§ Mrs. CurrieTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on school teacher appraisal.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeMy hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have today laid regulations before Parliament to require the appraisal of all school teachers in England and Wales. The first teachers will be appraised from this September.
Appraisal will help teachers improve their professional skills and develop their full potential. It will encourage better planning and delivery of the curriculum. For individual teachers, it will lead to greater confidence and improve morale. The best teachers will receive the support, praise and recognition they deserve. All teachers will be helped to improve their performance.
The regulations put in place a simple and straightforward appraisal process. The process will include observation by a senior colleague of the teacher's work in the classroom. The teacher being appraised will then discuss with that senior colleague the teacher's performance and professional development and they will set targets for the teacher's future progress. There will be a follow-up meeting in the second year of the appraisal cycle.
I have consulted representatives of the teachers and of the employers on the details of the regulations and on the circular which accompanies them. As a result, the regulations contain extra safeguards for individual teachers should appraisers wish to collect information from other teachers at the school, or from governors or parents.
574WThe regulations entitle the chairman of governors to see the appraisal statement of the head and the targets set for teachers at the school. The chairman will be expected to treat these as confidential.
There will be no automatic link between appraisal and performance and promotion or pay. However, I believe that head teachers should take into account information from appraisals in advising governors on decisions on promotions and pay.