§ Mr. BoyesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he intends to publish a consultative document on teacher appraisal dealing with the mechanism of the process;
(2) when he intends to introduce a scheme of teacher appraisal in schools; and if he will make a statement;
400W(3) whether he intends all schools to take part in teacher appraisal; and whether there will be training for teachers to assist them in the process;
(4) whether he intends to introduce some independent professionals into the teacher appraisal process; and if he will make a statement;
(5) who will appraise head teachers when teacher appraisal is introduced.
§ Mrs. RumboldMy right hon. Friend received in July this year the report of the national steering group (NSG) responsible for overseeing the school teacher appraisal pilot study which ended this summer. The report, which was published in October, sets out recommendations for a national framework within which teacher appraisal should be implemented across England and Wales.
My right hon. Friend has now initiated consultation on the national steering group's recommendations, which cover head teachers and teachers, and deal with both the process of appraisal and the question of who should appraise whom. Consultation ends at Easter next year arid will be followed by the issue of guidance for local education authorities and schools. As part of this consultation, we have sought views on the appropriate date for bringing in, through regulations, a national framework which would require the appraisal of all members of the teaching profession.
When regulations are introduced a date will be set by which time appraisal must be extended to all teachers and head teachers. Training to assist teachers and head teachers in the operation of appraisal is important; guidance about this will be given to local education authorities. We are ready to support expenditure on appraisal training of up to £15 million through the Local Education Authority Training Grants Scheme in 1990–91.