Performance and Development for Principal Class Employees

Overview

Introduction

The performance and development arrangements for employees are designed to:

• support the school in meeting its responsibilities to students, parents and to government through linking employee performance with achievement of school and government policies and targets
• provide feedback on performance which will support ongoing learning and development of employees with a focus on ways in which student learning can be improved
• enhance the capacity of employees in promotion positions to apply the leadership and management competencies required in their positions
• recognise effective performance through salary progression
• provide a supportive environment for improving performance where the required standards are not met

To access performance and development arrangements for the principal class, refer to the Policy and Guidelines tab.

The performance and development policy and guidelines for teacher class employees and education support class employees are listed separately. Refer to:

• Performance and Development for Teacher Class Employees
• Performance and Development for Education Support Class Employees

For information regarding the annual progression cycle, refer to Remuneration — Teaching Service.

Performance and development approach

The performance and development approach provides consistent processes and language to support performance and development in Victorian government schools.

Performance and Development Guidelines

The Performance and Development Guidelines contain the policy and guidance for school professional development. They include a number of important pieces of information including:

• an overview of the stages in the performance and development cycle
• valuable information to help develop effective and constructive goals
• information on planning for formal feedback conversations

The Performance and Development Guidelines are available on the Policy and Guidelines tab for each separate employment class topic and should be viewed first whenever you have a question about the performance and development process.

• For the Principal Class Performance and Development Guidelines, refer to Performance and Development Guidelines for Principal Class Employees
• For the Teacher Class Performance and Development Guidelines, refer to Performance and Development Guidelines for Teacher Class Employees
• For the Education Support Class Performance and Development Guidelines (including Koorie Engagement Support Officers), refer to Performance and Development Guidelines for Education Support Class Employees

Performance and development cycle stages

Performance and Development Plans (PDPs) are a key element of the approach, aligned to the performance and development cycle, which includes 3 key stages:

Related policies

• Career Structure — Teaching Service
• Performance and Development for Education Support Class Employees
• Performance and Development for Teacher Class Employees
• Remuneration — Teaching Service

Relevant legislation

• Delegations
• Industrial Agreements
• Industrial Awards
• Legislation — Employment Topics
• Ministerial Orders — Employment

Policy and Guidelines for Performance and Development for Principal Class Employees

These Guidelines (last updated February 2024) contain the following chapters:

• 2021 Statement of Expectation for Principal Class Employees
• 2022 Statement of Expectation for Principal Class Employees
• 2023 Statement of Expectation for Principal Class Employees
• 2024 Statement of Expectation for Principal Class Employees
• Introduction
• The distinct role of principals
• The Framework for Improving Student Outcomes, whole school planning and the Annual Implementation Plan
• Performance and development and the Annual Implementation Plan
• Department's Values
• Online Performance and Development Plan
• A whole-of-practice approach
• Goal setting
• The performance and development approach
• Support and resources
• Other information
• Relevant research

2021 Statement of Expectation for Principal Class Employees

The performance and development process in 2021 provides the opportunity for principal class employees to choose to undertake the standard Performance and Development Plan (PDP) process or an alternative Statement of Expectation. Staff selecting the Statement of Expectation process are not required to complete any routine documentation or monitoring in eduPay.

The 2021 Statement of Expectation for principal class employees is set out below. Principal class employees are encouraged to consider how they contribute to these areas as appropriate to their role and setting.

At the start of the cycle

• Principals indicate to their reviewer if they will undertake the standard PDP process or the 2021 Statement of Expectation process, at any time prior to 30 April 2021.
• Principals discuss with their reviewers how their contributions accord with the 2021 Statement of Expectation.

Throughout the year

• There will continue to be benefit in regular discussions between employees and reviewers.
• Where there is a concern that an employee is not making an appropriate contribution to meet the Statement of Expectation this concern should be raised with the employee at the time the concern becomes apparent. Support must be provided to the employee and the opportunity to enable improvement in their contribution to meet the Statement of Expectation.

At the end of the cycle

• At the end of semester 2, principals will reflect on and be acknowledged for their leadership practice, learning, growth and contribution to the Statement of Expectation with their reviewers.
• It is assumed that principal class employees who opt-in to this process will meet the Statement of Expectation, in which case no action is required in eduPay.

2021 Statement of Expectation – Frequently asked questions

The following frequently asked questions have been developed to support school staff to implement the 2021 Statement of Expectation.

2022 Statement of Expectation for Principal Class Employees

The performance and development process in 2022 provides the opportunity for principal class employees to choose to undertake the standard Performance and Development Plan (PDP) process or an alternative Statement of Expectation. Staff selecting the Statement of Expectation process are not required to complete any routine documentation or monitoring in eduPay.

The 2022 Statement of Expectation for principal class employees is aligned to the key improvement strategies of learning and wellbeing. Principal class employees are encouraged to consider how they contribute to these areas as appropriate to their role and setting.

At the start of the cycle

• Principals indicate to their reviewer if they will undertake the standard PDP process or the 2022 Statement of Expectation process, at any time prior to 30 April 2022
• Principals discuss their leadership goals aligned to their learning and wellbeing strategies in line with the 2022 Statement of Expectation

Throughout the year

• The principal and reviewer meet regularly throughout the year
• Where there is a concern that an employee is not making an appropriate contribution to meet the Statement of Expectation this concern should be raised with the employee in writing at the time the concern becomes apparent and provided in writing along with proposed improvement supports

At the end of the cycle

• At the end of semester 2, principals will reflect on and be acknowledged for their leadership practice, learning, growth and contribution to the Statement of Expectation with their reviewers
• It is assumed that principal class employees who opt-in to this process will meet the Statement of Expectation, in which case no action is required in eduPay

2022 Statement of Expectation – frequently asked questions

The following frequently asked questions have been developed to support school staff to implement the 2022 Statement of Expectation.

2023 Statement of Expectation for Principal Class Employees

The performance and development process in 2023 provides the opportunity for principal class employees to choose to undertake the standard Performance and Development Plan (PDP) process or an alternative Statement of Expectation. Staff selecting the Statement of Expectation process are not required to complete any routine documentation or monitoring in eduPay.

The 2023 Statement of Expectation for principal class employees is aligned to the key improvement strategies of learning and wellbeing. Principal class employees are encouraged to consider how they contribute to these areas as appropriate to their role and setting.

At the start of the cycle

• Principals indicate to their reviewer if they will undertake the standard PDP process or the 2023 Statement of Expectation process, at any time prior to 30 April 2023
• Principals discuss their leadership goals aligned to their learning and wellbeing strategies in line with the 2023 Statement of Expectation

Throughout the year

• The principal and reviewer meet regularly throughout the year
• Where there is a concern that an employee is not making an appropriate contribution to meet the Statement of Expectation this concern should be raised with the employee in writing at the time the concern becomes apparent and provided in writing along with proposed improvement supports

At the end of the cycle

• At the end of semester 2, principals will reflect on and be acknowledged for their leadership practice, learning, growth and contribution to the Statement of Expectation with their reviewers
• It is assumed that principal class employees who opt-in to this process will meet the Statement of Expectation, in which case no action is required in eduPay

2023 Statement of Expectation – frequently asked questions

The following frequently asked questions have been developed to support school staff to implement the 2023 Statement of Expectation.

2024 Statement of Expectation for Principal Class Employees

Principal class employees can again choose to undertake either the Statement of Expectation (SoE) or the standard Performance and Development Plan (PDP) process to meet performance and development requirements. As previously, principals selecting the SoE process are not required to complete any routine documentation or monitoring in eduPay.

This year, following feedback from principals, the SoE is aligned to the Annual Implementation Plan (AIP), and is also aligned with the department’s values.

Statement of Expectation for Principals

The expectation is that:

• Principals will lead the development and implementation of AIP.
• Principals will act with integrity and in accordance with the Values.

At the start of the cycle

Principals indicate to their Senior Education Improvement Leader (SEIL) whether they will undertake the 2024 SoE or the standard PDP process, at any time prior to 30 April 2024.

Principals discuss with their SEIL how they will lead the implementation of their school’s AIP together with their professional development / career goals and aspirations.

Throughout the year

Principals and their SEIL meet regularly throughout the year.

Where there is a concern that a principal is not making an appropriate contribution to meet the SoE, this concern should be raised with the principal in writing at the time the concern becomes apparent, and provided in writing along with proposed improvement supports.

At the end of the cycle

At the end of semester 2, principals, with their SEIL, will reflect on and be acknowledged for their leadership practice, learning, growth and contribution to the SoE.

It is assumed that principals who opt-in to this process will meet the SoE, in which case no action is required in eduPay.

Introduction

‘Successful leadership can play a highly significant — and frequently underestimated — role in improving student learning. Specifically, the available evidence about the size and nature of the effects of successful leadership on student learning justifies the claim that leadership is second only to classroom instruction among all school-related factors that contribute to what students learn at school’ (Leithwood, 2004).

High-quality teaching and leadership in every school is essential to Victoria’s success in supporting students’ achievement, wellbeing and engagement. To achieve this, our education system must empower and support teachers, leaders and education support class employees at every career stage to be the best they can.

The whole-of-practice approach to performance and development (the approach) outlined in these Guidelines promotes a consistent process and a common language for the evaluation and support of principal class employee performance and development in Victorian government schools. It is developmentally focused, and is designed to enable individual accountability and collective responsibility, to support collaborative professional learning and to improve the quality of practice. The approach:

• promotes the development of thriving school cultures where continuous development of professional skills, knowledge and engagement are the norm, and which are based on collaborative and mutually supportive workplaces
• encourages school leaders to set high expectations and establish clear accountabilities for professional practice in a collaborative environment which values high quality, meaningful, and developmentally focused feedback
• acknowledges the highly skilled and complex nature of leadership and builds on the excellent practices that already exist in many Victorian government schools and across the profession

The approach incorporates the core accountabilities set out in a principal class employee’s contract of employment. Satisfactory performance in relation to the core accountabilities will therefore be a prerequisite for a satisfactory outcome in any given performance cycle.

These Guidelines describe the whole-of-practice approach to performance and development as it applies to principal class employees. Key elements of the approach and what principal class employees and reviewers need to do at each stage of the performance and development cycle are also described. This includes an outline of the relevant professional standard and advice on goal-setting, collection of evidence and the provision of effective feedback.

To complement the approach, the Department will provide tools and resources to assist practitioners to advance their professional practices.

The distinct role of principals

Research has shown that ‘powerful school leadership on the part of the principal has a positive effect on student achievement’ (Dufour and Marzano, 2011).

In Victoria’s highly devolved education system, principals are expected to lead improvements in teaching quality and performance. Principals lead the capability development of teachers and education support class employees through modelling ongoing, evidence-based reflection on performance and professional learning through implementing and participating in effective performance and development processes.

Evidence shows that school leaders in high-achieving schools participate more actively in teacher learning and development than leaders in low-achieving schools (Robinson, 2009).

The role of the principal is crucial in forging a professional and collaborative school culture that provides a rich variety of professional learning and development opportunities in order to raise teacher quality, increase motivation and maximise the potential of staff (Day and Sammons, 2013).

Schools share a professional commitment to continuous, evidence-based improvement in teaching and learning to improve outcomes for all students. Principals play a key leadership role in this improvement and should:

• create a positive culture of challenge and support to enable effective teaching
• set high expectations for the whole school through collaborative planning, monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of teaching and learning and its impact on student outcomes
• encourage the creation of professional learning communities and networks focused on continuous improvement of teaching and learning
• establish systematic methods for collecting and interpreting evidence to identify excellent teaching, and share successful strategies with the school community
• model collaborative leadership and engage with other schools to share and improve practice and encourage innovation in the education system

Campus and assistant principals

Campus and assistant principals play significant leadership roles in their schools. Principals, campus and assistant principals work collaboratively with their broader leadership team and school community to develop and implement the school’s Annual Implementation Plan (AIP). They may focus on different aspects or share the same school improvement focus in their respective Performance and Development Plans (PDPs). The professional learning aspect of the plans will differ based on individual areas of responsibility and professional learning needs.

The Framework for Improving Student Outcomes, whole school planning and the Annual Implementation Plan

Schools can improve student outcomes by focusing effort on the high-impact improvement initiatives outlined in the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) improvement model. The school’s Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) aligned to the school’s 4 year strategic plan, elaborates on, and makes explicit, how the school’s chosen initiatives, goals, targets and key improvement strategies will be implemented, monitored and evaluated each year.

Annual implementation planning creates clarity and purpose for all members of the school community. Schools articulate the changes they want to see and define the evidence they expect to see if their plan is successful. The AIP provides guidance for specific approaches which may support the development of each staff member by connecting whole of school improvement strategies to the individual roles and responsibilities of staff in the school. It outlines mechanisms and routines to monitor actions, impacts are measured and issues identified. This can provide solid evidence for evaluation which may lead to changes in how the outcomes of the AIP are achieved.

Schools develop the AIP in partnership with school staff, Senior Education Improvement or Education Improvement Leaders (SEILs or EILs) and school councils. Together, they consider the needs of students and allocate resources (such as human and financial) available through the Student Resource Package (SRP) to address those needs. Shared responsibility, partnerships and transparency are key principles that support quality planning and improved student outcomes.

Performance and development and the Annual Implementation Plan

The Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) outlines activities and milestones that individuals or groups of staff will undertake and sets expectations for their impact on the knowledge, skills and mindsets of staff and students. The School Strategic Plan (SSP) outlines school improvement strategies for the next 4 years. Both the SSP and AIP should inform the principal’s Performance and Development Plan (PDP) as well as the PDPs of staff.

In general, activities and milestones in the AIP are task-oriented, such as attending or implementing professional learning, and are linked to a specific role within the school (for example, principal, assistant principal, leading teacher, key learning area leader, professional learning team leader, teachers, or education support staff). Staff PDPs should link to their activities and milestones, which will ensure a line of sight from school improvement priorities to each individual.

Appropriate links between the SSP, the AIP and all teacher PDPs ensures that each school harnesses the efforts of all of its staff towards the shared goal of school improvement, and that each person understands their role in working towards the priorities.

For more information, please refer to Annual Implementation Planning.

Strategic Planning Online Tool (SPOT) should be used to complete annual implementation planning.

Department's Values

All school employees of the Department of Education and Training commit to upholding the Values of:

• Responsiveness
• Integrity
• Impartiality
• Accountability
• Respect
• Leadership, and
• Human Rights

The Department's Values are consistent with Victorian public sector values. They underpin the behaviour that the community expects of all Victorian public sector staff, including those employed in government schools. All Department employees, including school staff, uphold the Values as part of their employment. The Department's Values complement individual school values which apply to the whole school community, including students.

More information and resources can be accessed at Values — Department and VPS Values for School Employees.

Online Performance and Development Plan

In 2017, the Department implemented the online Performance and Development Plan (PDP) system. The system includes:

• the functionality to track PDP discussions held through the year
• a stronger connection to professional standards, school strategic plans and annual implementation plans
• the ability for an employee to attach documents in the evidence section at any point in the cycle
• information security to ensure the PDP remains private between the staff member and their reviewer
• the ability for a staff member to maintain their PDP if they move schools during the cycle

All school staff complete their PDPs using the Department's online system, unless a school has an existing contractual arrangement in place.

The Department will only use performance and development data at the aggregate not at the school level and as such, data contained in an individual employee’s PDP will not be used beyond the school.

Support and resources to assist with the use of the online PDP can be accessed at Online PDP Support and Resources.

Goal setting

Domains of Principal Practice

The Domains of Principal Practice are directly aligned with the Australian Professional Standard for Principals (the Standard) which incorporates all aspects of a principal’s practice, describes the key elements of quality practice and articulates professional expectations for principal class employees. The Domains are structured to highlight the aspects of a principal’s practice where they may be meeting or not meeting the Standard.

Principal class employees will set a goal in each of the Domains of Principal Practice. The following describes the Domains of Principal Practice.

Leadership of quality teaching and life-long learning

Principal class employees are the leaders of high quality teaching and learning in the school community. They set high expectations for everyone in the community and develop students, teachers and themselves through building a culture of life-long learning, challenge and support.

The Leadership Practices included in this Domain are:

• Leading teaching and learning
• Developing self and others

Strategic resource management

This Domain involves principal class employees’ effectively optimising resources and leading innovation and change to deliver high quality educational outcomes for all students. Principal class employees should lead evidence and data-based improvements to maximise the efficiency and effectiveness of school resources (including human, financial and physical) to achieve the school’s priorities.

The Leadership Practices included in this Domain are:

• Leading the management of the school
• Leading improvement, innovation and change

Strengthening community and system engagement

Principal class employees develop and maintain positive and purposeful relationships with students, parents and carers and the broader school community. This includes using multiple sources of feedback from the community to drive improvement, ensuring a culturally rich and diverse school environment and contributing to the school system through engaging and collaborating with other schools and external organisations.

The Leadership Practices included in this Domain are:

• Engaging and working with the community

A focus on development to improve school and student outcomes

Improving outcomes for students and the school is the core purpose of principal class employees’ work. The performance and development approach is focused on principal class employees’ development across the Domains of Principal Practice to enhance their effectiveness in improving school and student outcomes — their learning, engagement and wellbeing. The approach includes an explicit school and student outcomes goal that takes into account principal class employees’ development across the Domains of Principal Practice.

This goal can be defined by a wide and varied range of indicators including improvements in student achievement, engagement, wellbeing (either for individuals or for groups of students) and the effective allocation and use of resources.

Student achievement may refer to either the absolute levels of learning attainment or growth in learning that schools strive to ensure for each individual student. On average, all students should achieve at least 1 year’s learning growth in return for a year of schooling.

Student engagement refers to the extent to which every student feels connected to and engaged in their learning, with their peers and with their broader school community.

Student health, safety and wellbeing are essential to learning and development. An inclusive, safe, orderly and stimulating environment for learning is critical to achieving and sustaining all students’ positive learning experiences.

Successful and effective allocation and use of resources, supported by evidence and adapted to the unique context of each school, exists when a school uses its resources — people, time, space, funding, facilities, community expertise, professional learning, class structures, timetables, individual learning plans and facilities — to the best possible effect to support improved student outcomes and achieve its goals.

Principal class employees have a broad range of expectations and responsibilities with which they must comply. The principal class employee performance and development process and documentation do not attempt to capture the fine detail of this complex leadership position. However, the core accountabilities described in the principal class employee’s contract are minimum expectations and therefore incorporated into the principal class employee Performance and Development Plan (PDP). Some accountabilities may be specifically included in the PDP if it is determined that they are areas for professional growth and achievement of outcomes. This will be agreed upon between the principal class employee and the reviewer.

For an annotated version of the PDP template, refer to Figure 2.

A whole-of-practice approach

‘Seeking self-knowledge is a prerequisite for and motivation of growth and improvement’ (London 2003).

The whole-of-practice approach ensures principal class employee performance and development is framed against the Australian Professional Standard for Principals (the Standard), in the context of the school’s strategic priorities. The Standard identifies what principals are expected to know, understand and do to succeed in their work and ensure their leadership has a positive impact on the school community. The Standard and the associated Leadership Profiles and Practices can be found at Unpack the Principal Standard.

Performance and development planning, goal setting, conversations and feedback should encompass all elements of a principal class employee’s practice in the context of their school and their Performance and Development Plan (PDP). It should acknowledge that the totality of a principal class employee’s work contributes to improvements in student achievement, engagement and wellbeing, and place strong emphasis on the collective responsibility amongst school based staff for the learning of all students.

Principal class employees will use the Standard and the school’s priorities, as articulated in the School Strategic Plan (SSP) and the Annual Implementation Plan (AIP), to reflect on their practice and inform their PDP. Principals will set 4 goals, 1 in each of the Domains of Principal Practice (Leadership of Quality Teaching and Life Long Learning, Strategic Resource Management, and System and Community Engagement), which are aligned with the Leadership Practices defined in the Australian Professional Standard for Principals, and a school and student outcomes goal, taking into account the Domains of Principal Practice. Each of these goals may reference elements of the others. This approach acknowledges the holistic nature of principal class employees’ practice.

The PDP documentation comprises:

• 4 performance and development goals
• strategies that will be used to support the achievement of each goal
• evidence that will be collected to demonstrate achievement of each goal
• reference to the Australian Professional Standard’s Leadership Practice(s) to which each goal relates

The PDP documentation, recorded in eduPay, also functions as a record of the formal review conversations that will be held between principal class employees and reviewers at mid-cycle and end-cycle points. Supporting these formal discussions, ongoing performance and development conversations should continue throughout the cycle.

Figure 1 Whole-of-practice approach for Principal Class Employees

The performance and development approach

The following section provides a step-by-step guide through each stage of the performance and development process.

Reviewer

Regional Director

The Regional Director (RD) is responsible for the performance and development of all principals. It is important to note that while the RD may delegate each stage of the performance and development process to the Senior Education Improvement Leader (SEIL) (or alternate nominee), the RD is ultimately responsible for approving all principal performance and development outcomes in their region. Where a SEIL (or RD’s alternate nominee) and principal cannot come to agreement at any stage of the cycle, the matter must be referred to the RD for a decision.

Senior Education Improvement Leaders

The SEIL (or RD’s alternate nominee) is responsible for coordinating all components of the performance and development process for principals. They will make recommendations about a principal’s performance and development to the RD and the RD must make the final decision.

Principal

In the case of campus and assistant principals, the school principal has the ultimate responsibility for decisions about an employee’s performance and development.

Reviewers may wish to conduct the end-cycle review in a one-on-one setting, or set up a review panel. The use of a panel should be agreed between the SEIL and the principal, and approved by the RD. If a panel is adopted, it should be assembled at the start of the cycle and panel members should be involved in the staff member’s performance and development process throughout the cycle.

Annual performance cycle

The performance and development cycle operates on a calendar year cycle (unless otherwise agreed with the employee) while the progression cycle operates from May to April.

The key dates and requirements for performance and development each year are as follows:

• by 30 April — a principal class employee with less than 6 months eligible service at a particular salary subdivision will not be eligible for salary progression for that cycle
• by 30 April — all principal class employees must be advised of their final performance and development outcome
• on 1 May — remuneration progression occurs for eligible principal class employees who achieve a successful performance and development outcome

Refer to Other information chapter in these Policy and Guidelines.

Reflection and goal setting (start of cycle)

‘While visions can be inspiring, productive action typically requires some agreement on the more immediate goals to be accomplished in order to move toward the vision’ (Leithwood, 2012).

Reflection and discussion

Principals will discuss their performance and development with their reviewer (SEIL or RD’s alternate nominee) at the beginning of each cycle. Campus and assistant principals will meet with their principal. Principal class employees should come to this meeting having reflected on the previous year, their role and performance as school leader, and school and student performance. Principal class employees should be clear about what they hope to achieve in the coming year in line with the strategic priorities of their school and school community.

This initial meeting will be used to discuss and refine the principal class employee’s draft Performance and Development Plan (PDP) which will incorporate the principal class employee’s proposed goals, strategies and supporting evidence as well as clear expectations for performance and development. The principal class employee and reviewer should seek to reach agreement about what goals are to be established, what evidence will be used to indicate success at the feedback and review stages. During this meeting, the principal class employee’s PDP should be finalised and agreed on by the principal class employees and their reviewer.

If a decision between the reviewer and principal cannot be reached about the content of the PDP, the matter should be referred to the RD. Figure 4 describes the roles and responsibilities of the principal class employee, reviewer and RD.

Goal setting

Building on an understanding of school priorities and student data and learning needs, principal class employees will refine, through discussion with their reviewer, goals in relation to each of the Domains of Principal Practice and a goal focused on school and student outcomes, which takes into account the Domains of Principal Practice. These goals should follow the SMART goal methodology (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time- Bound).

Goals should be based on previous reviews (where relevant), be clear and evidence-based, and reflect the principal class employee’s developmental needs.

Principal class employees’ performance and development goals should ultimately be aimed at improving school and student outcomes through improved practice. Analysis of school and student data and the learning needs of students should be the primary sources used to inform goal setting. Additional resources that can influence goal setting include:

• the Australian Professional Standard for Principals
• core accountabilities
• the School Strategic Plan (SSP) and Annual Implementation Plan (AIP)
• evidence and research about effective teaching and leadership
• the school’s agreed approach to teaching

The Department has developed tools and resources to assist with goal setting, which can be accessed on the Department's website.

In summary, performance and development goals should be:

• SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound)
• evidence-based
• aligned with school priorities and school improvement initiatives as outlined in the SSP and AIP
• ‘stretch goals’ — they should be developmental, and based on areas or skills that are yet to be achieved, rather than those already consolidated
• agreed between the principal class employee and reviewer and regularly reviewed and adjusted if required (and by agreement)

Strategies

Principal class employees should document strategies that will directly support them to achieve their performance and development goals over the course of the performance cycle. This may include capacity building, collaboration and, or professional learning.

Evidence

Evidence selected should be ‘adequate, authentic, appropriate and accurate’ (Griffin, 2008).

Principal class employees will also need to clearly nominate a range of evidence that will demonstrate their progress towards and achievement of their performance and development goals. Collecting and reflecting on evidence is critical to effective performance and development processes, by enabling principal class employees to provide evidence of the impact of their practice. Additionally, evidence provides the basis for further development by informing growth and access to high quality professional learning.

A range of evidence is required to produce a meaningful perspective of a principal class employee’s performance and development throughout the cycle (Timperley, 2008). Evidence selected should be realistic and accessible, and should be the data and information collected as part of a principal class employee’s everyday practice. Evidence should be an exercise in collation rather than creation. The quality of evidence is critical to ensuring that specific and growth-oriented feedback is provided to principal class employees to support their ongoing development.

When selecting evidence, principal class employees should ask themselves the following:

• How will I know I have achieved this goal?
• How could I demonstrate that I have achieved the goal?
• What is the impact of me achieving the goal?
• Can I seek feedback from those who benefit from my work?

Principal class employees are expected to document evidence collected from multiple sources, which may include, but are not limited to feedback from:

• staff and students
• peers and colleagues
• school community and parents

Feedback may be in the form of quantitative evidence, including:

• evidence of scope and sequence and documented curriculum planning
• class assessments against Victorian Curriculum
• portfolios of student work
• on-demand assessments
• VCE including the VCE Vocational Major and Victorian Pathways Certificate assessments and data
• moderated teacher assessments

Feedback may be in the form of qualitative evidence, including:

• evidence such as system contribution, for example collegiate activity outside of the school

The Department has developed tools and resources to assist with identifying and collecting appropriate evidence, which can be accessed on the Department’s website.

Professional practice and learning (mid-cycle)

‘If students are to learn at higher levels, processes must be in place to ensure the ongoing, job-embedded learning of the adults who serve them’ (Dufour and Marzano, 2011).

Professional conversations about practice

A mid-cycle discussion should be scheduled between a principal class employee and their reviewer to discuss progress against agreed performance and development goals. While a face-to-face meeting is not required, it is preferred in order to facilitate a robust process. The mid-cycle discussion provides an opportunity for principal class employees to receive feedback and, where required, support to ensure performance and development goals can be achieved by the end-cycle. However, feedback and support can be provided at any time during the performance and development cycle.

Discussion at this stage of the cycle enables both the principal class employee and their reviewers to refine goals, professional learning and development opportunities, and evidence identified in the Performance and Development Plan (PDP). Any changes are to be agreed between the principal class employee and the reviewer.

The formal mid-cycle review is also an opportunity for concerns about performance to be raised, and expectations for improvement prior to end-cycle review to be discussed. This may include identifying further opportunities for collaboration, capacity building and/or professional learning. It is important to note, however, that concerns about performance should be raised as soon as they have been identified and discussed in the content of how the principal class employee can work towards meeting their goals. Figure 5 describes the roles and responsibilities of the principal class employee, reviewer and Regional Director (RD).

Self-assessment

Principal class employees should monitor progress against their performance and development goals, focus on meeting the goals set and collect evidence of their practice and impact on school and student outcomes throughout the year. Principal class employees should self-assess against their agreed performance and development goals in preparation for the mid-cycle and end-cycle discussions.

Feedback

The role of principals in the performance and development process is twofold:

• principals should know how to give quality feedback to teachers, assistant principals and campus principals, and
• know how to engage in constructive feedback sessions with their reviewers

This ensures that principal class employees have the opportunity to reflect on and develop their skills.

Performance and development processes are effective when they provide principal class employees with meaningful feedback so they can reflect and improve their practice, and obtain support to improve and develop their skills. For feedback to be constructive and effective, it is important that is actionable, supported by examples, and provides substantial opportunities for improvement.

Both verbal and written feedback should be provided to principal class employees at the mid and end of the cycle. The provision of informal feedback is recommended throughout the cycle, from the reviewer, a critical friend, colleagues, peers, parents and students. This encourages continual reflection and improvement from all lenses of the learning environment. There is an opportunity to gain additional insight into the principal’s performance through seeking feedback from the school council regarding the principal’s delivery of the strategic plan.

Effective feedback must address 3 major questions (Hattie and Timperley, 2007, Timperley, 2011):

• Where am I going?
• How am I going?
• Where to next?

Principal class employees should seek feedback from a range of sources (which may include colleagues, leadership team, students, parents and self-reflection) in order to answer these questions.

When providing feedback to principal class employees, reviewers should support them to become self-regulators — evaluators of their own practice and its impact on school and student outcomes. Feedback should be aimed at motivating effort and empowering principal class employees to identify where their practice could be more effective and to make the necessary adjustments. Equally as important, principal class employees must enter feedback sessions with an open mind, and be willing and receptive to meaningful and constructive feedback.

Professional learning

‘Through learning we re-create ourselves’ (Senge, 1990).

Principals have a responsibility to support performance and development by establishing a high-quality professional learning culture, characterised by:

• a high degree of leadership support for ongoing adult learning and risk-taking
• collective responsibility for improving practice
• disciplined collaboration focused on student learning needs
• high levels of trust, interaction and interdependence
• support through school structures, explicit planning and the allocation of time
• coaching and mentoring, and teacher-led action research, which are strategies that commonly feature in effective school based staff development.

When leaders engage in continuous professional learning, it sends a very powerful message that a professional learning culture is an essential element of an effective school. The leadership activity found to have the greatest influence on student outcomes is leaders’ promotion of, and participation in, teachers’ professional learning and development (Timperley, 2011).

Principals are asked to reflect on their school improvement strategies and their own professional learning needs, and to undertake actions that will build on and further enhance their leadership skills and behaviours. When planning professional learning actions it may also be helpful to consider them as:

• independent action — undertaken alone, such as professional reading
• supported action — supported by a coach, mentor or critical friend
• collective action — shared through teams or collegiate groups
• formal programs — provided by the Department and other organisations

The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) provides a range of useful resources to support principals and other school leaders in establishing a high-quality professional learning culture.

Feedback and review (end of cycle)

‘Feedback has no effect in a vacuum, to be powerful in its effect, there must be a learning context to which feedback is addressed’ (Hattie and Timperley, 2007).

A formal end-cycle performance and development review will be undertaken annually. Performance and development reviews will be based upon principal class employees meeting their accountabilities, achieving their goals and providing evidence of improved practice and impact on school and student outcomes.

Preparation for formal review

Principal class employees should prepare for the formal end-cycle review by:

• reflecting on their performance and professional growth over the cycle, with reference to their performance and development goals and the Australian Professional Standard for Principals (the Standard) and the impact this has had on their school and students
• collating and analysing evidence collected over the course of the performance and development cycle
• preparing to describe their achievements, how they have grown professionally and areas for further development they have identified for the future (supported by evidence)
• preparing to have a constructive professional conversation with their reviewer and receive feedback regarding their progress and professional growth in all areas of their practice

Formal review — professional judgement

Performance and development reviews require reviewers to make informed, professional judgements about principal class employee practice and improvement using multiple sources of evidence and with consideration of the circumstances surrounding a principal class employee’s professional growth throughout the cycle. Setting clear expectations at the beginning of the cycle plays a significant role in allowing reviewers to make a transparent, evidence-based and personalised assessment of a principal class employee’s performance and development against their goals, leading to an overall performance and development outcome.

When assessing a principal class employee’s performance and development, data will not be considered in isolation, and no single piece of evidence will determine the performance and development outcome.

Principals are responsible for determining the overall performance and development outcome for assistant and campus principals, and Regional Directors (RDs) are responsible for principals. The outcome must be recorded. As well as providing verbal feedback during the end-cycle discussion, reviewers must provide principal class employees with written feedback. Feedback should drive goal setting for the following performance and development cycle, and, as such, should be provided in a timely manner allowing for this to occur. Formal notification of performance and development outcomes must be advised to principal class employees by 30 April. Figure 6 describes the roles and responsibilities of the principal class employee, reviewer and RD.

Personalised feedback

Feedback (verbal and written) will focus on specific areas for improvement, and will assist principal class employees in developing appropriate performance and development goals for the next performance cycle. This feedback should be incorporated in the development of the PDP for the following year, including appropriate development actions.

In order to facilitate the formal provision of meaningful, detailed and actionable feedback to principal class employees, reviewers are required to determine performance and development outcomes at the goal level across three levels of achievement, and provide feedback explaining each outcome (Figure 7) and provide guidance for further development. This type of feedback:

• recognises and celebrates achievement
• recognises and records professional growth
• identifies new or renewed areas for focus for the next performance and development cycle
• identifies strategies and support that can be implemented to support growth in these areas for the future.

Reviewers will then exercise their professional judgement to determine a final assessment outcome. Figure 8 provides a description of the final performance and development outcomes that can be received.

In this way the formal feedback and review stage marks the formal close of one performance and development cycle and serves as the foundation for the next cycle by providing principal class employees with precise feedback on what they have achieved and where they can continue to learn and grow as professionals.

Support and resources

System wide support is essential in building a positive performance and development culture in a school.

Support and resources around the Performance and Development Plan (PDP) system are available through the following Department websites:

• Education Support Class employees: performance and development
• Teacher Class employees: performance and development
• Online PDP Support and Resources (staff login required)

Resources include:

• information on capacity building workshops for principals
• PDP templates
• SMART goal tips
• PDP writing advice
• possible sources of evidence lists
• activity check lists
• guidance on classroom observation
• feedback tools and protocols
• online PDP quick reference guides and instructional videos

The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) website hosts national guidelines to assist principals and schools with performance and development and professional learning, and offers a range of tools and resources including the application of standards, self-reviews and illustrations of practice.

Further tools and resources to support effective professional learning can be found on the Department’s website.

Refer to the Relevant research chapter of these Guidelines for relevant research.

Refer to the Resources tab for useful links.

Other information

Remuneration progression

Consistent with the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2017 (VGSA 2017), principal class remuneration progression is not automatic, but is subject to demonstrated achievement against school priorities and Departmental criteria.

In order to achieve remuneration progression (where eligible) a principal class employee must demonstrate that they have achieved an overall performance and development outcome of 'meets performance and development requirements'.

Where a principal class employee is eligible but has not met the performance and development requirements in that year, the principal class employee will not receive remuneration progression for that cycle.

Remuneration progression for all eligible principal class employees will be processed centrally in the first pay period on or after 1 May of each year based on the outcomes of the performance and development review.

Eligible service for remuneration progression

Consistent with the VGSA 2017, a principal class employee with less than 6 months eligible service at a particular remuneration level in any particular progression cycle will not be eligible for remuneration progression.

Eligible service includes all periods of paid leave and any periods of unpaid leave that have been approved to count as service.

A principal class employee promoted within the 6 month period prior to 1 May is not eligible for remuneration progression in that year. However where the employee had been in receipt of higher duties at the higher level within that year’s performance and development cycle, the higher duties period will be included as eligible service.

Non-agreement or non-participation

Where a principal class employee does not participate in the performance and development process (that is, does not have a Performance and Development Plan — PDP) or the principal class employee and reviewer cannot agree on the principal class employee’s PDP, the matter should be referred to the Regional Director (RD) in the case of a principal. If agreement still cannot be reached, the principal class employee’s performance and development will be evaluated against each Domain of Principal Practice, with consideration of the Schools Strategic Plan (SSP) and Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) and the school’s performance.

Unsatisfactory performance

The performance and development process is not designed to manage unsatisfactory performance.

Where it is considered that a principal class employee’s performance is unsatisfactory, the unsatisfactory performance procedures (set out in Schedule 4 of the VGSA 2017) should be implemented.

Refer to Complaints, Unsatisfactory Performance and Misconduct procedures.

Alignment with principal contract renewal processes

The principal performance and development process is a core component of the principal contract renewal process. On appointment to a principal position the RD (or nominee) will meet with the principal to set expectations for the life of the contract, including advice on the specific qualities and capabilities they should focus on developing. These expectations will be reflected in the principal’s PDP.

The principal and their reviewer will design and implement processes that support improved principal performance and development for the duration of the contract. They will develop a PDP that takes account of the relevant school context and the implications this has for the principal’s performance and development goals. Outcomes of the performance and development cycles over the period of the contract will be considered in the contract renewal process.

Changing roles during the cycle

If you change roles during the PDP cycle, your PDP should be updated to reflect your new role and any agreed changes to your goals. This will mean that your performance review can adequately address your responsibilities over the cycle. You should take responsibility to update your goals.

Grievances

Principal class employees may be eligible to lodge a grievance in accordance with the relevant Ministerial Order under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 in relation to the performance and development review. Information on grievance procedures can be obtained from the Registrar of the Merit Protection Board.

Relevant research

Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership, 2012, ‘Australian Charter for the Professional Learning of Teachers and School Leaders’, Melbourne

Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership, 2012, ‘Australian Teacher Performance and Development Approach’, Melbourne

Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership, 2011, ‘Australian Professional Standard for Teachers’, Melbourne

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 2011, ‘Learning About Teaching: Initial Findings from the Measures of Effective Teaching Project’, Virginia

Boyatzis, R. E., 2006, ‘An overview of intentional change from a complexity perspective’, Journal of Management Development, 25(7), pp. 607–623

Cahill, H. and Freeman, E., 2007, Chapter 7, ‘Creating school environments that promote social and emotional wellbeing’, in Keeffe, M. and Carrington, S. (eds.), Schools and diversity, 2nd ed., Pearson Education Australia. pp. 90–107

Darling-Hammond, L., 2012, ‘Creating a comprehensive system for evaluation and supporting effective teaching’, Stanford, CA: Stanford Centre for Opportunity Policy in Education

Darling-Hammond, L., 2013, ‘Getting Teacher Evaluation Right: What really matters for effectiveness and improvement’, New York: Teachers College Press

Dinham, S., 2012, 'Our Asian schooling infatuation: the problem with PISA envy', The Conversation, 14 September

Dinham, S., Ingvarson, L. and Kleinhenz, E., 2008, ‘Investing in Teacher Quality: Doing What Matters Most’, in Teaching Talent: The Best Teachers for Australia’s Classrooms, Melbourne: Business Council of Australia

Department of Education and Training, 2007, ‘The Developmental Learning Approach for School Leaders’, Victoria

Dufour, R. and Marzano, R., 2011, ‘Leaders of Learning: How District, School, and Classroom Leaders Improve Student Achievement’, Solution Tree Press: Bloomington, USA

Elmore, R., 2007, ‘Education Improvement in Victoria’, Paper commissioned by the Office for Government School Education, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development

Fullan, M., 2016 ,’Indelible Leadership: Always Leave Them Learning’, Corwin Press: London

Godinho, S., 2010, ‘Planning for Practice: connecting pedagogy, assessment and curriculum’ in Churchill, R. et al. (Eds). Teaching, Making a Difference, John Wiley and Sons Australia, pp. 196–235

Griffin, P., 2008, ‘Developmental Models: Writing Quality Criteria for Rubrics’, Assessment Research Centre: The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, unpublished paper

Hargreaves, A. and Fullan, M., 2012, ‘Professional Capital, Transforming Teaching in Every School’, Teachers College Press: Columbia University, New York

Hattie, J. 2003, ‘Teachers make a difference: What is the research evidence?’ Paper presented at ACER Research Conference, pp. 19 -21 October, Melbourne

Hattie, J. 2009, ‘Visible Learning: A synthesis of over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement’, Abingdon: Routledge, United Kingdom

Hattie, J. and Timperley, H. 2007, ‘The Power of Feedback’, Review of Educational Research, Vol. 77, No. 1

Hay Group, 2012, ‘Growing our potential: Hay Group’s view on implementing an effective performance improvement and development approach for teachers’

Jensen, B. 2011, ‘Better Teacher Appraisal and Feedback: Improving Performance’

Leithwood, K, Seashore Louis, K, Anderson, S and Wahlstrom, K, 2004, ‘Review of Research: How leadership influences student learning’, The Wallace Foundation

Leithwood, K., 2012, ‘The Ontario Leadership Approach 2012: with a discussion of the research foundations’

McGaw, B., 2008, ‘The role of the OECD in international comparative studies of achievement’, Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy and Practice, 15(3), pp. 223–243

Moyle, K., 2016, ‘Using data, conversations and observations for school improvement’, Australian Council for Education Research, Melbourne

Quinn, J. and Fullan, M., 2015, ‘Coherence: The Right Drivers in Action for Schools, Districts, and Systems, Corwin Press: London

Reeves, A.R., 2011, ‘Where great teaching begins: Planning for student thinking and learning, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development’, Alexandria, VA. pp. 7–14

Riley, P., 2014, Principal Health and Wellbeing Survey Executive Summary, 2011–2014 Data, December 4, 2014

Sharratt, L. and Planche, B., 2016, ‘Leading Collaborative Learning: Empowering Excellence’, Corwin Press: London

Timperley, H. 2011, 'Using student assessment for professional learning: focusing on students’ outcomes to identify teachers’ needs', Paper no. 21

Victorian Auditor-General’s Office, 2010, ‘Managing Teacher Performance in Government Schools’

Wiggins, G., 2011, ‘The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development’, Alexandria, VA. Module B, pp. 13–33

Resources

A range of support resources are available to support development of school staff performance and development including goal setting guides and sample goals, reflection templates, video case studies and online modules. To access support resources, refer to:

• 2024 Statement of Expectation - Guide for Principals
• performance and development supports for principal class employees
• performance and development supports for teacher class employees
• performance and development supports for education support class employees
• performance and development supports for Koorie engagement support officers

Incorporating departmental tools in your PDP

All school staff are encouraged to utilise departmental tools and programs to support their practice. These should be considered when developing your PDP, including:

• Framework for Improving Student Outcomes
• Practice Principles for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
• High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS)
• Victorian Teaching and Learning Mode (VTLM)
• Amplify (student voice practice guide)
• courses available through the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership

Professional Practice Leadership resources

For further information about the following resources, please email school.leadership@education.vic.gov.au

Professional development for teachers

• professional development for teachers

Here you will find resources on professional development for teachers including:

• professional learning catalogue with information on courses, costs and Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) priorities
• performance and development intranet with guidelines, templates and tools to help teachers through the PDP cycle
• strategies to improve teachers’ skills in the classroom
• recently advertised professional development (PD) opportunities and some information on professional learning theory

Professional learning catalogue

Professional Learning Catalogue with information on courses, costs and FISO priorities

• Teacher Professional Learning Catalogue (PDF)

Professional development for casual relief teachers

• professional development for casual relief teachers

Here you will find information about:

• professional development opportunities for casual relief teachers, including webinars, face-to-face workshops and comprehensive programs
• registration, employment requirements and conditions

Professional development for principals and administrators

• professional development for principals and administrators

Here you will resources on professional development for principals and school administrators including:

• the catalogue of professional learning opportunities for principals run by the Bastow Institute of Educational Leadership
• performance and development intranet with guidelines, templates and tools to help staff through the PDP cycle
• other available programs

Professional learning communities

• professional learning communities

Here you will find information about the principles behind implementing effective professional learning communities and the resources available to help you do so.

Scholarships for current teachers and graduates

• scholarships for current teachers and graduates

Here you can find information about the current financial assistance available to recent graduates or teachers wanting to upskill.

Professional development institutes

• professional development institutes

Here you will find information about professional development institutes for school staff including:

• the Bastow Institute of Educational Leadership
• Statewide Vision Resource Centre
• Victorian Deaf Education Institute
• Victorian Institute of Teaching
• VET Development Centre

Communities of practice

• communities of practice

Here you will find:

• information about what a community of practice (CoP) is, how to create one and how they can assist schools to improve student outcomes
• Professional Practice Note 17 to support you in implementing purposeful collaboration within and across schools

Professional practice elements

• professional practice elements

The professional practice elements help teachers allocate more time and more support to the continuing task of improving professional practice. Here you will find:

• information about the 3 professional practice elements
• the professional practice guide
• notes for teachers
• additional resources

Useful links

Principals

• Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL)
• Australian Professional Standard for Principals
• AITSL 360° Reflection Tool
• AITSL Classroom Practice Continuum
• AITSL Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
• Bastow Institute of Educational Leadership
• Curriculum Programs Foundation to 10
• Values — Department and VPS Values for School Employees
• Framework for Improving Student Outcomes
• Merit Protection Boards
• professional practice elements
• improve teacher practice
• professional development
• professional learning communities
• supporting literacy and numeracy including High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS)
• Complaints, Misconduct and Unsatisfactory Performance — Teaching Service
• VCAA Victorian Curriculum