From performative to professional accountability: re-imagining ‘the field of judgment’ through teacher professional development

The rise of performative culture in education and intensifying forms test-based accountability have subjected teachers to a ubiquitous ‘field judgment’ through which they are held account. Within this context, professional development is consistently deployed as key solution stagnant or declining student outcomes. In paper, we examine how might be reimagined one approach known Quality Teaching Rounds (QTR). We draw on Foucault’s notion panopticism Ball’s influential writings performativity analyse interviews with 21 educators from 14 schools New South Wales, Australia, conducted during 2014–2015 randomised controlled trial. Participants highlighted the pervasiveness testing test results shaping their experience teaching system perpetual surveillance where numbers bite deep into practice. By contrast, participation QTR afforded rare spaces freedom within structure collaboratively focus pedagogy. argue meaningful can alter field judgment enable reclaim own terms, while maintaining clear