These procedures must be read in conjunction with the Employee Performance and Development policy.
2. Scope
These procedures apply to all employees.
3. Procedures
3.1 Employees
All employees will:
- carry out their duties and responsibilities with due competence and care, in accordance with the requirements of their respective roles, the Department’s Code of conduct and Work Health and Safety policy
- participate annually in a performance and development process consistent with the Performance Management Standard where:
- they consistently demonstrate accountability for their performance
- they have access to growth and development opportunities that allow for employee interests
- the process links to the contextual needs of the school or business area and intended outcomes of the Department’s strategic directions.
- observe confidentiality.
Principals, line managers or authorised performance managers will, in the context of the role and responsibilities of the position, the Department’s Code of conduct and Work Health and Safety policy and, where applicable, ongoing registration requirements:
- conduct employee performance and development processes in accordance with the Performance Management Standard
- identify and document performance and development directed at enhancing performance through building capability, professional knowledge and skills
- provide access to relevant professional learning
- consider staff health, safety and wellbeing
- provide regular and timely formal and informal feedback against performance and development goals
- use a variety of evidence in providing performance feedback
- conduct a formal documented review
- observe confidentiality.
Guidance
Performance Management Standard
The minimum of merit, equity and probity is met for the Performance Management Standard if:
- an employee is informed about how their performance will be managed and the results of their performance assessment
- a proper assessment of the employee’s performance takes into account both the work-related requirements of the job and identified employee interests and
- processes, decisions and actions are impartial, transparent and capable of review.
Templates
Access performance and development plan templates (staff only).
Performance cycle
Performance and development is conducted on an annual basis. The review period may be modified where circumstances or needs change. Modify the expectations and review period for the performance and development of employees appointed for less than 12 months to accommodate a performance and development cycle, where practicable.
Performance and development manager
The process is conducted between an employee and their principal, line manager or authorised performance manager. If there is a breakdown in this relationship, an employee may request an alternative performance and development manager, recognising that a change in line manager will not always be possible, practical or approved.
Staff conduct
Where matters for discussion in performance and development may relate to staff conduct, refer to the relevant policy or framework for procedural information:
- Report staff conduct (staff only) and the complaints and notifications schedule (staff only) where matters may breach the Code and standards
- the Grievance framework (staff only), Grievance framework eLearning module (staff only) and Grievance framework template letters (staff only) to help manage workplace grievances
- the Work Health and Safety policy for hazardous actions or behaviours in the workplace. Manage the risk of harm from psychosocial hazards (staff only) and assess psychological risk (staff only) to identify hazards and use suggested control measures
- the Bullying in the Workplace policy for repeated and unreasonable behaviour in the workplace that creates a risk to the health and safety of an employee or group of employees. Access resources to address bullying in the workplace (staff only)
- the Equal Opportunity, Discrimination and Harassment policy for prevention and effective management of discrimination and harassment.
Probation
Induct all staff employed under the probationary provisions of their award into their role and workplace, and undergo a documented performance and development process. To manage an employee’s probationary period of employment to determine suitability and compatibility prior to permanency refer to Manage staff probation (staff only).
Support
Advice and professional learning (staff only) is available for all line managers through Employee Relations on 9264 4921.
Should there be concerns relating to an employee or probationary employee’s performance, or their engagement with the performance and development process, line managers should contact Employee Relations on 9264 4921 (option 2) for assistance as early as possible.
Procedural grievances and breach claims
If an employee is concerned about the evaluation of their performance, or the performance and development process followed, they should discuss their concerns with their line manager or, in the case that the concern is with their line manager, with the line manager’s superordinate.
Where informal resolution fails, an employee may use the grievance procedures contained in the Department’s Grievance framework to address concerns about the performance and development process or lodge a breach of Standards claim (staff only) under the Public Sector Management (Breaches of Public Sector Standards) Regulations 2005 at WorkforcePolicy.breachclaim@education.wa.edu.au
3.2 Teachers and school administrators (other than principals)
Principals, or authorised performance managers, will undertake performance and development annually:
- with teachers, and school administrators who have a teaching role, using the:
- Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (the Standards) and the Australian Teacher Performance and Development Framework
- performance and development Teacher template (staff only)
- with school administrators who do not teach, or who undertake partial administration duties, referencing job description forms.
Guidance
Templates
The School Education Act Employees' (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement 2021 Part 13, 53.3(b) mandates the performance and development Teacher template (staff only).
The Deputy principal, head of department, head of learning area or program coordinator template (staff only) may be used.
Performance expectations
The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers provide expected levels of performance for teachers at the graduate and proficient career stages. Teachers in their first 3 years of teaching will generally be assessed at the graduate career stage and thereafter they will be assessed at the proficient career stage.
Previous documentation
Previous performance and development documentation from other schools and worksites can be sought and referenced by line managers.
Evidence
The variety of evidence in providing feedback for teachers may include:
- data showing impact on student outcomes
- information based on direct observation of teaching
- the teacher’s program, plans and assessment documention
- evidence of collaboration with colleagues.
Where video recordings of classroom practice are used as evidence in performance and development discussions:
- a teacher and their line manager should discuss and agree how the process may be conducted
- once those discussions are finalised, and no further reference to the video recording is required, there is no need to keep the recording.
Classroom observation
As part of a teacher’s performance and development they are required to participate in classroom observations. A teacher may nominate a relevant person, including a peer or a line manager, to undertake their classroom observation (or observations). Each teacher determines if the written feedback from the observation is retained in their performance and development file. Where concerns have been raised about performance, the principal or nominee may carry out classroom observations. Written feedback will be retained.
Resources
The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership provides a range of support material for teachers and line managers, including Illustrations of Practice, TeacherToolkit, Classroom Practice Continuum, and the My Standards App Self-Assessment Tool.
Non-school based roles
Refer to 3.5 Allied professional staff for teachers appointed to non-school based roles.
3.3 School Psychologists
Lead school psychologists will undertake performance and development annually with school psychologists, referencing the job description, the Competency framework for school psychologists, and the School Psychology Service professional practice guidelines.
The Chief Psychologist, or their nominee, will undertake performance and development annually with lead school psychologists, referencing the job description, the Competency framework for school psychologists and the professional practice guidelines.
Guidance
Template
Use the School psychologists sample template (staff only).
Performance expectations
The School psychologist competency framework (the framework) outlines the 5 dimensions of professional practice for school psychologists. School psychologists at Level 2 are expected to demonstrate competency at Phase 1 of the framework and senior school psychologists are expected to demonstrate competency at Phase 2 of the framework. Lead school pscyhologists are expected to demonstrate competency at Phase 3 of the framework.
Refer to Section 5 Other documents for supporting professional codes, competencies and registration standards.
School psychologists aligned with Statewide Services may work to a school psychologist consultant job description form.
Principals of schools at which psychologists work should be consulted, and may contribute feedback, throughout the performance and development cycle. Principals and lead school psychologists may use the feedback form template (staff only).
Directors of education and/or principals may be consulted during the performance and development process for lead school psychologists.
3.4 Principals
Principals will undertake performance and development in accordance with the Principal Professional Review (PPR) (staff only) process and:
- self-assess against the:
- Principal performance improvement tool (staff only)
- Personal attributes for leadership (staff only)
- develop and incorporate actions for growth and development into a Leadership development plan that is reviewed and updated annually, and made available to the Director General, or nominee, on request
- participate in a cyclical independent validation
Guidance
Principals appointed to a position on a permanent basis, or on a temporary basis for 2 or more school terms, are required to adhere to a Statement of expectation (staff only) and are expected to develop a Leadership development plan as part of a continuous cycle of ongoing self-reflection and leadership development.
Template
Principal self-assessments can be documented and stored securely on the Electronic school assessment tool (ESAT) (staff only) with a ‘submission’ made available for cyclical validation.
Performance expectations
Principals will fulfil the requirements outlined in the Statement of expectation (staff only) and demonstrate performance levels of ‘medium’ to ‘outstanding’ against the domains of the PPIT. Refer to the Principal performance standard (staff only) for a description of the expected level of performance.
Evidence
Principals can gather feedback from a range of sources including colleagues, staff, students and community members. Self-assessments are conducted using feedback from sources such as:
- 360 surveys (Principal performance improvement tool and Personal attributes for leadership)
- Public School Review report
- School Performance Monitoring System
- staff and community surveys
- school culture surveys
- Organisational Health Index
- school board/council
- directors of education.
Resources
Find resources to prepare for your Principal Professional Review (staff only).
Refer to Leadership Institute professional learning programs (staff only) and Access the Leadership Resource Hub to find professional learning and resources for principals.
Refer to the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership to find information and tools for principals.
Non-school based roles
Refer to 3.5 Allied professional staff for principals appointed to non-school based roles.
3.5 Allied professional staff
Line managers and authorised performance managers will undertake performance and development with allied professional staff annually based on the position’s job description form and framework where applicable.
Guidance
Template
The Allied professional staff sample template (staff only) may be used.
Performance expectations.
The role and responsibilities outlined in the job description form, in conjunction with the relevant framework (if applicable), provide the expected standard for performance:
- for school corporate services staff refer to the School corporate services staff competency framework (staff only)
- for education assistants special needs refer to the interim Competency framework for education assistants special needs (staff only)
- for public sector employees refer to the relevant competency framework or guidance for:
- Capability profiles Levels 1 to 6
- Leadership capability profiles (Level 7 to Class 4)
- Human resources capability framework for the WA public sector
- Policy capability framework for the WA public sector
- Finance capability framework for the WA public sector
- Digital capability: A guide for agencies
- Procurement capability resources.
Resources
The Public Sector Commission’s Building Leadership Impact provides behaviours and associated mindsets for positive leadership at all levels in the public sector. Refer to Access Building Leadership Impact professional learning and resources (staff only) to identify the leadership context for any role and use the practical tools and professional learning resources for self-reflection and to further develop the behaviours expected in each leadership context.
3.6 Performance not meeting expected standard
Where an employee’s performance is identified as not meeting the required standard, principals, line managers or authorised performance managers will:
- in the first instance, provide resources and assistance to the employee to assist them to achieve the required standard of performance
If this is not successful:
- refer to the Substandard Performance procedures
- advise affected employees in writing of:
- the aspects of their performance not meeting expected standards
- the potential consequences, which may include a range of sanctions
- including termination of their employment, should their performance be found substandard
- give a reasonable opportunity and assistance for employees to improve to asatisfactory standard.
Guidance
Refer to the ‘performance expectations’ of the role for expected standards of performance. Document the resources and assistance provided to support the employee.
Line managers should contact Employee Relations on 9264 4921 as early as possible for assistance regarding concerns relating to an employee or probationary employee’s performance.
An employee who retires or resigns without having successfully demonstrated performance that meets expected standards may have their employment record notated as unsuitable for future employment and, for applicable employees, notification must be made to the Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia. The employee will be advised of the process for having the notification on their employment record removed.
3.7 Record keeping
In accordance with the State Records Act 2000 and the Department’s Recordkeeping plan, principals, line managers and authorised performance managers will:
- manage the retention and disposal of employee performance and development records
- retain employee performance and development records for a minimum of 5 years.
Guidance
Hard copy records should be kept secure and filed confidentially, preferably in a locked cabinet to demonstrate duty of care for confidential staff records. They should not be saved electronically on a ‘shared drive’ to which other staff may have access.
Records should be maintained separately to the employee’s personnel file.
For information on the retention and disposal of employee performance records refer to Section 68 of the General Disposal Authority for State Government Information.
4. Definitions
The demonstration of an employee’s due competence and care in performing functions, responsibilities and obligations as they relate to the intended outcomes of the workplace and thus to the Department’s purpose.
Allied professionals are those staff employed under s235(1)(a), (c) and (d) of the School Education Act 1999 and includes public servants, school support staff and wages staff.
A person who has been delegated responsibility for the performance and development of a specific employee by that employee’s line manager or by a superordinate.
Refer to the employee’s career and professional development needs and personal circumstances that need to be considered when negotiating work arrangements, discussing career aspirations and development opportunities, and when making an informed assessment of employee performance.
The position to whom the employee reports.
The formal and informal continuous process of evaluating, developing and supporting an employee’s performance in the workplace.
As defined by the Public Sector Commission:
Outcome: The performance of all employees is fairly assessed to achieve the work- related requirements of the public sector body while paying proper regard to employee interests.
Standard: The minimum standard of merit, equity and probity is met for performance management if:
- an employee is informed about how their performance will be managed and the results of their performance assessment
- a proper assessment of the employee’s performance takes into account both the work-related requirements of the job and identified employee interests
- processes, decisions and actions are impartial, transparent and capable of review.
A process that demonstrates procedural fairness is one in which:
- decision makers act fairly and provide reasons for decisions
- the person affected is given a fair hearing
- all parties to a matter have an opportunity to put their case where an adverse decision or finding is made
- all relevant arguments are considered and irrelevant arguments are excluded.
The person to whom an individual’s line manager reports or a more senior manager.
5. Related documents
Commissioner's Instruction 40: Ethical Foundations
Equal Opportunity Act 1984
Freedom of Information Act 1992
Industrial Relations Act 1979
Performance Management Standard
Public Sector Management Act 1994
School Education Act 1999
State Records Act 2000
Teacher Registration Act 2012
Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA)
Australian Professional Standard for Principals
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
Australian Teacher Performance and Development Framework
Code of Conduct (staff only)
Complaints and notifications framework
Complaints and notifications schedule (staff only)
Complaints and notifications categorisation schedule (staff only)
Competency framework for school psychologists (staff only)
Competency framework for education assistants special needs (interim)
Department of Education’s Recordkeeping plan (staff only)
Finance Capability Profile for WA public sector
Grievance framework
Human resources capability framework for the WA public sector
Industrial instruments (Awards and Agreements) applicable to Department of Education employees (staff only)
Leadership Expectations
Building Leadership Impact
Public Sector Capability Profiles
School corporate services staff competency framework (staff only)
School psychologist competency framework (staff only)
School Psychology Service: Professional practice guidelines (accessible by members of the School Psychology Service only)
6. Contact information
Policy manager:
Director, Industrial and Employee Relations
Policy contact officer:
Manager, Employee Relations
Telephone: (08) 9264 4921 (option 2)
7. History of changes
| Effective date | Last update date | Procedure version no. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 July 2010 | 5 July 2012 | 1.2 | |
| Guidelines in section 4.2 amended to reflect changes to School Education Act Employees’ (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement as per D12/0372966, nomenclature throughout policy updated, definition of performance management updated. | |||
| 28 September 2012 | 1.3 | ||
| Changes to reflect the National Professional Standards for Teachers. Changes endorsed by Corporate Executive at meeting 7 September 2012. | |||
| 28 September 2012 | 11 July 2013 | 1.3 | |
| Amendment of references to National Professional Standards for Teachers to Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. D13/0098087 Amendment to references to documents as per D13/0222254. | |||
| 28 September 2012 | 23 August 2013 | 1.3 | |
| Updated link to Australian Professional Standard for Teachers in Appendix A. D13/0394461 | |||
| 17 December 2013 | 1.4 | ||
| Addition of procedure at section 4.2 and Appendix C. Changes endorsed by Corporate Executive 2 December 2013. | |||
| 17 December 2013 | 19 December 2013 | 1.4 | |
| Addition of point about leave management to Appendix A, Section 3. D13/0666788 | |||
| 17 December 2013 | 27 February 2014 | 1.5 | |
| Minor change to formatting in Appendix C. D14/0061908 | |||
| 28 July 2014 | 1.6 | ||
| Numerous changes throughout policy D14/0259580, D14/0323911 and D14/0369019. | |||
| 28 July 2014 | 1.7 | ||
| Appendix B updated to reflect v1.6 changes prior to policy taking effect. | |||
| 28 July 2014 | 12 September 2014 | 1.8 | |
| Update to guidance re: professional development and career guidance in section 4.2. D14/0434228 | |||
| 28 July 2014 | 1 December 2014 | 1.9 | |
| Minor changes to guidance and appendix C. D14/0527043. | |||
| 15 March 2016 | 2.0 | ||
| Major review undertaken and policy reformatted into policy and procedures. Endorsed by the Director General at Corporate Executive on 12 February 2016. | |||
| 15 March 2016 | 28 April 2016 | 2.1 | |
| Corrected link for Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. D16/0260595 | |||
| 15 March 2016 | 10 June 2016 | 2.2 | |
| Minor amendments in response to Corporate Executive decision on 12 February 2016. Endorsed by the Director General at Corporate Executive on 29 April 2016. Minor amendments to Appendix C, Employee Performance Procedures and Appendix A, Substandard Performance Procedures confirmed by Policy Subcommittee on 1 June 2016. | |||
| 15 March 2016 | 1 July 2016 | 2.3 | |
| Addition to Guidance under section 3.3 to include information for school psychologists. D16/0419291 | |||
| 15 March 2016 | 20 July 2016 | 2.5 | |
| Deletion of text in Guidance under s3.1. D16/0460534 | |||
| 15 March 2016 | 25 May 2020 | 2.5 | |
| Minor changes to update broken links. D20/0260934 | |||
| 15 March 2016 | 13 January 2021 | 2.6 | |
| Minor changes to replace the Regional Executive Director position title with Director of Education D20/0647278. | |||
| 15 March 2016 | 17 May 2023 | 2.7 | |
| Minor changes to guidance D23/1147634. | |||
| 15 March 2016 | 21 March 2024 | 2.8 | |
| Minor change to guidance D24/0201989 | |||
| 17 February 2026 | 3.0 | ||
| Major review to comply with the Department Code of Conduct and the Work Health Safety policy. Clarification of annual performance & development cycle. Performance expectation for all employee groups. Consistent formatting of procedures for each employee group. Approval (1) D25/0574867 Approval (2) new changes D26/0111791 | |||
8. Appendices
9. More information
Appendices
Procedure
This procedure:
Employee Performance and Development procedures v3.0
Please ensure you also download the policy supported by this procedure.
Supported policy:
Employee Performance and Development policy
Procedure review date
17 February 2029