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Appraisal

 

 

Appraisal window for 2026 is now open 

The usual appraisal window runs from May to 30 November 2026.

2026 update 

For the 2026 appraisal round, appraisal discussions should place a clear focus on performance, delivery and contribution to University priorities, alongside development and career aspirations. 

All staff should agree one or more objectives that align with the University priorities for 2026/27. These objectives may include: 

  • Individual objectives linked to the person’s role and contribution; 
  • Shared or collective objectives agreed with other team members; 
  • Objectives that support collaboration across organisational boundaries; and/or 
  • Objectives that contribute to the work or priorities of another team, where appropriate. 
  • Where an appraisal has already been finalised within the current appraisal window, it can be re-opened in the appraisal system so that objectives can be added or amended to reflect the University-wide expectation that staff objectives align with the 2026/27 priorities. Please e-mail ITS service desk 

The Personal Appraisal and Development discussion should:

  • Review progress, performance and delivery against previous objectives;
  • Agree clear objectives for the year ahead, ensuring a shared understanding of expected performance, delivery and alignment with University, local and team priorities;
  • Celebrate success and recognise contribution;  
  • Identify support, development needs and barriers to achieving objectives;
  • Discuss how strengths can be best used and developed, and explore longer-term career aspirations. 

For guidance and examples of writing clear, measurable objectives see the guidance below. 

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Who should have an appraisal?

Queen Mary’s Personal Appraisal and Development applies to members of staff who:

  • have successfully completed their probation period (before this, use the probation procedure)
  • have a contract longer than a year

Staff are added to the appraisal system in the year following the end of their probation. They are expected to have objectives set during their final probation review, covering the year ahead.

The Personal Appraisal and Development does not apply to those with honorary status, and those who have been appraised as part of the joint academic and clinical appraisal scheme, or clinical staff who require revalidation (the online Trust system should be used for this purpose).

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Guidance and support

We have four guides.  These apply to both appraisers and appraisees.  The contents are similar, but they have been tailored with examples for different groups of staff:

We hope that the system is intuitive - there are guidelines to help at Appraisal System Guidelines (Gen2) [PDF 562KB].

During discussions of career aspirations with Professional Services staff, you may find the Professional Services Career Development resources useful.  

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Appraisal learning and support

The Frequently Asked Questions page covers many additional questions you might have, for example:

  • How can I agree an objective when I don’t know what the outcomes of my research will be?
  • What if promotion opportunities are scarce in my area? How can we plan career and development?
  • Can someone other than the line manager be the appraiser?

We also offer training: Start with our e-learning, covering appraisal skills for both appraisers and appraisees. Following this, you can choose to deepen your skills by attending one of our practical workshops, available separately for appraisers and appraisees. Find out more on CPD.  

If you have specific queries or concerns about the appraisal process, we encourage you to book time with an Organisational & Professional Development colleague to discuss them.

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