1. Can any educator refuse to be evaluated in terms of the QMS?
No. The employer has every right to evaluate the performance of its employees provided there is an agreed process and instrument.
2. Who is responsible to conduct the appraisal of an educator?
The immediate supervisor of a post level 1 educator (i.e. his/her departmental head). In the absence of the latter, the deputy principal or principal can conduct the appraisal.
Similarly, the deputy principal or principal appraises a departmental head while a deputy principal is appraised by the principal. The circuit manager, as the immediate supervisor of the principal is responsible for his/her appraisal.
3. Which appraisals are compulsory?
Mid-year and annual appraisals are compulsory for all educators in a school.
5. Where are mid-year and annual scores recorded?
They each have theyr own screens.
6. Which documents are submitted to the District Office?
The composite score sheet is completed and signed by each educator and his/her supervisor after the annual appraisal. These individual score sheets are attached to Annexure E 1 (i.e. the summative score sheet for the school) and submitted to the district office.
7. Should the appraisal documents be filed?
Yes. The school should file the documents for a period of five (5) years. They are saved digitally for the same amount of time.
8. Is it necessary for the appraiser or immediate supervisor to write a report after the mid-year and annual evaluations?
No. The completed instrument serves as a report.
9. Which Performance Standards are used during the lesson observations of Post Level 1 and Post Level 2 educators?
QMS Performance Standards 1, 2 and 3 of the appraisal instruments for Post Level 1 and 2 educators.
10. Which Performance Standard/s are used for the lesson observation of a deputy principal and principal?
Performance Standard 1 (Criterion 1) of the appraisal instruments for Post Level 3 and 4 educators
11. Do all educators complete a work plan with their immediate supervisor?
No. Only members of the School Management Team (SMT) are required to agree on and sign a work plan with their immediate supervisors.
12. What are the requirements for a performance indicator in a work plan?
A good performance indicator (PI) must have a measure, a target, a data source/evidence and reporting frequency: e.g. “Percentage of learners who arrive to school on time.”
(The data source/evidence will be the attendance register; the measurable target may be set at 97% while the reporting frequency could be monthly).
13. What is the difference between ‘P 1A’ and ‘P 1B’ during the appraisal of principals?
These terms are strictly used during the appraisal process to differentiate between Principals (P) who teach for more or less than 30 % of the scheduled teaching time in their schools. The two terms should not be confused with the grading of a principal’s post.
14. If only three Performance Standards are used for the classroom evaluation of Post Level 1 and Post Level 2 educators – what happens to the other performance standards and when are these evaluated?
The other Performance Standards are used for aspects outside classroom observation. These Performance Standards need not necessarily be evaluated on one day.
These standards may be evaluated on a continuous basis over a period of time. It involves observation, monitoring and feedback by the educator’s immediate supervisor.
It also entails the provision of evidence by the educator (e.g. Documents, Educator Files and other information).
15. Does the QMS require an educator to complete a template for his/her development needs?
No. The development needs of educators as agreed to and recorded on the lesson observation instrument as well as the appraisal instrument during the mid-year and annual appraisals are addressed by the School Management Team.
Development needs that still need to be addressed are recorded on the Summative Score Sheet for the School (i,e, Annexure E 1).
16. Who does the supervisor/Immediate supervisor refer to?
The supervisor/Immediate supervisor refers to a member of the School Management Team (SMT).