Capability - NASUWT

‘Despite successfully achieving 100% of the targets set and maintaining the
achieved standard, I was still subjected to subsequent formal monitoring. This
was contrary to the Performance Monitoring Policy agreed by the LEA and
Union.’
Secondary school teacher
CONCLUSION
The issue of teacher competence has and is likely to remain an issue of continued
interest and debate. However, the veracity of the evidence around the issue has
been limited and there remains a real concern that estimates of the number of
‘incompetent’ teachers remain massively wide of the mark.
The available evidence from a range of sources explored in this Report confirms
that the use of capability/competence proceedings varies between different
geographical areas. The reasons for these statistical variations merits further
examination.
The disproportionate application of capability/competence proceedings in
relation to older teachers, male teachers and disabled teachers is identified
strongly in this review of evidence. The reasons for these differences need to be
better understood. Furthermore, there is some concern that capability/
competence proceedings may be used in some schools to target, victimise or
discriminate against individuals on the grounds of the teacher’s personal
characteristics. This clearly suggests that how school managers understand and
interpret teacher capability/competence may be strongly affected by factors
outside the individual teacher’s control.
Teachers’ perceptions of the negative and inappropriate use of
capability/competence procedures appear to be borne out by this report and this
should raise some concern about how school managers are equipped to manage
and support the performance and competence of employees. The issue of how
school managers are held to account, therefore, for their actions in relation to
the management of capability/competence is likely to be a growing issue for the
future, particularly as more schools seek to acquire greater levels of independence
and autonomy.
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