1. DEVELOPING EXCELLENCE TOGETHER Webinar for governors: Performance managing your headteacher Ruth Agnew National Leader of Governance

2. What is “outstanding” governance (according to Ofsted)? “Governors, or those with a similar responsibility, stringently hold senior leaders to account for all aspects of the school’s performance.”

3. Inspectors should consider whether governors: are providing support for an effective headteacher monitor performance management systems and understand how the school makes decisions about teachers’ salary progression, including the performance management of the headteacher, to improve teaching, leadership and management

4. “Effective headteacher performance management indicates effective governing; the two are complementary. Structural changes in England’s system of schooling have strengthened the need for governing bodies to put into place effective approaches to headteacher performance management for both external accountability purposes and as an important tool in improving internal accountability within schools.” Effectively managing headteacher performance, NCTL January 2014 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/headteacher-performance- effective-management

5. Roles The governing body (or trust?) – Appointing the panel – Appointing the external adviser The panel – Reviewing objectives and overall performance for the last year – Setting objectives for the next year – Making a recommendation on pay The pay committee – Making pay decisions and actioning them

6. The Panel Who? How many? What about the chair of governors? – “As the chair is the governor who will know the most about the performance of the headteacher on a week- to-week basis, unless there are exceptional circumstances, the chair should be part of the appraisal panel.” ( National Governors’ Association – ‘Knowing Your School: Governors and Staff Performance’ http://www.nga.org.uk/Guidance/Holding-your-school-to- account/Monitoring-Performance/Knowing-Your-School.aspx ) http://www.nga.org.uk/Guidance/Holding-your-school-to- account/Monitoring-Performance/Knowing-Your-School.aspx What about church schools? What skills do panel members need?

7. The External Adviser The panel must (in maintained schools) be supported by an external adviser who is “suitably skilled and/or experienced” The adviser is adviser to the governors and should be appointed by the governors

8. Objectives Reflect experience and aspirations Success criteria should be clearly identified – ‘what does good look like?’ No specified number or type (but suggest 3 or 4) Reflect need for a satisfactory work-life balance “SMART” ‘Measureable’ are we measuring what we value? Complement school development priorities What added value do they bring? Not a secret...

9. Overall Performance = The assumption that headteachers are meeting the requirements of their job description, relevant professional duties (and headteacher standards) and The outcome of the review of the headteacher’s performance against the agreed objectives Taking into consideration: school context and performance, job description, headteachers’ standards, success criteria, evidence gathered

11. Summary: Appraisal policy in place Panel appointed External adviser appointed Objectives set Annually reviewed Appraisal report setting out: – an assessment of performance – an assessment of training and dev needs – where relevant, recommendation on pay. Mid year reviews...

12. And finally “Confident to have courageous conversations in the interests of the children and young people” – National Governors’ Association What potentially difficult conversations arise around this process? Who is responsible for managing these? What outcomes are we aiming for? not because we must but because we need to