Action Research: developing a reflective community of practice

Appraisals, done well, can be at the heart of moving a school forward. My experience, however, is that they are more often part of a cycle in a busy schedule of activities in the autumn term under ‘performance management’. They are increasingly viewed by staff as generic, linked to whole-school priorities and pupil outcomes. As a headteacher, I was looking for a more personalised approach that could have a lasting impact on pupil outcomes by having a sharper focus on what was happening in the classroom. We needed a change in culture so that teachers felt more able to take risks, learn from each other and be actively engaged in continuously reflecting on and refining their teaching. With this in mind, I set out to develop a reflective approach linking appraisals with professional development. I wanted teachers to have the chance to create their own research projects within a professional learning community (PLC) so that we could ‘establish a culture where all teachers improve,