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Introducing the GTC Networks.

Good teaching needs good networks and good networks need good teachers.

The GTC Networks provide support by linking teachers nationally and putting them in touch with the latest research and evidence. They let teachers have a voice at national debates on changes to education.

Realising the potential of performance management through CPD

The GTC’s view

Quality teaching improves educational outcomes for all children and young people by raising their achievements, behaviour and attitudes. To achieve quality teaching, CPD is essential.

Performance management is a useful starting point – a ‘gateway’ to participation in CPD, not just an end in itself.

Advice to government

To make the most of the performance management cycle it must be ‘personalised’. Our advice to government (PDF, 80kb) states that if CPD is to impact on teaching quality and outcomes for children and young people, it must be effective, relevant, sustained and sustainable.

Without participation in effective, relevant and sustained CPD, the potential of performance management cannot be realised. Performance management alone cannot contribute to maintaining or raising the quality of teaching, and therefore cannot impact on outcomes. Every teacher, whether acting as the reviewer or subject, needs the skills to build effective professional relationships in order to make the most of the new performance management processes.

We know that to make performance management work, the process should be professional and should include:

a self-review of teaching performance
appropriate and precise learning and development objectives
professional dialogue that supports professional learning and development
mentoring and coaching within the performance management and review cycle
valid and reliable classroom observations
constructive feedback
an evaluation of the outcomes and impact of professional learning and development that has taken place since the last performance management review.

Identifying skills

As a CPD leader, you need to know which skills will help you to realise the full potential of performance management for teachers, children and young people. You also need to know who already has these skills, and the expertise to build performance management capacity in the school. You could aim to develop these skills as one of your school improvement priorities for 2007–08.

The Teacher Learning Academy can help you identify any teachers with relevant specialist knowledge and expertise. Draw on these teachers to support further development of these skills working collaboratively.

Whole school approach

CPD is most successful when it is integrated into the achievement of school and individual priorities. This will not happen without a whole school approach to CPD policy, well-developed leadership of CPD and infrastructure to support performance management processes and make CPD relevant.

To be effective, performance management processes must lead to teacher participation in CPD.
It is through effective, relevant and sustained CPD that continuing improvement in teaching quality is achieved.
As a result we can see all children and young people achieve their potential.

Email your comments on the GTC’s views to us at connect@gtce.org.uk.

For further information on performance management visit:

Connect members who have been part of the ‘Personalising CPD’ project give their views

'Performance management makes the process of school improvement and staff development even clearer. The new regulations will mean staff discussing them which will lead to everyone having a shared understanding of what to expect. It’s not a bolt-on but part of the school culture for raising standards.'

Sharon Baker, deputy head teacher, Surrey

'In order for performance management to work effectively, it has to mirror the development of CPD and teacher based enquiry: you need to build relationships, develop trust and have effective distributed leadership. There needs to be an underlying ethos of valuing a learning community and it needs to have a bottom up approach. But it is essential that the CPD leader is fully embedded in the senior leadership team – they need this status with staff and also to be able to drive through changes.'

Clare Church, assistant head teacher, Bristol

'The new arrangements build on, and tighten the existing arrangements. They are more rigorous and robust being based on professional standards and so provide a framework for everyone. Colleagues will know exactly what they are aiming for in terms of career - and pay progression. The links between CPD and performance management are explicit and the training for reviewers will be crucial.'

Martin Beedle, assistant head teacher, Wakefield

Read more about Martin’s school perspective.

'We have promoted the systems as a positive model where individual achievements can be valued and celebrated within a culture of continual development. The system – being fair, open and transparent and, more importantly, linked to a framework of standards – gives teachers a chance to recognise and respond to their own needs on an individual level. It has also opened up the debate around cost-effective CPD opportunities and the benefits of coaching and mentoring and action based research.

Michelle Cassidy, CPD adviser, on behalf of Southwark LA

Read more about Michelle's local authority perspective, which includes a model for CPD and school improvement from Bill Davies.


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