Here are some of the main features of those guidelines:

• teachers should have been consulted on the school’s Performance Management Policy;
• the policy should be designed to improve morale and motivation, so Ofsted grades should not be used to classify lessons as this can be de-motivating;
• objectives should be reasonable and limited to a maximum of three;
• the process should be confidential;
• planning and review meetings should take place in the timetabled day – not in lunch or PPA time;
• observations for Performance Management and evaluating teaching and learning should be limited to a maximum of three per year, of no more than 60 minutes, and there should be no unannounced “drop-ins”;
• there should be 5 days notice of observations;
• verbal feedback from any lesson observation should be given as soon as possible and written feedback should be within 5 working days – no other notes on the lesson should be kept.

The complete guidelines can be found on www.teachers.org.uk

If they are followed schools will be doing all they need to satisfy the law and Ofsted: the further schools deviate from them the greater the chances are that teachers will be subjected to unfair and unacceptable pressure.

If a comparison between the NUT’s position and what happens in your school reveals differences which are causing you difficulties, please get in touch.

Remember, Union officers are available to speak to meetings of members in your school on this and any other issues which may be of concern.

Systems of lesson observation, for the purposes of Performance Management and evaluating teaching and learning, play a major role in contributing towards overwork, anxiety and stress in schools where they are not applied sensibly and with regard for work- life balance.

The NUT has a model Performance Management Policy, and has produced guidelines on lesson observation in general, which have been sent to all Heads and Governors.