How to review your teacher appraisal policy

What this policy needs to do

Your school’s teacher appraisal policy must cover:

How often appraisals take place

Teachers on fixed-term contracts of less than 12 months, or those starting at your school during the appraisal period can have a shorter or longer initial appraisal period.

The appointment of external advisers and appraisers

The policy should explain:

• How the governing board will select/appoint an external adviser to provide advice and support for headteacher appraisal
• That the governing board may also choose to delegate headteacher appraisal to a smaller group of governors (a committee)
• Who will appraise other teachers (if not your headteacher)

Objective setting and assessment

The policy should be clear that objectives must be set before, or as soon as practicable after, the start of the appraisal period.

It should also explain that objectives will contribute to improving the education of pupils at your school, and the implementation of any school improvement plans.

Objectives will be assessed against the Teachers’ Standards in most cases, and your policy should set out how performance is assessed throughout the appraisal period.

How teachers will receive their report

Teachers must be provided with a written report of their appraisal for that period.

This will include the assessment of their performance and professional development needs and a recommendation on pay, where relevant.

3 key questions to challenge the policy

1. It this policy compliant and up to date? How do you know?

The policy should be based on the requirements of The Education (School Teachers’ Appraisal) (England) Regulations 2012.

If your policy is based on the DfE's model teacher appraisal policy, then it likely ticks all the necessary boxes because the DfE's policy follows the regulations.

The DfE guidance hasn’t changed since 2019.

2. Have you consulted relevant stakeholders before modifying the policy? 

Ideally, your headteacher has consulted with any unions represented at your school before implementing a new policy that refers to the employment of staff.

It’s not a requirement to consult staff, but it’s good practice – the DfE told us this. It’s useful because your headteacher can then consider what’s worked well and what parts of the appraisal process they need to improve.

Take into account that if:

• Your local authority (LA) is the employer – find out if your headteacher has used any LA policy and/or guidance. LA model policies are often already drawn up with the agreement of union representatives, too
• Your LA is not the employer – you don't have to consult your LA
• You’re in a multi-academy trust – find out if your headteacher has followed any trust policy and/or guidance

3. How do you know that this policy is working and being properly implemented?

Your headteacher should be able to use evidence to back up what they say. For example, they might explain:

• That line managers across your school are reminded about the policy each year
• How new line managers are trained in conducting appraisals according to the policy
• How concerns raised by staff about the appraisal process, including how performance is reviewed, have been addressed

Further questions

We also have guidance on questions you can ask when reviewing any policy.

Model policy from The Key 

This model document is not meant as a guide for writing a teacher appraisal policy, since that's your school leaders' job – instead, use it to give you a sense of what a good policy looks like. 

Model policy: teacher appraisal

Our model policy is from our sister service, The Key Leaders, and:

• Has been approved by Forbes Solicitors
• Was developed in consultation with NAHT
• Is designed for your senior leaders to adapt to suit your school or trust's context

It's based on the DfE's model teacher appraisal policy and includes an appraisal report template created with Jeremy Bird, one of our associate education experts.

Note: this model policy is aimed primarily at maintained schools and academies. If you're in a different setting – e.g. pupil referral unit or non-maintained special school – ask your headteacher if your policy is adapted to include any requirements or considerations specific to your context.

For more policy support from The Key, see the Policy Bank.

See examples of policies from schools

Primary schools

• Christleton Primary School in Cheshire West and Chester
• Hunsbury Park Primary School in West Northamptonshire

Secondary schools

• Thomas Tallis School in Greenwich
• Eastbrook School in Barking and Dagenham

Special school

• Brent Knoll School in Lewisham

Sources

• School teachers' pay and conditions: guidance, GOV.UK – DfE
• Teacher appraisal and capability: a model policy for schools (see part A – appraisal), GOV.UK – DfE

Jeremy Bird has extensive experience of primary headship. He has also worked with local authorities and published guidance for new and aspiring headteachers and senior leaders.