Standard 7 - Monitoring
of Teacher Performance Policy |
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Through our feedback policy we
make every effort to ensure we are kept up to
date with a teacher’s performance and by obtaining
regular feedback from both the client and teacher
we are able to identify a teacher’s strengths
and particular interests along with areas that
may require development.
Negative feedback
If a client expresses concern
over areas of the teacher’s performance we aim
to address any of these as soon as they arise.
If the school wish to formalise the complaint,
we execute our Complaints policy;
On-going assignments
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Review interview notes
and the teacher’s CV to ensure that the teacher
had the relevant experience and was appropriately
placed.
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Contact the school and
discuss the area in greater detail –occasionally
this will reveal that the school had different
expectations and a potential shortcoming was
outside of the teacher’s control
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Arrange to observe the
teacher whilst teaching
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Establish if the school
is happy to continue with the teacher and
discuss training opportunities both within
the school via an inset day and external training
or mentoring
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With the permission of
the client we would contact the teacher and
discuss the issue and establish if they are
happy to continue working at the school.
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If necessary offer the
teacher advice, access to reference materials,
observe lessons or CPD information
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Contact the client to inform
them of the action taken
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Contact both the teacher
and the client to establish if the training
has been successful
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Inform school of training
completed
Daily supply
- Review interview notes and the teacher’s
CV to ensure that the teacher had the relevant
experience and was appropriately placed.
- Contact the school and discuss the area
in greater detail – occasionally this will
reveal that the school had different expectations
of the teacher
- With the permission of the school we would
contact the teacher and discuss the issue
- If necessary offer the teacher advice, access
to reference materials or CPD information
Relaying of Negative Comments
Comments which have identified
a teacher’s potential shortcomings need to be
handled carefully. In situations like this, we
gauge from the teacher how they felt the assignment
went as it is possible that they did not receive
adequate or correct information about the assignment
so lack of any preparation may not necessarily
have been the teacher fault. We also acknowledge
that schools have different expectations and negative
comments can help us understand more about the
school, pupils and facilities and a negative comment
may not be truly reflective of a teacher’s performance.
Depending on the severity of
the comment and the teacher’s receptiveness we
either telephone them or ask them to call into
the office. If a teacher is accepting of the issue
we suggest training and offer mentoring, as well
as directing them to a relevant website that may
offer support. If the teacher is not willing to
cooperate we will consider dispensing of their
services. If a teacher receives more than two
items of negative feedback over a period of 6
weeks or one term (for a long term placement)
we will review the type of positions the teacher
is being offered and either a) dispense of their
services or b) offer a different type of assignment.
Relaying of Positive Comments
It is equally important to let a teacher know
that a client is happy with their performance
and we relay this information as soon as possible.
This will be relayed verbally and if it is written
feedback and with the permission of the school
we will arrange to forward a copy to the teacher.
In support of this we will also e-mail positive
comments to the teacher. It is essential that
we read between the lines as if a teacher appears
to be excelling in their role it is possible that
they are ready to move to a more challenging position
where we can help them develop to their full potential.
All comments are recorded on the teacher’s personal
file.
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Standard
8 - Policy on the Management of Misconduct |
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The safety and well being of children is paramount
and all checks that are undertaken during the
recruitment, selection and vetting process contribute
to ensure this. We recognise our responsibility
in preventing unsuitable people from working with
children in line with both DfES guidance and the
Protection of Children Act 1999.
Initial Action
If we are advised that a teacher registered with
our agency has behaved inappropriately we would
immediately arrange to meet with the school to
establish the reasons for ceasing to use the teacher’s
services and if this would amount to misconduct.
The teacher would not be offered any further assignments
through the agency until the situation has been
resolved to our satisfaction.
We will, in consultation with the school make
a decision as to whether the worker’s assignment
is to continue whilst the investigation is proceeding.
As part of making proper enquiries the Agency
will hold an investigatory meeting and/or investigatory
discussions with the worker. The Agency should
inform the school of further information they
obtain.
If there is an investigation into the conduct
of an agency worker during an assignment, the
school may wish the assignment to continue, subject
to certain conditions. In which case, then the
school should confirm to the agency in writing
the changes to the worker’s assignment duties
and level of supervision applied, pending the
investigation. This information should be confirmed
to the worker by the agency. Alternatively, the
school may not want the assignment to continue
during investigations, in which case the employment
agency would normally terminate the engagement
of the worker.
Whether the assignment is terminated or continues,
the agency and school should continue to complete
their investigations as to suitability in co-operation.
If the reason why the assignment is terminated
is due to an allegation of being unsuitable to
work with children, then both the school and agency
will submit a report to the DfES CSO Unit
Advice to the Teacher
It is important to ensure that the teacher continues
to receive support and we offer the following
advice, information and suggestions:
a) contact his/her
union representative.
b) provide with
the name of a contact at the agency who will
keep them up to date with the progress of the
investigation
c) if suspended
or if the assignment is terminated (but investigations
are ongoing), provided with the name of an agency
contact to keep them up to date about school/agency
activities outside of the investigation.
d) not to discuss
the matter with colleagues.
e) see their GP
if they think their health may be affected.
Documentation
Key documents relating to an investigation, including
the outcome, will be retained in a secure place.
Other parties will be expected to maintain their
own records.
Reporting to DfES Children’s Safeguarding Operations
Unit
Within the barring procedures we have a statutory
duty to send a report to the Children’s Safeguarding
Operations Unit for consideration of barring someone
from, or placing restrictions on them, working
with children or young people, if that person:
- is dismissed (or their temporary assignment
is terminated) for reasons of misconduct or
because they are otherwise considered unsuitable
to work with children , or
- resigns before a disciplinary process is completed,
but may have been dismissed at the outcome of
the process; or leaves a temporary assignment
before an investigation has been completed and
whose assignment would have been terminated
following the investigation
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Standard
10 - Policy on Training and Continuing
Professional Development
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It is the policy of Empowering
Learning to offer all teachers induction
training to working in challenging inner-city
schools, and to follow this up with opportunities
for continuing profession development. Significant
training opportunities are offered by Empowering
Learning. Such training is free of charge. Staff
at Empowering Learning seek to be aware of training
opportunities and courses available to temporary
teachers and other staff.
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As the majority of staff
is recruited from ethnic minorities, Empowering
Learning considers it vital that all staff
receive good preparation before going into
schools.
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The first session of the
PST programme identifies areas teachers should
be aware of when they go into school. This
handout is also given to individuals at other
times.
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Where staff lack experience
of working in the UK, arrangements are made
by Empowering Learning
for these teachers to undertake 6-12 weeks
work experience in carefully selected schools.
The schools and teachers both benefit from
this arrangement, and some staff find paid
employment at schools where they have successfully
completed work experience placements. Staff
on work experience are expected to follow
the same practices as paid staff; They attend
for the same hours; they are involved in planning;
they undertake playground duties. Head teachers
are encouraged to use work experience teachers
for supply duties. All have been police checked
and documentation is prepared for immediate
work as teachers.
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All individual training
programmes are developmental and designed
to meet the individual needs of staff.
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Regular contact is maintained
with supply staff and with those placed in
longer-term positions. Teachers attend training
sessions; visits are made to schools; and
phone calls are made to maintain regular contact
with staff.
Through these measures, the needs
of candidates are identified. Empowering
Learning has a network of experienced
training consultants who can respond to most training
needs.
Training sessions are held in the training room
of Empowering Learning
where there is access to a range of IT equipment.
A course preparing OTTs for assessment for QTS
is held twice each year. The 17-session course
is run for primary and secondary teachers.
Head teachers at all schools using Empowering
Learning staff are made aware of these
opportunities.
RiT links and provision;
Bespoke training and support
is offered by Empowering
Learning to OTTs involved in the Family
Learning project where children and their parents
are encouraged to prepare for GCSE examinations
in their home languages. This is yet another staged
opportunity for OTTs to increase their teaching
experience.
The CPD policy is part of the
induction pack and will be presented to each candidate
on interview when accepted as a candidate by the
company.
Continuous Professional Development
Termly training is provided for candidates applying
for head/deputy posts and also for EMA specialists.
Teachers are emailed invitation.
Recording of CPD
CPD is recorded on each teacher’s CV and if they
attend training independently we ask that they
advise us of this so that we can update our records.
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It is important that a teacher takes responsibility
for their own professional development and we
help facilitate this process by offering access
to a range of resources, training and developmental
opportunities.
All teachers have access to the relevant core
materials and equipment to ensure that they can
prepare adequately for placements.
Facilities
A table is made available within our office to
allow the teacher to research materials if they
so wish.
Materials
The DfES offer a wide library of information,
which can be access online, via CD ROM or hard
copy. This provides details of the National Curriculum
and Key Stage standards including lesson planning.
We also have a selection of books that teachers
may borrow
Support Materials
