Performance-related Pay (Hansard, 9 November 1999)

§ Mr. Clappison
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what appeal procedures will be available to teachers who are dissatisfied with their assessment under performance-related pay. [97937]

§ Ms Estelle Morris
Under the proposed arrangements for the new performance threshold, heads would assess teachers against the threshold standards. Accredited external assessors would work with heads to ensure national consistency. There will be no appeals against individual threshold decisions, but unsuccessful teachers will be able to re-apply each year.
It is envisaged that headteachers would be responsible for reviewing the outcomes of teachers' annual performance reviews, and that where governing bodies make decisions about discretionary pay awards to teachers, these would be informed by the outcome of performance reviews. The governing body would continue to have statutory responsibility for pay decisions and it is envisaged that appeals will continue to be dealt with under schools' grievance procedures.

§ Mr. Clappison
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which measures of classroom teachers' performance in assessment for performance-related pay do not relate to attainment by pupils. [97930]

§ Ms Estelle Morris
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is currently consulting on the detail of the new performance review arrangements, including the agreeing of objectives for classroom teachers. We are proposing that teacher objectives should cover pupil progress and ways of improving teachers' professional practice, including professional development. Objectives would be internal, individual and agreed with teach leaders to reflect the particular circumstances of each school. Where governing bodies make decisions about discretionary pay awards to teachers, these would be informed by the outcome of performance reviews.

§ Mr. Clappison
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his estimate of the annual cost of administering performance-related pay. [97936]

§ Ms Estelle Morris
The draft Performance Management Framework builds on existing good practice in schools, reinforcing current monitoring and evaluation work, and giving headteachers and line managers the tools to manage their staff effectively. Once implemented, the new arrangements will be an integral part of the management of schools. Headteachers, in common with teachers and governors, will be supported through training and guidance in all elements of the operation of the new arrangements. £20 million will be available to schools via the Standards Fund Performance Management and Threshold Training Grant to support their individual training needs. The Government are also considering arrangements for other aspects of ensuring quality such as advisers to governing bodies on heads' review and assessors for the proposed performance threshold.

§ Mr. Clappison
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his most recent estimate of the number of teachers who will pass through the threshold assessment for performance-related pay. [97935]
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§ Ms Estelle Morris
It is for teachers to decide whether to apply for the performance threshold. 250,000 teachers will be eligible to apply to cross the threshold at its inception next year. An additional 20,000 teachers are expected to become eligible to apply in each subsequent year. We have no set expectations of the numbers but we have made it clear that there is no quota. Over time we expect a majority of teachers to cross the threshold.

§ Mr. Clappison
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to make additional funding available to(a) local education authorities and (b) individual schools with an above average number of teachers achieving threshold success following the implementation of performance-related pay. [97931]

§ Ms Estelle Morris
We will establish a Special Grant to target resources for the performance threshold separate from schools' delegated budgets. All teachers assessed as meeting the national threshold standards will gain an immediate salary increase and access to an upper pay spine. Schools will be able to draw extra funds from the Special Grant via their local education authority for each teacher promoted through the threshold to the upper pay spine.

§ Mr. Clappison
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the effect on education spending of introducing performance-related pay over(a) the next three years, (b) the next five years and (c) the next ten years. [97934]

§ Ms Estelle Morris
The Government have announced an extra £1 billion to meet the costs of implementing the Green Paper proposals between 2000–01 and 2001–02. Future levels of funding are a matter for decision thereafter.