Since the introduction of the Education (School Teachers’ Appraisal) (England) Regulations 2012, all maintained schools are required to have an appraisal policy. Academies are not subject to the 2012 regulations and are therefore not required to have an appraisal system.
The NEU position, which is aligned with that of the Department for Education (DfE), is that appraisal should be a supportive and developmental process which enables teachers to fully develop their skills, access the support they need to carry out their role effectively and develop their professional practice.
Since 2014, the linking of pay to appraisal in the form of performance-related pay (PRP) served to undermine this position.
Therefore, the removal of the statutory requirement for local-authority-maintained schools to operate PRP presents an opportunity to establish a genuinely supportive appraisal process in schools.
Appraisal and the Teacher Standards
The Teacher Standards (England) and the Professional Standards for Teaching and Leadership (Wales) underpin the appraisal process by providing a framework that guides the setting of objectives and informs meaningful discussions during the appraisal process.
The NEU believes that appraisal assessments should begin with the assumption that a teacher is meeting the Standards unless there is clear evidence to suggest otherwise.
The STPCD does not require that a teacher’s performance be assessed against the Standards individually. Therefore the Standards should not be treated as a checklist for evaluating teacher performance.
Appraisal objectives
Appraisal objectives should be ‘SMART’: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Members should not agree to objectives that fail to meet these criteria, especially those tied to factors outside their control, such as numerical targets related to student outcomes.
Objectives should be set in consultation with you.
If you believe an objective is unrealistic or unsuitable or if changes such as variations in pupil numbers or the characteristics of your class(es) make the objective unrealistic or unsuitable during the year, raise your concerns immediately. If the objective is enforced, document your objections and the reasons for them in writing.
If you have any specific personal circumstances, such as a disability, pregnancy, maternity or adoption leave, or long-term sickness absence that could impact your ability to meet your objectives, make sure you discuss these with your appraiser to have your objectives adjusted as needed.
Your school’s appraisal procedure should outline a process for appealing objectives or raising concerns. If this is not the case, you can use the school’s grievance procedure to challenge further. Seek advice from your NEU school rep if you need assistance with the appeal process.
Limit to number of objectives
The NEU maintains that there should be a maximum of three objectives per annum and will provide support to members if the school attempts to enforce additional objectives. For objectives to be effective, they must be manageable; exceeding three objectives or incorporating sub-targets can create excessive workload pressures.
Objectives and pay progression
Since September 2024, there is no longer a mandatory requirement for schools to operate performance-related pay (PRP). The NEU’s position is that there should be no link between pay and appraisal; pay progression should occur annually and automatically across all pay ranges. The purpose of appraisal should be to support professional development, not to determine pay progression.
