As part of the collective bargaining between the Government, PPTA Te Wehengarua and NZEI Te Riu Roa, an ‘Accord’ was developed with the intent of building an environment where the teaching profession is highly regarded, sustainable, and fit for now and the future of learning. The Accord was ratified by PPTA Te Wehengarua and NZEI Te Riu Roa members. Please use this link to read more.
One element of the Accord commits to removing teacher performance appraisal as an accountability instrument, in recognition that in some settings the process has become burdensome.
It is the intention of the Teaching Council, NZ School Trustees’ Association and the parties to the Accord to totally rethink appraisal and the policies it connects to like renewal of a practising certificate. We intend to create policies that demonstrate professional trust, freeing teachers up to focus on their development journey.
This commitment offers an exciting step forward. We have begun the planning and scoping for how we will engage with the broader profession in the development process ensuring any changes we make will be for the whole profession, including the ECE sector. Some of the changes will be developed quite quickly whilst others, like a potential removal of the requirement in legislation to audit appraisal, will take much longer.
Right now, nothing has changed. However, it is timely to have another look at your organisation’s appraisal process to see if it has become overly compliance focused.
The Teaching Council would like to clarify what it expects for the issue or renewal of a practising certificate.
The issue or renewal of a practising certificate will be based on an endorsement made by the professional leader, based on the teacher’s participation in a system that includes:
an annual summary report that states whether or not the appraisee meets the Standards or Ngā Paerewa
the annual summary report is the only teacher documentation that is required for the purposes of the audit ERO undertakes on behalf of the Teaching Council
that appraisees have been observed once annually and involved in two conversations ideally with an appraiser who is familiar with the day to day work of the teacher
the Council has listened to the profession and accepts that one observation may suffice for fully certificated teachers.
We do not ask (nor do we require) to see copies of the annual summary report, or any evidence. We rely on the professional judgement of the appraiser and the leader making the endorsement.
While schools and centres are free to design their appraisal processes there is no requirement in law or by any agency that an appraisal system must include:
an inquiry to be undertaken by teachers
reports to be kept of all the professional development teachers do
