Key elements of Professional Update

Engagement in the Professional Update (PU) process is a requirement for registration with GTC Scotland and is key to maintaining teacher professionalism.

PU is an ongoing process, but you are required to confirm your PU every 5 years.  

What is expected of you

On an ongoing basis

On an ongoing basis, you must:

• make sure your personal and employment details are up-to-date in MyGTCS (we recommend you check this at least annually)
• self-evaluate against the appropriate Professional Standards
• engage in ongoing professional learning
• maintain a reflective professional learning record and associated evidence of impact
• discuss and evaluate your learning with your PU reviewer through the Professional Review and Development process

Every 5 years

Every 5 years, you are required to confirm your engagement in the Professional Update process to maintain your registration.  

The second in our series of videos on PU focuses on the academic year in which a registrant is due to sign off their PU and talks you through the key things to be aware of during the course of that year. 

Your PU year timeline

We will confirm that it is your PU year by email around the 1 September. If you are a MyGTCS user, your PU status will also update to ‘Ongoing’ in the platform.

You are required to:

• carry out ongoing requirements for the PU process
• confirm your engagement

You must have your PU confirmed by 1 July of that academic year, but we encourage you to do this as soon as you are able to in your PU year.

How to submit your PU for sign-off

• If you are a MyGTCS user, complete your PU sign-off in MyGTCS 
• If you are a Gateway CPD manager user, complete your PU sign-off in Gateway 
• If you are employer has been validated for PU by GTC Scotland, complete your sign-off in MyGTCS 
• If your employer has not been validated for PU by GTC Scotland, complete your sign-off by Direct Submission 

If you are not sure which system to use to submit your PU for sign-off, please check with your employer.  

Declarations

When submitting your Professional Update for sign-off, you will confirm the following declaration:

I confirm that I have engaged in ongoing professional learning and reflected against the appropriate GTC Scotland Professional Standards. I have maintained a reflective record of professional learning and evidence of its impact on my thinking and professional actions. I have discussed this with my line manager as part of my Professional Review and Development process.

In addition, your line managers will also be asked to confirm engagement in the process and sign-off a similar statement:

I confirm that this teacher has engaged in ongoing professional learning and reflected against the appropriate GTC Scotland Professional Standards.  They have maintained a reflective record of professional learning and evidence of its impact on their thinking and professional actions. They have discussed this with me as their line manager as part of the Professional Review and Development process.