Professional Update FAQs

Professional Update is an ongoing process, including:

• self-evaluation using the Professional Standards
• Professional Learning
• Professional Review and Development
• confirmation (sign-off) of your engagement every five years.

Read more detailed information about the Professional Update process.

The deadline for PU sign-off is 1 July of your PU sign-off year.

You can submit your PU for sign-off at any point during your PU sign-off year. We encourage you to complete sign-off as soon as you are able to within the 12-month period.

You may find completing the Professional Update process by the 1 July deadline hard.

We accept the following reasons to extend your sign-off period:

• career breaks
• extended illness
• parental leave
• you are a supply teacher and not working often.

You must ask your employer for a deferral.

We usually grant deferrals for 1 year.

You should request your deferral at the start of your PU sign-off year.

How to request a Deferral

MyPL Users

You can request a deferral through MyPL if you have an associated reviewer. Your reviewer can approve this deferral through MyPL.

Gateway CPD Manager Users

You can request a deferral using Gateway CPD Manager.

You can make a Direct Submission if: 

• You work outside Scotland 
• You are not working but want to stay on the Register of Teachers 

• We have not approved your employer’s professional learning process. 

You should not make a Direct Submission if: 

• You are absent from work with illness or on parental leave. You should contact your line manager and ask for a deferral. Read about the Deferral Process. 
• You are a supply teacher. Local authorities should support supply teachers through Professional Update. If you need advice on who to contact at your local authority, get in touch with us. 

You will complete Direct Submission using MyPL. 

You need to: 

• Use MyPL to record your professional learning. 
• Use MyGTCS to keep your contact and employment details up to date; 
• Complete ongoing professional learning; 
• Take part in your employer’s annual review process; 

• Use the Professional Standards to self-evaluate; 
• Sign-off every 5 years by following the direct submission process. 

You will receive an email from us after a panel has reviewed your Direct Submission.

This will either:

• confirm sign-off of your Professional Update submission
• request a resubmission and provide details on what you need to update for the resubmission.

You need to:

• Make sure your contact and employment details are up to date using MyGTCS.
• Maintain and update your Professional Learning Record
• Discuss and evaluate your learning with your reviewer through Professional Review and Development process
• Confirm your engagement

MyPL Users

You will complete your PU sign-off by logging in to MyGTCS and using MyPL.

Gateway CPD Manager

If your local authority uses Gateway CPD Manager, you will complete your PU sign-off using that system.

Employed by an organisation which is validated for Professional Update

If you work for an employer that GTC Scotland has validated for Professional Update, you will complete your Professional Learning record in their chosen system and complete your PU sign-off using MyPL.

Employed by an organisation which is not validated for Professional Update (e.g. a charity or an employer outside Scotland)

You will complete your PU sign-off by Direct Submission. Find out more about the Direct Submission process.

Your MyGTCS username is your GTC Scotland registration number. Use this page to request a password reset.

If you have previously lapsed from the register your MyGTCS account may have been closed. If this is the case, contact our Professional Update team including your Registration Number and/or date of birth.

To submit your Professional Update sign-off through MyPL, you need to create an association with the line manager or headteacher who has supported you through the Professional Review and Development process. They will use MyPL to sign-off your PU when you submit it.

You should request an association with your reviewer through your MyPL record.

When you request an association, your colleague will receive an email to advise you have requested an association.

A ‘people I’m reviewing’ tab should also appear on their MyPL record.

If your reviewer has any issues with following the link in the email, or this tab does not appear, please Contact us through our webform. Please include your Registration Number and Date of Birth.

Your employer may be able to direct you towards appropriate professional learning that they offer.

Read about professional learning.

GTC Scotland has developed resources you can use as professional learning opportunities:

• Professional Values
• Learning for Sustainability
• Additional Support Needs
• Equality and Diversity
• National Framework for Inclusion
• Self-evaluation

Advice for College Lecturers.

We recognise that some supply teachers can have difficulty accessing aspects of professional learning and the Professional Review and Development process.

Local authorities have systems in place to support supply teachers through PU sign-off.

Please with your local authority in the first instance, to see what the arrangements are. If you work in more than one local authority, you can nominate one to be your employer.