What is Performance Related Pay?
Performance Related Pay (PRP) is the system applied since 2014 where a teacher’s progression up the pay scale is determined by their performance during the year against a set criteria and targets agreed in the autumn term.
Teachers are professionals who must be treated as such
When linking pay progression to performance management the focus is on a limited range of outcomes rather than the full scope of teachers’ responsibilities and duties.
It does not improve performance
Thereis no evidence that PRP improves educational outcomes. Researchon the impact of PRP, conducted by the OECD concluded.
More and more schoolsare abolishing PRP
PRP has been abolished in Wales and many Multi Academy Trusts have followed suit, guaranteeing one point of pay progression for all teachers unless they are subjectto a formal capability process.
It harms recruitment and retention
Recruitment and retention is a huge problemfor schools in England. PRP is a big factor causing teachers to consider leaving the profession.
It increases workload for both teachers and leaders
Every year teachers, senior leaders and governors spend a huge amount of time on the PRP process.
We need to work collaboratively and not in isolation
PRP can lead to a more atomised way of working as people concentrate on meeting their individual targets to achieve pay progression.The end of PRP wouldenable a much more collective and collaborative approach to school improvement.
PRP undermines positive and supportive appraisal
Teachers are less likelyto open up about an issue or seek support if they think it could be used as evidence to stop them going up the pay scale.
PRP discourages professional creativity and innovation
The inflexibility of performance management systemslinked to pay progression discourage informed risk taking and experimentation which inhibits attempts to discovernew - and potentially better - approaches to teaching and learning.
PRP can compound systemic inequalities
Studiesconducted by the European Commission and the Equality and Human Rights Commission suggestedthat PRP contributes to unequal pay between men and women. If we want to close the gender pay gaps in our schools, then getting rid of PRP is a good place to start.