Headteacher performance management

Headteacher performance management is a responsibility of governing boards and is one of the key elements of leadership to  ensure the effective delivery of high-quality education for all children in a school. We can support this process with highly qualified and experienced advisors with the most up-to-date and current knowledge of the requirements of Ofsted, the DfE and other relevant educational bodies and authorities.

Headteacher performance management (HTPM) will support governing boards to ensure that they receive the best advice to  ensure that the critical process of headteacher appraisal delivers positive outcomes that support school improvement.

Headteacher performance management will:

• Reflect on the headteacher’s performance and how this impacts directly on school improvement and children’s education
• Be a supportive and motivating experience where the headteacher receives specific and constructive feedback
• Set objectives linked to the improvement of children’s education
• Enable the improvement of professional practice and identify the headteacher’s professional development needs for the next 12  months
• Recognise the need to consider the headteacher’s career aspirations
• Be part of an ongoing professional dialogue between the headteacher and governors
• Remain a confidential process unless the headteacher decides to share objectives with a wider audience

Preparation before the meeting:

• Ensure the governing body have discussed and clarified the process and expectations of the appraisal based on current areas of priority
• Discuss with the relevant governors the focus of the advisor’s role in the appraisal process
• Review of relevant data, previous year’s appraisal and current school development priorities

Appraisal meeting

A face-to-face discussion to review the previous year’s appraisal and set objectives for the current year (see above).

Follow up

Feedback to governors as necessary and submit written reports of the review and new appraisal using school formats. Additional mid-year review can be completed on request.

Coaching, mentoring and supervision

As part of the ongoing support that we provide to headteachers we are offering a programme of coaching and mentoring. In this ever-changing and highly accountable educational landscape, being a head of school or senior leader in school is probably one of the most challenging and yet rewarding roles in schools today. This programme offers an opportunity for leaders to access much needed personal support as well as providing ways to move forward and feel empowered to do their best.

Individual coaching/mentoring for senior leaders and heads of schools:

• Regular 1:1 sessions both face-to-face and teleconferencing
• Focus and topics identified by the coachee
• Feedback and support provided to develop the individual

Group coaching/supervision:

• Groups of teachers or senior leaders receive individual face-to-face coaching sessions
• The coach will identify themes emerging through the individual coaching sessions
• Themes are then presented to the group as a whole for discussion
• A group coaching/supervision session is then offered to identify outcomes and ways forward

Coaching supports leaders to:

• Develop and explore their own approaches to improving outcomes for children in their schools
• Establish clear outcomes needed to develop professionally and to improve the quality of all aspects of the school
• Gain confidence in their leadership and the skills and expertise they contribute to the school
• Improve team dynamics and develop common purpose and goals
• Bring about sustainable change