Using insight from teachers’ stories of Professional Update to enhance policy and practice
Team
Professor Aileen Kennedy (lead)
CenTCS
University of Glasgow
Kat Brack
CenTCS
University of Glasgow
Debbie McLeod
University of Strathclyde
Abstract
Funded by the Scottish College for Educational Leadership (SCEL) Legacy Fund and the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS), this study investigated teachers’ lived experiences of the Professional Update (PU) process, a statutory requirement for all registered teachers in Scotland since 2014. While PU was designed to support professional learning and uphold professional standards, limited qualitative research has explored how it is experienced in practice. Findings reveal a disconnect between the developmental intentions of PU and teachers’ experiences of implementation. Participants commonly described Professional Review and Development/PU as a compliance-driven process focused on documentation and sign-off rather than meaningful professional learning. Hierarchical power relationships were often perceived to constrain honest dialogue, while valuable informal and self-directed learning was felt to be frequently overlooked. Participants also identified tensions between accountability and development, reflecting wider concerns within the literature on professional regulation. However, the narrative approach itself proved empowering, enabling teachers to articulate experiences and perspectives often absent from policy discourse. The study concludes that meaningful improvement requires not only procedural change but also a cultural shift towards trust, teacher agency, relational leadership, and a clearer articulation of PU’s core developmental purpose.
Keywords
Professional Update; professional review and development; accountability; narrative inquiry
Funder
-
SCEL Legacy Fund
- General Teaching Council Scotland