Kings at Downside Performance Management Policy

All Kings’ policies will be ratified by the Board of Directors and signed by the Chairperson. Each policy will be co-signed by the Principal/Centre Director of each school. Review dates will be similar for each school.

Coordinator / Nominated Directors / Chair of Board of Directors
Centre Director / Directors of Academic Development & College Services / Nigel Pamplin

Introduction

Kings at Downside is committed to helping every employee reach their potential and achieve personal goals.This will assist the organization to achieve its objectives and ensures our pupils are kept safe, have a high quality all round experience in the UK, have opportunities to develop as a person, are introduced to British Values and are prepared for next stage in their education.

For Kings at Downside everything begins and ends with the pupils and this pupil-centered approach is reflected in staff appraisal.

The performance appraisal policy supports the performance appraisal scheme. The scheme is a formal process centered on an annual meeting of each employee and line manager to discuss his/her work. For Teaching Staff the meeting is the culmination of a triangulation of lesson observations, book scrutiny and pupil feedback. For other employees, similar evidence will be brought together so that an accurate reflection of the employee’s work is obtained over a period of time.

The purpose of the appraisal meeting is to review the previous year’s achievements and to set objectives for the following year. These should align individual employee’sgoals and objectives with organizational goals and objectives.

Roles, Responsibilities and Procedures

Board of Directors / The Board of Directors will:
  • delegate the responsibility of implementation and awareness of this policy to The Centre Director;
  • have responsibility for ensuring that the school complies with all equalities legislation;
  • have responsibility for ensuring this policy and all policies are maintained and updated regularly;
  • delegate to the Centre Director the responsibility for ensuring all policies are made available to parents;
  • nominate the Directors of Academic Developmentand College Services to visit the school regularly, to liaise with the Centre Director and to report back to the Board of Directors;
  • have responsibility for the effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation of this policy;
  • should ensure the Centre Director has appropriate training to carry out this policy;
  • ensure the Centre Director has an appraisalannually.

Directors of Academic Development & College Services / The Directors of Academic Development & College Services will:
  • work closely with the Centre Director and the Head of Boarding;
  • provide input for the appraisal of the Centre Director;
  • ensure this policy and other linked policies are up to date;
  • annually report to the Board of Directors on the success and development of this policy.

Centre Director / The Centre Director will:
  • make sure employees are aware of policy;
  • organise annual appraisals for all teaching, administration and boardingstaff, including the Head of Boarding
  • ensure appraisal is seen in a positive light by employees and is a two-way process
  • receive training in carrying out appraisals
  • work with senior managers in other Kings schools to develop appraisal procedures
  • ensure appraisal is a fair and equitable process in line with KD equality policy
  • use data from the appraisal positively to improve the performance of individuals and to motivate them

Head of Boarding / The Head of Boarding will:
  • make sure residential staff are aware of policy
  • organize appraisal for all residential staff
  • ensure appraisal is seen in a positive light by employees and is a two-way process
  • receive training in carrying out appraisals
  • work with the CD to develop appraisal procedures
  • ensure appraisal is a fair and equitable process in line with the KD Equality Policy
  • use data from the appraisals positively to improve the performance of individuals and to motivate them.

Centre Personnel /
  • All personnel who have completed their induction programme are required to engage with the appraisal process
  • All personnel should see appraisal as a two-way process to honestly discuss expectations and performance
  • All personnel should work to fulfill performance targets

Implementation / Annual performance appraisal discussions will be arranged by the line manager:
Director of Operations UK, for CD,
Centre Director for Teaching Staff and Head of Boarding
Head of Boarding for other residential staff
and the time and venue advised at least one week in advance.
Line managers are encouraged to provide the opportunity for an additional 6-month verbal appraisal review and other reviews as necessary.
Prior to the review the line manager will have collected information from a variety of sources including lesson observations, book scrutiny and pupil feedback so that a wide and accurate assessment of the employee’s performance can be made.
The appraisal discussion will be held in private. Information shared during the appraisal will be shared only with senior management. Confidentiality will be respected.
Any training needs coming out of the appraisal will be put in place.
The appraisal documents should be issued to both parties at least a week prior to the discussion to allow both parties time to reflect and prepare. These will provide a framework and focus for discussion.
The Appraisal Discussion / The appraisal discussion will allow both parties to reflect and comment on the previous year’s achievements. The appraiser is accountable for giving the employee constructive, timely and honest appraisals of their performance, which should take account both of the goals of the organization and the individual.
The discussion should be both positive and constructive and will focus on assisting the member of staff being appraised to acquire the relevant knowledge, skills and competencies to perform his/her current role to the best of his/her abilities.
The appropriate forms will be completed and signed by both parties. The member of staff being appraised will be given the opportunity to note any comments that he/she does not agree with and complete a self-assessment.
The member of staff being appraisedand line manager should agree a Personal Development Plan for the employee for the following year. The organization and the line manager will support the employee to achieve these goals.
Any training needs, future training requirements, planned qualifications and development opportunities and career planning should be discussed in the light of the Personal Development Plan
Teaching and the formal lesson observation / For teaching staff, a significant part of the appraisal will centre around a formal lesson observation. However, it is acknowledged that some outstanding teachers find it difficult to perform in these circumstance whereas other less competent teachers can perform well. Therefore, a variety of information will be gathered about the teacher’s performance including book scrutiny and pupil feedback. In a small organisation like Kings at Downside a lot of informal information is available which can indicate how an employee is performing their role. This should be given due consideration if the evidence is considered reliable. The source of any information used in the appraisal will be made known to the member of staff being appraised.
See Appendix B from ‘Kings What makes good teaching, ‘Developmental Observation Procedure’, ‘Support for underperforming teachers’ and ‘Using feedback from pupils.
Associated Policies and Publications / This policy has been written with reference to and in accordance with the following policies:
  • Kings Education HR Manual
  • Kings Education Staff Handbook
  • Kings at Downside Equality Policy
  • Kings at Downside Curriculum Policy

Monitoring the Effectiveness of the Policy / Annually the effectiveness of this policy will be reviewed, or when the need arises, and the necessary recommendations for improvement will be made to the Board of Directors.

Equality Impact Assessment

Under the Equality Act 2010 we have a duty not to discriminate against people on the basis of their age, disability, gender, gender identity, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation.

This policy has been equality impact assessed and we believe that it is in line with the Equality Act 2010 as it is fair, it does not prioritise or disadvantage any pupil and it helps to promote equality at this school.

This policy affects or is likely to affect the following members of the school community () / Pupils / School Personnel / Parents/ carers / Directors / School Visitors / Wider School Community

Question / Protected Characteristics / Conclusion
Does or could this policy have a negative impact on any of the following? / Age / Disability / Gender / Gender identity / Pregnancy or maternity / Race / Religion or belief / Sexual orientation / Undertake a full EIA if the answer is ‘yes’ or ‘not sure’
YES / Yes / No
NO /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  / 
UNSURE
Does or could this policy help promote equality for any of the following? / Age / Disability / Gender / Gender identity / Pregnancy or maternity / Race / Religion or belief / Sexual orientation / Undertake a full EIA if the answer is ‘no’ or ‘not sure’
YES /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  / Yes / No
NO / 
UNSURE
Conclusion / We have come to the conclusion that after undertaking an initial equality impact assessment that a full assessment is not required.

Appendix A

Annual Policy Review Sheet

The Review should be completed annually by the Centre Director with specific details of each individual Kings college/centre.

Review Date / Primary Reviewer Name (Policy Coordinator)
Date of Last Review:
Date of Next Review:
If this policy is not being implemented fully, as prescribed, please outline what you have put in place instead and the reasons behind the change...
How are staff made aware of this policy?
Does this policy require any specific/specialised training for staff, if yes please specify what it is and whether it has been done?
Monitoring the Effectiveness of the Policy
The information in this policy and appendix will be reviewed annually by the Course Director, or when the need arises, and the necessary recommendations for improvement will be made by the Centre Director to the Board of Directors.
Please comment on the overall effectiveness of this policy – giving any suggestions or recommendations for improvement...
Coordinator: / Date:
Centre Director: / Date:
Chair of Board of Directors: / Date:

Appendix B

What makes good teaching?

The most important feature of any lesson is the learning pupils take away with them. This can be an expansion of their knowledge, a development of skills or an ability to learn more effectively away from the classroom when studying or living in the UK.

In order to promote learning and to maximise the opportunity to learn, effective lessons at Kings will include some or all of the following Eight aspects of good teaching:

1. Depth of Learning

  • Is there evidence of learning taking place throughout the lesson?
  • How does the teacher check the pupils’ learning?
  • Can pupils describe the learning achieved from the lesson?

2. Pace and engagement

  • Are pupils being encouraged to be actively engaged at all times?
  • Are expectations of them high and attainable?
  • Are there stages of the lesson where the engagement drops? Why did this happen?
  • What is the impact on the pupils’ learning of the pace of the lesson?
  • Is there enough/too much planned content in the lesson?

3. Variety

  • Are there different interaction patterns for pupils during the session?
  • Are there a number of different resources used?
  • Is ILT (Interactive Learning Technology – IWB, video, smartphones, iPads etc.) used effectively and supportively? Could ILT help the pupils learn in this lesson?
  • Are there different types of task or activity?
  • Are pupils asked to feed back any learning in a number of ways?
  • Does information shared in the lesson come from a number of different sources?
  • How many different people speak or contribute to the lesson?

4. Enthusiasm and Passion

  • Does the teacher demonstrate a passion for the subject?
  • Does the session cultivate further enquiry, investigation and exploration from the pupils?
  • Does the teacher have the subject knowledge to keep pupils interested and engaged?
  • Do pupils find the teacher engaging?
  • Do pupils enjoy the experience of the lesson?
  • Are pupils asking questions as the lesson progresses?

5. Clarity of progress for pupils

  • Do pupils know what they expect to achieve in the lesson?
  • Are pupils aware of the lesson’s learning objectives?
  • Do learning objectives meet the needs of the pupils?
  • Do they know if they have been successful, and if not what they need to do to be successful?
  • Are pupils given the opportunity to assess their own learning during the lesson?
  • Do pupils know why they are doing an activity or task, and what they are learning through doing it?
  • Do they know what they need to do to improve?

6. Challenge for all

  • Are all pupils challenged during the lesson?
  • Is there enough lesson content to keep all individuals stretched?
  • Can all pupils demonstrate the learning that they have gained?

7. Classroom management

  • Is the teaching space conducive to learning?
  • Can pupils see each other/the teacher/the IWB?
  • Does the layout lead to a variety of interactions?
  • Is negative behaviour dealt with effectively?
  • Is a register taken during the lesson?

8. Equality and Diversity

  • Are opportunities to present alternative views to pupils’ own exploited?
  • Are factors such as race, gender, age, nationality, beliefs, disability, sexual orientation dealt with in an appropriate manner when occurring as a planned part of a lesson, or naturally?
  • Are pupils encouraged to respect a variety of views?
  • Are pupils encouraged to be sensitive to the variety of possible views?
  • Are resources and consequent learning accessible to all pupils?
  • Are British Values actively promoted?

These 8 areas provide a checklist for teachers planning lessons and for an observer watching a lesson.

An excellent lesson does not need to be excellent in all these areas, but will be in a lot of them.

Developmental Observation procedure

Every teacher at Kings will be given at least one formal annual developmental observation.

The reason for doing this is for a teacher to get feedback on the quality of the learning taking place in their lesson. The observation will lead to a professional conversation about the teacher’s practice, and any areas for improvement. This will also inform any CPD a teacher will undertake.

The procedure will be as follows:

1)The observer will inform the teacher by email that they intend to observe a lesson at least five working days before it is due to take place.

2)The observer will give details of the time and location, as well as the expected period of time the observation will last. The observer will also give details of a time and location for feedback to take place. The teacher will confirm this is an appropriate time or negotiate another mutually acceptable one.

3)If relevant, the observer will give details of some of the aspects of the lesson they will be focusing on. This is likely to be informed by:

  • previous observations
  • pupil feedback
  • any training the teacher has undertaken
  • any current areas of interest a teacher has related to the delivery of lessons
  • any other area of departmental focus

4)The teacher will be given the opportunity to suggest areas of focus for the observer. These will be informed by:

  • any areas for improvement they have identified and would like advice on
  • anything experimental they plan to attempt during the observation
  • an area they feel less confident with
  • an issue with the particular class the observation will be with
  • pupil feedback

5)The teacher will provide the observer with a SOW, class profile, a lesson plan and any teaching materials for the observation at least 1 working day before the observation.

6)The observation will take place, and then the observation feedback will take place at the agreed time. The observer will have a draft of the Observation Feedback Form to help inform the conversation. The Eight aspects of good teaching will form the basis of any judgements made. The conversation will include the previously agreed areas of focus.

7)During the feedback the teacher will be expected to have reflected, and to bring some ideas as to how the lesson could have been delivered more effectively, or what the impact on students’ learning may have been if changes were to be made. Ideally, they will have a developmental target. Other targets will be agreed between the teacher and the observer.

8)The observer will complete the Observation Feedback Form and return to the teacher for agreement and a signature within 4 working days of the feedback.

9)The progress towards targets will be commented on during an annual Teacher Appraisal or at any other time deemed appropriate by a manager.

Support for underperforming teachers

If at the end of the observation procedure, it is felt that the observation is not up to the standard expected by Kings at Downside then support will be given to address the areas for improvement. The Centre Director or a senior teacher from a different Kings school, will decide on the need for this support. The Director of Academic Development will also be involved if further input is required.

The areas in question will be defined with reference to the Eight aspects of good teaching, and will concentrate on the quality of the learning the pupils are able to take from the session.

The support process will be as follows:

1)During feedback the observer will inform the teacher that the lesson was not up to the standard expected, and will give clear reasons why.

2)The observer and teacher will agree an action plan either during feedback or at a later date, no more than THREE working days after the feedback, which will involve developmental activities for the teacher in order to address the needs identified. This could, for example, be attending external training, discussions with colleagues, peer observations or drop in observations or 1-2-1 targeted support by one of the academic managers.