NASUWT Representatives

www.nasuwt.org.uk43If performance remains unsatisfactory, a decision, orrecommendation to the governing body, will be made that theteacher should be dismissed or required to cease working at theschool.Should an NASUWT Representative believe at any point in theprocedure (this may emerge early in the procedure) that themember is at risk of dismissal, then support should be soughtfrom the NASUWT Regional Centre without delay.The model policy produced by the DfE is, in the view of theNASUWT, wholly unacceptable. The NASUWT has produced acritique of the policy and this can be read on the website atwww.nasuwt.org.uk.NASUWT Representatives should respond to assertions fromschools and employers that are insisting on adopting this policyby taking all steps to dissuade them from doing so, and if this isnot possible try to drive improvements into the policy by:l establishing an informal stage within the policy andprocedure;l requiring evidence to be produced to justify any decisionsand actions taken against the teacher;l requiring that timescales for improvements to be achievedare adequate to make the requirements realistic to achieve;l requiring that access is made available to relevant support,development and training, where appropriate, in good timeto achieve the necessary improvement;l providing more stages in the process so that teachers havemore opportunity to demonstrate that they are meeting therequired levels of performance;l requiring the insertion in the policy of a clause requiring anequality impact assessment to be carried out in each case.A departure from better agreed procedures should be resisted.For advice and help ˚ Local Association ˚ Regional Centre ˚ National Executive