Employment update

Performance threshold changes

When the revised performance management arrangements for teachers were introduced at the start of this school year in England, it has always been intended that the information and data collected for performance management should be used in a number of different ways.

It has now been determined by ministers that from 1 September 2009 (Round 10), schools will make their assessments on whether teachers meet the post-threshold standards on the basis of the outcomes of their last two performance reviews.

When this happens, it will no longer be necessary for teachers to complete a separate threshold application form. Teachers will, however, still need to submit an application, though the format of such an application remains to be determined.

Teachers currently on point M4 or M5 of the main scale, who intend to apply for threshold assessment in their M6 year, especially those who intend to apply in the 2009-10 school year and their reviewers, will need to ensure that performance objectives will provide sufficient evidence that the post-threshold standards have been met throughout the previous two years (2007-08 and 2008-09).

As one of these years has already almost passed (and few schools will have covered this contingency in the 2007-08 cycle), it is vital that appropriate objectives are set/agreed for 2008-09.

The TDA is currently developing a guidance note with social partners to help to clarify how this will work in practice. The guidance should be published before the end of this term - watch the ASCL weekly email newsletter for details.