Preparing for your headteacher appraisal

Feel confident and ready for your headteacher appraisal by familiarising yourself with the whole process. Use our templates to review your objectives and track your progress.

Last reviewed on 16 February 2023
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 1063
Contents
  1. Stage 1: review your own performance 
  2. Stage 2: meet the external adviser shortly before the review meeting
  3. Stage 3: the governors and the external adviser will hold a pre-meeting
  4. Stage 4: use the review and planning meeting to go over your performance and set goals
  5. Stage 5: the appraisal report should only be shared with those who need to see it
  6. Different types of headship use different appraisal methods

This article is based on The Education (School Teachers’ Appraisal) (England) Regulations 2012, the DfE's teacher appraisal model policy, and advice from our HR expert Ruth Alinek.

The law and guidance applies to maintained schools only. Academy trusts are free to determine their own appraisal arrangements – check your appraisal policy to find out your requirements. 

Stage 1: review your own performance 

In good time before the review and planning meeting, review your performance against your objectives and any standards that have been agreed. In maintained schools, this should include the Teachers’ Standards and the Headteachers’ Standards.

Your objectives and the Teachers’ Standards: use the template below to track your objectives and collect evidence of your progress against them, and how you've met the Teachers’ Standards.

Note that a big difference compared with the previous (2015) version