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Teacher appraisal
Keep it fair
The Government is pushing through unwelcome changes to teacher appraisal. Sarah Lyons outlines how the NUT is campaigning to maintain fair procedures.
Many members will be aware by now, from articles in The Teacher and NUT materials sent to schools last term and early this term, that the Government is pushing through unwelcome changes to teacher appraisal arrangements. These involve removing statutory protection such as the limit of three lesson observations for performance management purposes, and bringing appraisal and capability together within the same procedure, with no informal stage for capability.
Remember that the removal of protection in law does not mean protection has to be removed from agreed school policies. A statement of principles has been agreed by teaching associations ASCL, ATL, NAHT and NUT. This highlights that:
• appraisal should be a supportive, developmental process which helps teachers develop their careers and which must include open discussion between appraiser and appraisee
• all schools should have separate appraisal and capability policies
• all appraisers should be qualified teachers, appropriately trained in appraisal procedures
• teachers should be consulted on their objectives
• lesson observations should be subject to locally agreed limits (the NUT lesson observation protocol is at
www.teachers.org.uk/node/4488).
• where concerns are raised, teachers should receive appropriate support for a period of time sufficient to enable sustained improvement to be demonstrated.
There is no need for any change to be made to existing policies, where these are acceptable to teachers. The Government admits its model is optional. The NUT is committed to protecting existing policies, provided these are acceptable to members.
The other teacher and head teacher organisations that have signed up to the joint statement of principles share our view that there is no need to rush to make changes.
Despite this, some governing bodies are determined to consider adopting the Government’s model, so we are developing an alternative. We are working closely with colleagues from the other associations to build on the agreed principles so that alternative models are available for discussion before the next performance management cycle.
Posters, leaflets and petitions about the changes have been sent to all schools in England (a different approach is being taken by the Welsh Assembly Government). Ask your school rep to call a meeting to discuss any proposals from your governing body, and to get the support of colleagues for fair appraisal and capability procedures.
If a change is proposed, alert your local association/division who will work with you to achieve fair procedures, whether by maintaining existing procedures or using the new joint union models as an alternative.
Find your local association/division at
www.teachers.org.uk/contactus
Have you…
… adopted the NUT’s model protocol in your school? Let us know how you negotiated it. Email
ecr@nut.org.uk
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