Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 2 June 2026 to question 3784, what progress her Department has made on the development of a structured approach to performance management, including the evidence informing its development, the timescale for implementation and how teachers and trade unions are being consulted.

Performance management of school teachers is the responsibility of the employers of teachers, including schools, Trusts and local authorities. It is vital that they have effective and proportionate performance management processes in place that recognise, encourage and validate a teacher’s commitment to professional development, pedagogical excellence and effective performance.

To support employers, the department undertook a review of performance management and produced updated guidance in 2024, working in partnership with schools and key stakeholders, including trade unions.

The updated guidance is intended to better support effective appraisals and how schools tackle underperformance, encouraging schools to take more direct action sooner and to prevent issues escalating while also reinforcing schools’ obligations to ensure processes are robust and fair.