Performance-related pay for teachers

Previous arrangements

In 2014 Performance Related Pay (PRP) was introduced in schools. Until that point pay progression was essentially based on being ‘time served’ and pay award scale points were uplifted at the end of the year. Appraisal, or ‘Performance Management’ was at that time mechanism of setting targets to drive development and school priorities.

With the introduction of PRP, appraisal now became a process against which to measure success on specific targets (and against teachers standards) to inform decisions on pay uplifts inline with the school’s pay policy. This was a fundamental change. The most common approach being to have at least one data driven numerical target.

In its 33rd Report in 2023, the School Teachers Pay Review body suggested that PRP in schools should be withdrawn.

The Concerns with PRP

The concerns cited across the profession and now wider are largely are two fold. 

Firstly that at an administrative level this is burdensome for the leadership of the school and, as the Government Task force reported, “works poorly in practice and does not have a commensurate positive impact on teaching and learning” [Jan 2024 Workload Reduction Taskforce: Initial Recommendations]

Secondly, for individual staff it created additional workload which often centred around the data driven targets. Teachers would report that there were factors outside their control affecting the outcomes of classes and the data then created making the whole data target setting a fundamentally unfair process. It is often cited that teaching is not done in isolation and is in fact dependant upon others.

The task force went on to say, in Jan 2024, that “We want to ensure that school leaders are able to support, develop and reward their staff in the least burdensome way, removing the bureaucratic requirement to run the PRP system”. 

Resetting the dial

On 29th July 2024, the new Labour Education Secretary released a statement following announcements by the Chancellor of the Exchequer relating to Pay Review Bodies.

The 34th report, started that “Changes to guidance on appraisal and pay progression should be published as a priority” [STRB July 2024]

In accepting the Pay Review Body recommendations this allowed the Education Secretary to reinforce the commitments to workload reduction in discussion about PRP and PPA time.

In her Statement the Education secretary said:

“In addition to the pay award, we will be making some changes to school teachers’ terms and conditions to address some immediate issues, as part of our broader ambition to make work pay and ensure a more productive workforce. This includes removing the requirement for schools to use Performance Related Pay to reduce the workload burdens that this can have on some schools”. [Teachers Update: July 2024] 

There is a model policy contained inside the guidance document. The document gives a steer on how to involve staff, including governors, in the process and has sections on the appropriate use of capability measures and informal stages.

Who does this apply to?

This applies to Maintained schools who must follow the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD). Many staff in Academies work under STPCD and so are likely to see some changes to the approaches taken in their Appraisal structures. If this is not the case then the terms and conditions of employment may of course be different, as it may be in independent schools.

What are the Teachers’ Standards?

Teachers’ Standards were introduced in September 2012 to set a clear baseline of expectations for the professional practice and conduct of teachers. The standards apply to the vast majority of teachers regardless of their career stage. These tend to be part of Appraisal systems and policies so reinforce the expectations. 

The Teachers’ Standards are used to assess all trainees working towards QTS, and all those completing their statutory induction period. They are also used to assess the performance of all teachers with QTS who are subject to the Education Regulations 2012.

The New Guidance

The new guidance is here Teacher appraisal Guidance for schools 

If you need advice on performance-related pay changes please contact us for further information.