Setting Consistent Appraisal Targets Starter Think about targets

Setting Consistent Appraisal Targets

Starter: Think about targets that you have been set Depressed Challenged Worried How did you feel? Scared Stimulated

Training Outcomes By the end of this session you will: • Consider the appraisal process • Understand SMART appraisal targets • Have practice at setting appraisal targets

Task 1 Write down one issue about the appraisal process which you wish to have clarified.

Task 1: The Appraisal Process • • The appraisal regulations School appraisal policy Link between appraisal and pay progression Appraisal process time line

Task 2: Analysing Targets Appraisal Targets should be SMART: • Specific • Measurable • Achievable/appropriate • Relevant • Timely

Task 2: Analysing Targets (ii) What do you think of these targets? Are they SMART? • To improve some Ds to Cs in my year 11 class • To ensure that 75% of my year 11’s predicted grades are C and above • That all pupils achieve their school targets • 100% of pupils achieve a GCSE grade C (top set) • 71% of pupils make expected progress in English (all KS 2 level 3)

Task 2: Analysing Targets (iii) Target S M A R T Comments 1. To improve some Ds to Cs in my Year 11 class No specific information about what the teacher will achieve. 2. To ensure that 75% of my Year 11’s predicted grades are C and above Teacher has got confused over predicted grades and target grades. 3. That all pupils achieve their targets Is it better to list the number of grades this equates to, and then if some pupils achieve above and below, target still reached? 4. 100% of pupils achieve a GCSE grade C (top set) Is this suitable for a top set? 5. 71% of pupils achieve 3 levels of progress in English (all KS 2 level 3) Historically the national figure for this group has been in the 50 s: has the teacher taken the department target in error?

Task 3: Challenge facing Appraisers Look at the following pen portrait of Mrs White. What are the key challenges she faces?

Task 3: Challenge facing Appraisers (ii) • • • Mrs White Long-serving Head of Science Good teacher Longstanding friendship with 2 nd in dept. Good working relationship with dept. team Rather ‘battle weary’ Keen to improve pupil attainment but not quite sure how to both challenge and support team

Task 3: Challenge facing Appraisers (iii) ‘I’ve been a performance manager for years. I have always found it rather tokenistic. We have done work on SMART target setting, but I have never really worked out what the senior team thinks the link is between PM targets and our results at the end of the year. Because the whole process is confidential, I have never really known what happens with staff in other departments. With this new rule about pay recommendations I feel I am being put in an awkward position with some of my colleagues who are also my friends!’

Task 3: Challenge facing Appraisers (iv) Possible challenges: • Using PM process to challenge and support her team • Fairness and transparency to all her team members • Professionalism over friendship (or combined with? ) • Gaining the skills required to lead supportive but challenging conversations • Taking the responsibility of pay recommendation seriously • Knowing that she is operating in the same way and to the same standards as other appraisers

Task 3: Challenge facing Appraisers (iv) How the school can support Mrs White: • Setting the appropriate standard for Mrs White • Modelling or structuring a PM review/target-setting conversation • Clarifying what appropriately-challenging targets look like • Reassuring Mrs White that her judgements are recommendations and the headteacher/govs will make the final call • Giving her the confidence to know her judgements are in line with others’ • Creating documentation to support consistency and making the process suitably systematic

Task 4: Setting Targets Using these 4 points, set targets for the following teachers • Developing the quality of teaching & learning (professional practice) • Improving pupils’ progress (professional outcomes) • Developing the quality of practice or improving progress across a curriculum area (leadership) • Developing a specific element of practice (professional development)

Task 4: Setting Targets (ii) • • Mrs Jones Experienced teacher and 2 nd in science; having increasing difficulty in the classroom Low residual scores for her GCSE groups last year Concerns raised by TAs in her lessons regarding health and safety Poor student behaviour

Task 4: Setting Targets (iii) • • • Mr Smith Second year of teaching science Making steady progress and developing into a competent teacher First set of GCSE scores last year were in line with school average Some difficulties making accurate assessment Great contributor to extra-curricular programme

Task 4: Setting Targets (iv) • • Ms Green 5 th year of teaching science, 3 rd at your school; outstanding teacher GCSE and A level scores last year significantly above school average Acts as mentor outside the dept. Disappointing attendance levels though

Plenary Any last questions?