Performance and Development for Principal Class Employees: 2021 Statement of Expectation for Principal Class Employees

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.

1. Learning

Principal class employees lead the collaborative development, management and ongoing evaluation and monitoring of effective teaching and learning programs and resources. Principals implement the school’s current key improvement strategies and support teachers to effectively differentiate learning for all students. This will enable both learning catch-up and learning extension, including the delivery of the 2021 Tutor Learning Initiative.

2. Wellbeing

Principal class employees lead the collaborative planning, management and ongoing evaluation and monitoring of programs and supports for student health and wellbeing.

3. Connected schools

Principal class employees lead initiatives and practices that continue to strengthen positive partnerships with parents, carers and other individuals and groups within the wider school community.

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.

Question 1: How does the Statement of Expectation process reduce workload?

The Statement of Expectation reduces workload in 2 ways:
- the process itself is less intensive, as it is focused on discussion between the employee and the reviewer
- no routine documentation to support the process is required to be supplied or completed by the employee.
Question 2: Is the Statement of Expectation applicable to employees working from regional or area offices? For example, Leadership Partners, Teaching Partners, Koorie Education Support Officers?

The Statement of Expectation is only available to school-based employees who are located/employed in school locations, including:
- teacher class
- principal class
- education support class
- executive class principals employed in school-based roles.
Positions that are employed from corporate locations, for example, area, regional, or central offices, including those who deliver support services in school locations, cannot undertake the Statement of Expectation. These employees include:
- leading teacher or principal class staff who are regional employees (for example, Leadership Partner roles, Teaching Partner roles)
- Koorie Education Support Officers (KESOs)
- Student Support Services Officers (SSSOs)
- Visiting Teachers
- executive class principals employed in corporate locations.
Question 3: When an employee decides to undertake the Statement of Expectation process, is eduPay used to record this decision and other information related to the process?

The Statement of Expectation is discussion based and does not require the use of eduPay to record this decision, or any other information about an employee’s Statement of Expectation. Employees 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.

Question 4: How does the Statement of Expectation differentiate between expected contributions by employees in different roles and settings?

The Department acknowledges the breadth and diversity of school-based roles and the ways that employees contribute to the Statement of Expectation will vary depending on their role and setting. For example, employee contributions may vary depending on the stage of career or specific role of the individual, the type of school they are in, for example primary, secondary, special, or alternative setting, or location of the school.

Employees and reviewers may draw on a range of resources to inform their understanding of what constitutes an appropriate contribution. These may include resources such as the employee’s role description and classification, Education Support Class dimensions of work, or whether they perform additional duties. Additionally, the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and Principals may provide a valuable reference point for appropriate expectations for teacher class and principal class employees at different stages of their careers.

Question 5: Are mid-cycle and end-of-cycle discussions required for employees who are undertaking the Statement of Expectation process?

An end-of-cycle discussion is a requirement of the Statement of Expectation process. It provides employees an opportunity to reflect on, and be acknowledged for, their learning, growth, practice, and contribution to the Statement of Expectation with their reviewers. While not a requirement, employees and reviewers may continue to benefit from regular discussions.

Question 6: How does an employee provide evidence of their successful contribution at the end of the Statement of Expectation process? Should the end-of-cycle discussion take a particular format?

The Statement of Expectation process is discussion based. At the beginning of the cycle, employees discuss with their reviewers how their contributions accord with the Statement of Expectation. At the end of semester 2, employees will reflect on, and be acknowledged for, their learning, growth, practice, and contribution to the Statement of Expectation with their reviewers. The format of discussions may vary depending on the school’s approach.

Question 7: Can a reviewer ask an employee to provide routine documentation as part of the Statement of Expectation process?

The Statement of Expectation is a discussion-based process; therefore, employees cannot be asked to provide routine documentation.

If a reviewer has concerns that an employee is not making an appropriate contribution to the Statement of Expectation, refer to Question 12 for more information.

Question 8: Can reviewers ask teachers to present team research or projects to demonstrate their contribution to the Statement of Expectation?

As the Statement of Expectation is discussion based, a teacher cannot be asked to provide any routine documentation as part of the process, including documentation of involvement in research or other projects. This does not prevent teachers from voluntarily providing documentation as evidence of their contribution.

Question 9: If an education support class employee’s role and responsibilities do not cover all 3 Statement of Expectation areas (Learning; Wellbeing; Connected schools), can they still successfully meet the Statement of Expectation?

Yes. There is diversity and breadth in education support roles, and reviewers and education support class employees are encouraged to consider how they contribute to some, or all, of these areas as appropriate to their role and setting. Owing to this breadth and diversity, the application of the Statement of Education may focus on one, two or all three of the Statement of Expectation areas (Learning; Wellbeing; Connected schools), as determined by the employee.

Question 10: What is the relationship between a school’s key improvement strategies and the Principal Class Statement of Expectation?

While key improvement strategies are explicitly mentioned in the Learning area of the Principal Class Statement of Expectation, the 2021 Priorities and key improvement strategies apply across all 3 areas of the Principal Class Statement of Expectation (Learning; Wellbeing; Connected schools).

Question 11: How do the School Strategic Plan (SSP) and Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) inform a teacher’s contribution to the Statement of Expectation?

A school’s SSP and AIP should be developed and shared with its teachers and used by teachers to inform their contribution to the Statement of Expectation.

Appropriate links between the SSP, the AIP, and a teacher’s Statement of Expectation ensures that each school aligns and acknowledges the efforts of all of its employees towards the shared goal of school improvement, and that each person understands their contribution, as appropriate to their role and setting, in working towards the 2021 Priorities.

Question 12: What is the process if a reviewer is concerned an employee is not making an appropriate contribution to the Statement of Expectation?

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 no later than 1 September 2021. This ensures the employee has a minimum of 3 months after being notified to demonstrate that they have made an appropriate contribution.

When notifying the employee, the reviewer must identify the areas where they believe the employee is not making an appropriate contribution and provide support to enable improvement. The employee will be expected to provide evidence, which may be written or verbal, to demonstrate they have addressed the area(s) of concern.

These processes are effective when employees are provided 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 it is actionable, supported by examples, and provides substantial opportunities for improvement.

Question 13: How do principals sign off on last year’s 2020 Statement of Expectation processes?

If an employee undertaking the alternative process in 2020 had successfully contributed to the Statement of Expectation, no action was required by the principal; eduPay calculates progression eligibility and applies this from 1 May 2021.

Updated 12 May 2021