A mid-year review is a key opportunity to assess progress towards objectives across the organisation, support staff in achieving their goals and ensure accountability. While there is no statutory requirement to have a mid-year review, many schools find they provide a valuable source of information, not just about the progress being made towards objectives, but on contributing factors such as staff perception of continued professional development (CPD), understanding future professional learning needs, and providing a chance for reflective and constructive discussion. 

The recent change to the DfE Teacher Appraisal Guidance calls for performance management to become a more dynamic and developmental process. With professional development forming a key component of objectives, and staff engaging in ongoing and frequent dialogue rather than a more traditional and timebound process, this dynamic approach to appraisal means that staff members are more likely to be on their own timelines.  

Mid-year reviews can help to give this process a common point in time across the organisation for both celebration and realignment to occur. It allows staff to reflect on the collective impact of their work, helping to foster a culture of collaboration. 

Capture all evidence

Our People Development platform captures each objective individually, allowing evidence – such as completed CPD modules – to be linked directly This can be accessed by both the appraisee and appraiser, making preparation for review meetings much more efficient and thorough.

The benefits of mid-year reviews 

The mid-year review window is an excellent point in the year to recognise and celebrate successes. Research tells us that when their work aligns with the moral purpose that brought them into education in the first place, staff they love what they do [1]. Highlighting this work and the efforts made by staff, boosts job satisfaction which can have a positive impact on the health, well-being and retention of staff [2].  

While gaining an understanding of the collective efforts of all staff, mid-year reviews also play a key role in ensuring that the CPD offer is meeting the needs of staff. The discussions that take place during the mid-year review window, coupled with the ongoing dialogue occurring with line managers through the appraisal cycle, provide crucial feedback to help shape the professional growth opportunities on offer. 

Mid-year reviews can also help to identify performance issues and offer timely support to help staff overcome barriers before they impact pupils’ learning. If performance issues have already been identified and support offered, this window may be a suitable time to put Informal Support in place, to provide structured support to staff as set out in the updated DfE guidance.  

Ensuring effective mid-year reviews

1. Relevant training

As with the rest of the cycle, its vital that appraisers know what excellent practice looks like, in order to carry out mid-year reviews effectively. Training should be provided to ensure that the review is a meaningful process, and the organisation may find it beneficial to create an exemplification framework to share with appraisers, defining what effective appraisal conversations look like. While the ongoing dialogue that line managers have with individuals throughout the cycle will involve more informal conversation, mid-year reviews lend themselves to a more formal process where the appraiser may need to navigate challenging conversations and guide individuals towards actionable next steps. Relevant training is essential to help appraisers manage and document this process effectively, ensuring it is supportive and meaningful for the appraisee. 

2. Preparation 

One of the benefits of a developmental approach to appraisal is that individuals and their line managers will be involved in on-going discussions throughout the appraisal cycle. The appraisee therefore should have a good grasp on the progress they are making and the CPD they have undertaken in pursuit of each of their objectivesHaving this information stored centrally reduces the time needed to prepare, however both parties should familiarise themselves with progress made to ensure conversations are effective and forward focused.  

Everything in one place

With all the necessary information in one place, our People Development platform allows the appraisee and appraiser to navigate and examine the evidence base for each objective. The use of the self-evaluation records, CPD portfolio, and observation also inform the conversation.

3. Professional conversation 

For staff to understand the value of the mid-year review, it is important that they have a different structure to regular line manager check ins. The appraisee should feel empowered to take the lead and have ownership of the dialogue through carefully positioned questions from the appraiser, who guides and shapes the review.  In order to do this, the appraiser should be confident in guiding the conversation. Many settings use a recognised coaching model to help ensure consistency and provide structure for the appraiser, which is particularly useful for less experienced appraisers [3]This approach circles back to the need for training and modelling good practice for appraisers to feel confident and prepared.  

4. Identifying and agreeing support 

The mid-year review can formally alert any member of staff who is not on track to meet their objectives. Where this is the case, the appraiser should ensure support is offered, and where it is deemed necessary, the DfE guidance on informal support should be followed to ensure that clear, achievable objectives and timelines are put in place which consider the circumstances of the individual [4]. In addition to providing support to staff, mid-year reviews are also an excellent opportunity to identify excellent practice among staff, who may in turn be able to offer support to others. 

Document the conversation 

The Overview Statement in our People Development platform documents the review detailing the evidence examined and agreements made about next actions.

5. Review and Moderation 

We know that mid-year reviews can offer a wealth of information for leaders. To get the maximum benefit from this process, is vital that responses are reviewed to gather intelligence and build on processes that guide school improvement. To ensure consistency it is also a good idea to put in place a moderation process that looks specifically at the quality of the records themselves. This may help inform senior leaders about the effectiveness of the training provided for the appraisers and whether this process needs further attention for the following year. 

Mid-year reviews can be an invaluable tool for supporting staff development. When conducted effectively, they foster professional growth, strengthen staff morale, and align individual performance with the wider objectives of the organisation. By preparing thoroughly, enabling professional conversation, and ensuring effective evaluation, schools and organisations can maximise the impact of these reviews, enhancing both staff performance and pupil outcomes. 

Get in touch with the team today to learn how BlueSky’s People Development platform can help your team get the most out of mid-year reviews and support school priorities throughout the appraisal cycle. Our pre-built ‘mid-year review pro-formas can save you time and allow school leaders to quickly gather intelligence across the school workforce. You can even tailor the frameworks and create bespoke forms to fit with your school’s specific review process. 

To discover how to introduce the platform in your school, as well as how our People Development solutions integrate with Professional Development from The National College, book a demo here, while existing customers can get in touch with our Customer Success team here.  

References

[1] Department for Education (2019). Teacher recruitment and retention strategy. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-recruitment-and-retention-strategy/teacher-recruitment-and-retention-strategy.

[2] Dreer, B. (2021). Teachers’ well-being and job satisfaction: the important role of positive emotions in the workplace. Educational Studies, 50(1), 61–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2021.1940872

[3] Van Nieuwerburgh, C. (2012). Coaching in education: Getting better results for students, educators, and parents. Karnac Books. 

[4] DfE (2024). Teacher appraisal Guidance for schools. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-appraisal-and-capability-model-policy.

Talk to our team today to learn more about our platform can support your school’s appraisal processes.

Tamsin Denley

Author: Ally Sousa
Content Specialist

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