Performance Appraisal Resources

Resources to help you in your appraisal

What is performance appraisal?

The key function of performance appraisal is to present feedback on how you are performing in your role and to identify areas for growth. Performance appraisal should add value to you as an individual as well as the school you are working in.

Traditionally performance appraisal has been an annual event. In recent years the move in many organisations has been away from an annual event in favour of more regular ‘performance conversations’ in which people are able to discuss their progress against targets.

Performance feedback or appraisal remains a crucial aspect of the performance management cycle: a way of reflecting on your work and its contribution to the life of the school.

Guidelines

Everyone is entitled to the support of accurate, perceptive and knowledgeable feedback about their performance in order to enhance both that performance and their own job satisfaction. Performance appraisal should be seen as part of the process of supporting and developing better organisations. It is most helpfully considered as a continuing process of self-evaluation and support. It should be seen as a productive and formative process if properly approached.

The appraiser should be appointed by your line manager in consultation with the appraisee. An appraisee’s request for an alternative appraiser should be given serious consideration and this request should not be refused unreasonably. Goodwill, mutual respect and understanding between appraiser and appraisee are essential.

Whilst peformance appraisals focus on past performance it should also pay attention to future performance improvement, learning and development.

Effective performance appraisal happens when there is a genuine two-way conversation that takes place in a culture of trust and openness. The appraiser is appropriately skilled in asking good questions and active listening and the person being appraised is receptive, willing to learn and take responsibility for their performance. The performance appraisal needs to recognise achievements as well as signal areas that need to be developed.

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