Recent amendments to the Department’s Employee Performance Procedures document have raised concerns from members.
In section 3.1, under the section headed “Guidance” there is advice about the use of video recordings as “evidence” in performance management proceedings and the need for them to be retained in the event of ‘possible sub-standard performance’.
The SSTUWA is concerned that the wording of this guidance conveys a sense of retrospectivity as to the use of video recordings. It implies that videos made for one purpose may be used for another purpose at some future time.
This is not so. Where teachers consent to the making of a classroom observation video they should specify the purpose for which the video is to be used. The video should be destroyed once it has served that purpose.
A video may only be made and used for the purposes of a sub-standard performance process by agreement – for that specific purpose, at the time such a process is undertaken. If such an agreement is made, then the video should be retained for the purpose of that particular process only.
The SSTUWA has raised this matter with the department and is seeking a rewording of the document to remove any ambiguity.
