How to set targets for improvement for teachers

Many schools put underperformance concerns on hold throughout lockdown and during the partial
re-opening in the summer term. This is mainly the case for teachers as it wasn’t possible to assess
effective teaching and learning during this period.

Setting improvement targets for employees is an important part of managing underperformance and reminding them of expected standards and outcomes, particularly as schools are now fully reopened. These targets set a number of objectives for employees to meet and can be used to monitor progress. It’s important for these to be realistic, measurable and clear to the employee in question.

In instances where it becomes apparent that a teacher is underperforming, this should be managed under your Appraisal Policy. Before meeting with the employee to discuss your concerns, it is necessary to gather the evidence to demonstrate the underperformance. This can be wide-ranging, depending on the extent of the areas of concern in their teaching (e.g. pupil data, lesson observations, book scrutiny, lesson plans and parental complaints). In addition, if they hold a Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) it’s important to consider whether the employee is underperforming in this duty as well.

Once the evidence has been gathered, it is useful to refer to the Teachers’ Standards and highlight any areas which are not being met. This can help to summarise the key areas where an employee is underperforming, for example, if the issue is with setting low expectations, or the lessons are not being sufficiently structured.

At this point, it is helpful to add the information into an informal support plan template, with columns based on the criteria below:

The template requires you to add the evidence and areas of underperformance, as well as the relevant teachers’ standards to which they should be working.

In addition, it would be worth considering what training/support the employee may need and how you will measure their success. This might involve lesson plans showing differentiation or having fewer observations, which need to be graded as at least good. By doing this preparation before you meet with the employee to discuss your concerns, it enables the meeting to be structured, focused and clear throughout. The informal support plan draft can be discussed at the meeting, giving the employee a chance to suggest any further training and support required or clarify any unclear aspects. Timescales for support should be agreed in line with your appraisal policy and the evidence gathered should be referred to where necessary. The employee should be sent a final version of the support plan so that they are clear of the expectations and arrangements.

For employees who were partway through a support plan prior to lockdown, we advise that you start the support process again - given the time gap between lockdown and schools fully re-opening.

If you’re looking for advice about appraisal and capability, or would like to learn more about our policies, letters and training, please talk to us.