Initial setup requires Administrator access.
Quick Start
1
Enable the module
Go to Administration > Modules and enable Professional Development.
2
Assign a Performance Manager
Go to Administration > Users and assign the Performance Manager role to the appropriate member(s) of staff. Performance Managers oversee the appraisal process and quality-assure objectives across the school.
3
Open the module
Reload the page and select Professional Development from the sidebar to begin configuration.
4
Create Staff Types and add template objectives
Create Staff Types to group appraisals logically — for example: Teacher, Head of Year, Site Staff. For each type, add template objectives that appraisers can draw on during the initial objective-setting meeting.
5
Assign appraisers
Ensure every member of staff has an assigned appraiser. An appraiser must be in place before an appraisal record can be created for that member of staff.
Running the Appraisal Cycle
Once setup is complete, the appraisal cycle follows these four stages:Objective Setting
The appraiser and appraisee meet and agree objectives on the system. Objectives can be added individually, copied from the previous year, or selected from a template for the staff type. Each objective requires success criteria, evidence notes, and identified professional development needs.Interim Review
Part-way through the year, both parties add interim comments to each objective and agree the interim review on the system. Either the appraiser or appraisee can record comments first.Self Review
At year end, the appraisee writes a self-review for each objective. Once all self-reviews are complete, the appraisee submits the record — the appraiser receives an automatic notification that it is ready for final review.Final Review
The appraiser records a final outcome for each objective (Met / Partially Met / Not Met) and adds overall comments on strengths, areas for development, and a summary. The appraisee adds a final comment. The appraiser then completes the review, and a copy is emailed to both parties automatically.Managing Confidentiality
Use the confidentiality settings to control who can view sensitive appraisal records:- Mark an individual review as confidential to restrict access to the appraiser and appraisee only — the Performance Manager will not be able to view it.
- Mark an entire Staff Type as confidential (e.g. Senior Leadership) to ensure those appraisals are not visible to other system managers who hold the Performance Manager role.