Management Information Sheet
Performance Management / Capability Procedures - Teachers Industrial Action by NASUWT and NUT
This is to update schools on the industrial action and in particular to emphasise the reasons the County Council gave the advice it did in relation to revisions to Performance Management and Capability procedures.
Schools will be aware that the Department for Education (DfE) produced new Teacher Standards but may have been unaware that, in accordance with Statutory Order 2012 No 115, governors must have a performance management policy that reflects the revised emphasis of the new Standards, is clear, fair and rigorous as the annual impact of its use will be subject to inspection by Ofsted.
You will be also aware that during the course of the summer term, we developed the new procedures and when they were completed in draft form, consulted the relevant Teacher Trade Unions. However at the same time, nationally, there was a growing unease at these changes as well as the Teacher Standards, the pay freeze and new, more challenging, Ofsted framework. In Norfolk, three of the six teacher unions including NASUWT and NUT disagreed strongly with the new performance management procedures and their unions and others have circulated their own, preferred, alternatives. It is recognised that this presented some difficulties for governing bodies in deciding whether to adopt procedures to which these unions do not wish to subscribe. However, it is schools' governing bodies, rather than the unions, that are responsible for their individual school's performance and with whom accountability lies. It was for that particular reason that we felt, in executing the Local Authority's leadership, that it was in schools' interests to have robust arrangements.
Earlier this term, ballots for industrial action were held and two weeks after our recommendation to adopt new procedures for performance management and appraisal, these and other associated elements, featured in the instructions in the joint action that followed.
It is fully recognised that, in the face of industrial action, schools are placed in a difficult position but we are convinced that the alternative model policies offered by NASUWT and NUT, do not sufficiently enable Headteachers and managers to undertake their role of managing the school and thereby meet the revised requirements of the new appraisal regulations and Teacher Standards.
To date, however, the vast majority of schools in Norfolk have chosen to accept our advice and have adopted the procedures we have commended to them.
If, in the light of industrial action there are difficulties with the unions in the operation of the procedures we can, through initial referral to HR Direct, offer advice and practical support in the context of individual school circumstances.
Below are links to previous MI Sheets:
MI Sheet 131/12 Teacher Appraisal and Capability
MI Sheet 156/12 Teacher Appraisal and Capability
MI Sheet 196/12 Teachers Industrial Action
Schools will be aware that the Department for Education (DfE) produced new Teacher Standards but may have been unaware that, in accordance with Statutory Order 2012 No 115, governors must have a performance management policy that reflects the revised emphasis of the new Standards, is clear, fair and rigorous as the annual impact of its use will be subject to inspection by Ofsted.
You will be also aware that during the course of the summer term, we developed the new procedures and when they were completed in draft form, consulted the relevant Teacher Trade Unions. However at the same time, nationally, there was a growing unease at these changes as well as the Teacher Standards, the pay freeze and new, more challenging, Ofsted framework. In Norfolk, three of the six teacher unions including NASUWT and NUT disagreed strongly with the new performance management procedures and their unions and others have circulated their own, preferred, alternatives. It is recognised that this presented some difficulties for governing bodies in deciding whether to adopt procedures to which these unions do not wish to subscribe. However, it is schools' governing bodies, rather than the unions, that are responsible for their individual school's performance and with whom accountability lies. It was for that particular reason that we felt, in executing the Local Authority's leadership, that it was in schools' interests to have robust arrangements.
Earlier this term, ballots for industrial action were held and two weeks after our recommendation to adopt new procedures for performance management and appraisal, these and other associated elements, featured in the instructions in the joint action that followed.
It is fully recognised that, in the face of industrial action, schools are placed in a difficult position but we are convinced that the alternative model policies offered by NASUWT and NUT, do not sufficiently enable Headteachers and managers to undertake their role of managing the school and thereby meet the revised requirements of the new appraisal regulations and Teacher Standards.
To date, however, the vast majority of schools in Norfolk have chosen to accept our advice and have adopted the procedures we have commended to them.
If, in the light of industrial action there are difficulties with the unions in the operation of the procedures we can, through initial referral to HR Direct, offer advice and practical support in the context of individual school circumstances.
Below are links to previous MI Sheets:
MI Sheet 131/12 Teacher Appraisal and Capability
MI Sheet 156/12 Teacher Appraisal and Capability
MI Sheet 196/12 Teachers Industrial Action