Core Expectations
- All staff with student-facing roles must engage in PRE annually.
- PRE includes peer observation of teaching (POT) as an element which may be required (School/Instittute and/or PSRB determined).
- PRE is owned by the individual, supported by peers acting as critical friends.
- PRE outcomes should be discussed at appraisal (PDR) and inform future development.
- PRE should be simple, efficient, and aligned with existing processes (e.g., module review, CPD, curriculum design).
- PRE should lead to dissemination of good practice and support professional recognition.
Key Updates and Priorities
In 2025, we undertook a review of PRE and determined the following updates and priorities:
1. Reframe PRE as Developmental, Not Compliance:
- Shift perception from “tick-box” to holistic enhancement.
- Use case studies and positive framing to illustrate impact.
- Consider extending the PRE cycle to 24 months for deeper reflection and ongoing development.
2. Integrate PRE into Institutional Processes
- Align with PDR, Academic Careers Framework, TEF, SoTL, student feedback, and quality enhancement.
- Ensure apprenticeship provision is included and observation (also known as learning visits) is included.
3. Promote Cross-Disciplinary & Inclusive Practice
- Encourage pairings across disciplines and grades. Explore cross School/Institute and/or College pairings.
- Use PRE to foster collaborative learning communities in your School/Institute.
4. Build a Supportive Feedback Culture
- Provide support for feedback and reflective practice.
- Celebrate and share good practice.
5. Ensure Structured Follow-Up Use skills matrices to identify development needs.
- Follow up with School/Institute sharing and individually in PDR conversations.
- Collect themes and key learning to inform college and university priorities.
6. Make PRE Outcomes Visible and Actionable
- Link PRE to SoTL projects, internal conferences, and module/course review and development.
- Encourage dissemination via blogs, case studies, and presentations.
Leadership Actions
Determine your School/Institute approach for the academic year: Agree the areas of focus, the approach to facilitating pairing, the role of POT, and set-up a method of collecting outcomes. Discuss the approach with your College ADLTSS.
Communicate clearly: Ensure staff understand PRE is developmental, supportive, and includes more than just POT.
Support pairings: Facilitate cross-college and cross-discipline collaborations.
Embed in strategy: Align PRE with school/institute priorities and CPD planning.
Monitor and follow up: Ensure outcomes are collected, discussed at PDRs, course team meetings, and inform future planning.
Celebrate and share: Promote dissemination of PRE outcomes and good practice within your school/insititute, College, and wider.
Awareness Gaps for Leaders to Address
- Conflation of the full PRE process with the element of Peer Observation of Teaching (POT). POT can be an element of PRE. PRE is much broader than POT.
- Lack of follow-up and impact tracking.
- Inconsistent implementation within schools and institutes.
- Limited visibility and/or valuing of outcomes within schools and institutes.
