.

10.CONFIDENTIALITY

The whole appraisal process and the documents generated under it, in particular, will be treated with confidentiality at all times. The documents may be shared with relevant and appropriate members of staff to assist in the implementation of any actions, pay recommendations or processes and to ensure the maintenance of standards.

11. CONSISTENCY

11.1We are committed to ensuring consistency of treatment and fairness in the operation of Appraisal. To ensure this the following provisions are made in relation to moderation, quality assurance and objective setting.

11.2The Headteacher will moderate a sample of Performance Objectives to check that they:

• are consistent between those who have similar experience and similar levels of responsibility;
• comply with this Appraisal policy, and the requirements of equality legislation

11.3The Academy Improvement Officer will review the quality assurance processes

11.4The Trust CEO will moderate a sample of Performance Objectives and Appraisal Reports to ensure consistency and compliance.

12.FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

This policy is disclosable under the Freedom of Information Act.

13.RETENTION OF RECORDS

Given the ongoing need to ensure equal pay the School shall retain all paperwork relating to any decision whether or not to make a pay rise and shall not destroy any records until at least 7 years after the relevant employee has ceased to be employed by the School.

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