Now that Ted Wragg’s University of Exeter report on the impact of performance-related pay (PRP) on schools is about to be published, with its totally expected findings, isn’t it time to press the Department for Education and Skills on the actual costs of introducing the whole shambolic caravanserai?
Having endured, as a head, the introduction of PRP and the negative impact it had on staff morale - not to mention the personal stress levels of everyone concerned - it is indeed heartening to note that it has had no impact on teaching whatsoever except that some teachers, in schools which obviously were not running their own successful training programmes, were able to go on a few courses.
Would it not have been better, and infinitely cheaper, to introduce three more points on the pay scale with automatic biennial progression, unless a teacher is already on competence or disciplinary proceedings.
Oh, I forgot, that’s what we ended up with anyway!
Robert Newton (Retired headteacher) 5 Netherdale Close Sutton Coldfield
