Teacher Appraisals – Guidance, Requirements, Examples

Latest Teacher Appraisal Guidance for Schools – July 2024

Changes to the Teacher Appraisal guidance for schools announced in July 2024, alongside the approval of pay rises for teachers and school leaders, were welcome news, and echo a significant shift in approach that we have been observing with BlueSky member schools for a while now.

The refreshed guidance emphasises that the appraisal process “should be intrinsically supportive and developmental, conducted within a school culture that values openness and fairness. Appraisal should be a nonbureaucratic process that recognises, encourages and validates a teacher’s commitment to professional development, pedagogical excellence and effective performance.”

This approach chimes strongly with the developmental approach that we explored in our 2021 research fact file The Emerging Revolution Research Report, and as outlined in the guidance paper we published in collaboration with the Association of School and College Leaders last year: Changing approaches to performance management.

Meanwhile, the new guidance release by the government for Managing Teachers’ and Leaders’ Pay included the long-awaited announcement that schools will no longer be required to implement a policy for performance-related pay (PRP):

“From the 2024/25 academic year, the requirement for objectives and the appraisal process to lead to performance-related pay outcomes for teachers and leaders will be removed. The statutory requirement to make a pay decision following the completion of the appraisal process remains.”

What does this mean for schools and teacher performance?

While many schools have already shifted their approach to appraisal, we believe this will have a significant positive impact in schools. The link between teacher pay and performance criteria that is based on numerical data targets, can produce a ‘high-stakes’ culture that increases stress and discourages creativity and collaboration. Many sector experts believe this has contributed to the teacher recruitment and retention crisis.

Removing this link opens up the opportunity for teacher appraisal to focus on activity that will truly have an impact on student outcomes: targeted and ongoing professional development. It goes without saying that strategic school improvement cannot exist without staff development; teachers need to be supported to be the best they can be and understand how their work contributes to the achievement of the school’s priorities.

Most schools are already undertaking this process to ensure staff are up to date with evidence-based approaches to classroom practice and to support students, for example with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), as well as addressing staff well-being and retention. However, some schools still do not link CPD with performance management, which can mean it is not the focus in appraisal conversations. These schools may be considering how to measure success if there is no longer a requirement for performance criteria based on quantitative data.

What Is Teacher Appraisal?

Teacher appraisal is a structured process for evaluating a teacher’s performance in their role. It involves assessing their teaching practices, professional development, and contributions to student learning, typically through observations, feedback, and reviews of their work. The goal is to ensure quality teaching, support professional growth, and improve educational outcomes.

What Is the Purpose Of Teacher Appraisal?

The teacher appraisal process should offer a supportive and safe environment where individual teachers and their line managers can have open and honest conversations about successes and areas for improvement. It should also address the support that will be provided to enable all teachers to achieve their objectives and continue to meet the teacher’s standards (DfE, 2024). By its very nature, appraisal should encourage professional growth in order to achieve these objectives. Quality of teaching is the single most important factor for improving pupil outcomes, and is an integral part of ensuring high quality teaching (DfE, 2024). The introduction of PRP led to numerical target setting; the drive towards professional growth was lost in the myriad of data tracking and bureaucratic processes, rather than giving teachers the time and the agency to drive their own development.

The new Teacher Appraisal Guidance stipulates that professional development should form a key component of teacher appraisal objectives, and that schools should identify resources and support to allow this to happen. Of course, educators have always known the importance of CPD, but professional growth often gets overlooked when balancing the vital work being done in schools worldwide to support learners and their families, to meet that fast approaching deadline, or to complete vital whole-school statutory training. Centering appraisal around CPD not only sends a strong message about the importance of updating professional practice, it carves out time for this to happen rather than it being perceived as a bolt on that is embarked upon as soon as the to-do list enables time.

What are the benefits of teacher appraisal?

We know that developmental teacher appraisal in line with both individual and school priorities drives improvement (OECD, 2013) but what other benefits can it have for all those involved?

1. Accountability & School Improvement

‘The highest form of accountability is the individual’s professional accountability for the quality of her or his own work’ (CST 2021). For Headteachers, appraisal remains a tool for accountability – without being able to hold your staff to account you are unable to drive school improvement. Through shifting this accountability away from data and towards the improvement of professional practice aligning with the school improvement plan, each staff member can see the contribution they are making towards the wider priorities of the organisation. Where there may be concerns around performance issues, appraisals provide a framework for addressing these through informal support and intervention. This gives real clarity to this scenario and ensures all staff involved are aware of expectations and progress made.

2. Recruitment and Retention

Embedding a culture of professional growth through every stage of the staff lifecycle helps establish a culture where individuals feel valued and see where they add value. This leads to greater job satisfaction and a more productive and stable workforce (Dreer 2021). Making your commitment to professional growth explicit at the attraction and onboarding phase will also help recruit staff who share the same vision and ethos.

3. Workload Reduction

Aligning your school improvement plan, CPD and appraisal places equal importance on each element and helps staff to understand how each contributes to the other. It also reduces staff workload. Historically staff appraisal has involved a vast commitment in time and resources. Collating data and evidence as well as organising the right members of staff to meet to review this is a costly process. The Appraisal Guidance has recognised that staff should no longer collate large portfolios of evidence for appraisal, and recommends that schools consider using online solutions to assist with streamlining the approach and making it easy to track incremental shifts in practice that are contributing to the wider school priorities. Having an online system enables information to be accessed and added quickly and easily – this is particularly important if you are wishing to view information across a trust.

Supporting teacher appraisal without adding to workload

In many schools, these conversations already take place, alongside regular quality assurance or evaluation practices such as lesson visits, instructional coaching, work scrutiny and peer feedback. Unlike the formal ‘high-stakes’ lesson observation practice of the past, these school monitoring processes are designed to offer focused, specific feedback that feeds into line manager or coaching conversations, without creating additional stress through having to ‘perform’ for a one-off event.

Ideally these processes are built into day-to day practice so that they become routine, and a range of methods will be used, so that the focus is not limited to one area of teaching practice. It is important to note that feedback gathered through monitoring and coaching should be recorded and shared with the teacher/appraisee in a manner that allows them to review it with their line manager or mentor. Appraisees and Appraisers should maintain a shared record of the steps taken to improve practice, whether that is professional learning or a coaching conversation, that provides evidence when it comes to the review at the end of the appraisal cycle.

However, it is also important to note that the DfE guidance states that appraisal should be a “non-bureaucratic” process, and “that methods of assessing teacher performance do not add to teacher workload.”

We are delighted to see that the guidance recommends the use of online solutions to support the practice of recording and managing appraisal processes. Using an online platform such as BlueSky provides a streamlined approach which saves time and reduces the workload of appraisal for teachers and school leaders, since all of the information is recorded and shared in one place and can easily be kept up to date. This means school leaders can identify CPD needs across the workforce more easily and as they arise, but also offer targeted training for individuals or groups of staff with the same needs.

BlueSky’s award-winning staff development platform makes it easy to align individuals’ appraisal objectives with wider school objectives, and in turn link this with targeted professional development and learning. Every member of the school workforce – teachers, support staff and the operations team – can access a portable CPD portfolio which supports their learning pathway throughout their career. All ongoing feedback, from line manager reviews to book looks can be recorded and triangulated with appraisal and development objectives, creating a feedback loop that empowers staff to take control of their professional growth and allows leaders to track impact on school priorities.

How can schools measure teacher performance based on development?

Teacher appraisal is still key to this process; schools need a robust and rigorous approach that enables leaders to evaluate teachers’ skillsets and identify areas for development, as well as areas of expertise. If we look at the guidance from the Department for Education (DfE), the following points may be helpful for schools that are shifting their approach at this time:

• Teacher objectives should be aspirational yet achievable, and based on success criteria which are in their control.
• Throughout the appraisal cycle, teachers should receive informal feedback on their performance and development areas.
• Ensure that appraisers alongside appraisees identify relevant sources of evidence, at the point of objective setting, including those that will routinely be gathered as part of normal school activity, including monitoring the quality of provision.
• Policies and processes should be proportionate and use evidence in appraisal decisions that is readily available from day-to-day practice in school.

Of course, all teachers will be regularly assessed against the National Teachers’ Standards, and may already receive training and development that supports them to attain and improve these skills, but schools may also set targeted objectives that are linked to specific school priorities, such as overcoming behaviour challenges. It is important to note that what successful achievement of appraisal objectives looks like will depend on the specific context of the school.

A core element of the developmental approach to appraisal is informal feedback – the opportunity for ongoing, non-judgemental conversations with a line manager, mentor or coach to discuss incremental progress on appraisal objectives and gain guidance on the next steps or training required to ensure those goals are achievable. These conversations are fundamental to ensuring that progress stays on track, but also ensure that objectives can be ‘agile’ and change if circumstances require.

Key to the success of this approach is documenting conversations so that appraisees can reflect back on their progress throughout the appraisal cycle and see the impact on their practice, as well as maintaining an open and fair process.

How To Create An Effective Teacher Appraisal System

Creating an effective teacher appraisal system involves careful planning, clear communication, and a focus on professional growth and accountability.

Senior leaders should begin by establishing clear objectives for the appraisal, such as improving instructional quality, fostering professional development, and recognising outstanding performance. These objectives should be communicated transparently to ensure that all teachers understand the purpose and benefits of the process.

An effective system must also include clear criteria for evaluation, which should reflect key teaching competencies, including subject knowledge, instructional delivery, classroom management, and student outcomes.

A successful appraisal system should incorporate a variety of evidence sources to provide a comprehensive view of teacher performance. Classroom observations, student progress data, self-assessments, and peer or parent feedback can all contribute to a well-rounded evaluation. To ensure fairness and reliability, senior leaders should provide training for appraisers, emphasszing objectivity and consistency in their evaluations.

Regular, constructive feedback is a crucial element, helping teachers identify areas for growth and celebrating their strengths. Beyond assessment, the system must offer actionable pathways for professional development, such as targeted workshops, coaching, or mentoring opportunities. By linking appraisals to meaningful support and resources, schools can foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Senior leaders should also establish a cyclical process for reviewing and refining the appraisal system itself. Gathering feedback from teachers and appraisers can identify strengths and weaknesses in the process, allowing adjustments to ensure it remains effective and aligned with school goals. Regularly revisiting the appraisal criteria and tools ensures they remain relevant to evolving educational priorities.

To learn more about the updated Teacher Appraisal Guidance and for guidance on adopting a developmental approach to appraisal in your school, watch our webinar for The National College, available on demand now. Learn more here.

You can also download our guidance on Changing Approaches to performance management parts 1 and 2, written in partnership with the Association of School and College Leaders, here. Part 3 will be released in the autumn term.