Setting Consistent Appraisal
Targets
Starter: Think about targets
that you have been set
Depressed
Challenged
Scared
How did
you
feel?
Worried
Stimulated
Training Outcomes
By the end of this session you will:
• Consider the appraisal process
• Understand SMART appraisal targets
• Have practice at setting appraisal targets
Task 1
Write down one issue about the appraisal process
which you wish to have clarified.
Task 1: The Appraisal Process
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The appraisal regulations
School appraisal policy
Link between appraisal and pay progression
Appraisal process time line
Task 2: Analysing Targets
Appraisal Targets should be SMART:
• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable/appropriate
• Relevant
• Timely
Task 2: Analysing Targets (ii)
What do you think of these targets? Are they
SMART?
• To improve some Ds to Cs in my year 11 class
• To ensure that 75% of my year 11’s predicted
grades are C and above
• That all pupils achieve their school targets
• 100% of pupils achieve a GCSE grade C (top set)
• 71% of pupils make expected progress in English
(all KS2 level 3)
Task 2: Analysing Targets (iii)
Target
S
M
A
R
T
Comments
1. To improve some Ds to
Cs in my Year 11 class
No specific information about what the teacher
will achieve.
2. To ensure that 75% of
my Year 11’s predicted
grades are C and above
Teacher has got confused over predicted grades
and target grades.
3. That all pupils achieve
their targets
Is it better to list the number of grades this
equates to, and then if some pupils achieve above
and below, target still reached?
4. 100% of pupils achieve a
GCSE grade C (top set)
Is this suitable for a top set?
5. 71% of pupils achieve 3
levels of progress in English
(all KS2 level 3)
Historically the national figure for this group has
been in the 50s: has the teacher taken the
department target in error?
Task 3: Challenge facing Appraisers
Look at the following pen portrait of Mrs White.
What are the key challenges she faces?
Task 3: Challenge facing Appraisers (ii)
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Mrs White
Long-serving Head of Science
Good teacher
Longstanding friendship with 2nd in dept. Good
working relationship with dept. team
Rather ‘battle weary’
Keen to improve pupil attainment but not quite
sure how to both challenge and support team
Task 3: Challenge facing Appraisers (iii)
‘I’ve been a performance manager for years. I have
always found it rather tokenistic. We have done work
on SMART target setting, but I have never really worked
out what the senior team thinks the link is between PM
targets and our results at the end of the year. Because
the whole process is confidential, I have never really
known what happens with staff in other departments.
With this new rule about pay recommendations I feel I
am being put in an awkward position with some of my
colleagues who are also my friends!’
Task 3: Challenge facing Appraisers (iv)
Possible challenges:
• Using PM process to challenge and support her team
• Fairness and transparency to all her team members
• Professionalism over friendship (or combined with?)
• Gaining the skills required to lead supportive but
challenging conversations
• Taking the responsibility of pay recommendation
seriously
• Knowing that she is operating in the same way and to
the same standards as other appraisers
Task 3: Challenge facing Appraisers (iv)
How the school can support Mrs White:
• Setting the appropriate standard for Mrs White
• Modelling or structuring a PM review/target-setting
conversation
• Clarifying what appropriately-challenging targets look like
• Reassuring Mrs White that her judgements are
recommendations and the headteacher/govs will make the
final call
• Giving her the confidence to know her judgements are in
line with others’
• Creating documentation to support consistency and making
the process suitably systematic
Task 4: Setting Targets
Using these 4 points, set targets for the following
teachers
• Developing the quality of teaching & learning
(professional practice)
• Improving pupils’ progress (professional outcomes)
• Developing the quality of practice or improving
progress across a curriculum area (leadership)
• Developing a specific element of practice
(professional development)
Task 4: Setting Targets (ii)
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Mrs Jones
Experienced teacher and 2nd in science;
having increasing difficulty in the classroom
Low residual scores for her GCSE groups last year
Concerns raised by TAs in her lessons regarding
health and safety
Poor student behaviour
Task 4: Setting Targets (iii)
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Mr Smith
Second year of teaching science
Making steady progress and developing into a
competent teacher
First set of GCSE scores last year were in line with
school average
Some difficulties making accurate assessment
Great contributor to extra-curricular programme
Task 4: Setting Targets (iv)
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Ms Green
5th year of teaching science, 3rd at your school;
outstanding teacher
GCSE and A level scores last year significantly
above school average
Acts as mentor outside the dept.
Disappointing attendance levels though
Plenary
Any last questions?