NASUWT Representatives

90 www.nasuwt.org.ukPerformanceManagementPrior to September 2012, performance management was aprocess to support the development of all staff to improveteaching and raise standards. All schools in England and Waleswere required to have a performance management policy inplace that was fully compliant with relevant governmentregulations, the Education (School Teacher PerformanceManagement) (England) Regulations 2006.From 1 September 2012, these regulations were replaced by theEducation (School Teachers’ Appraisal) (England) Regulations2012. These regulations, which are highly permissive in theirnature, have the effect of removing many of the regulatorysafeguards for teachers from the performancemanagement/appraisal process. In addition, in Wales the 2002appraisal regulations have been replaced by the 2011regulations.Accordingly, it is necessary for the NASUWT to engage at alllevels with LAs, diocesan authorities and with employers andgoverning bodies to ensure that where schools insist on makingchanges to their performance management/appraisal policy andprocedure, it is done in such a way as to secure all theprotections formerly provided for in the 2006 regulations.The NASUWT has created and distributed a significant amountof material to facilitate this. There is a model NASUWT policyand observation protocol along with a negotiating checklist.NASUWT Representatives should also be aware that inconjunction with the NUT the NASUWT has agreed both thechecklist and the observation protocol for use in suchsituations, to which both unions have agreed to adhere.The changes to the performance management/appraisalarrangements and the protection of the safeguards for teachersis a significant element in the NASUWT industrial actionstrategy. If NASUWT Representatives are confronted withchanges to their schools’ performance management/appraisalpolicy and procedure they should notify their NASUWTlocal/negotiating secretary and ensure that any changes complywith the checklist and observation protocol, if adoption of theNASUWT model policy cannot be achieved. A refusal by theschool to accept either of these arrangements will need to bechallenged under the NASUWT industrial action instructionsduring the course of the current national dispute.In England, since 1 September 2009 (Round 10), assessmentagainst the post-threshold standards has been determinedsolely on the basis of the evidence contained in theFor advice and help ˚ Local Association ˚ Regional Centre ˚ National Executive