A lot of PDP queries stem from a misunderstanding of how PDP and appraisal periods work on SOAR. Below is an example/description of how it works.
Example: Appraisal meeting is created for 2023/2024.
Appraisal periods on SOAR are used for reporting purposes and count from April to March.
When drafting Form 3, the PDP Year Ahead section allows the appraisee to propose what learning they wish to do for the year ahead. This will populate their Form 4 section C (PDP) once the appraisal forms are submitted.
After the appraisal meeting, changes may be required to the proposed learning items following discussions with the appraiser. Either the appraiser can change directly on Form 4 (easiest), or the appraisee can amend their draft Form 3 PDP and then resubmit the appraisal forms (which will refresh Form 4).
When Form 4 for 2023/2024 has been signed off, the agreed learning needs from section C will act as the appraisee's PDP for the year ahead. This is transferred accordingly to Form 3 PDP Review section, and is listed as 2023/2024 to show what was agreed at that appraisal. The appraisee won't be able to change the text as this is taken from Form 4, but they can add comments and mark if any of the items had been achieved, progressing, or not continuing.
The idea is the appraisee can access and update the agreed PDP throughout the year.
Next appraisal in 2024/2025:
When the time comes for the next appraisal (2024/2025), again the appraisee would propose new learning items for the year ahead, and also carry forward any items from that year that have not been marked as achieved (e.g. 2-year course). When the appraisal forms are submitted, the new proposed learnings and PDP from last year will automatically populate across to Form 4 section C. When Form 4 has been signed off, the newly added learning needs, along with any "unachieved" items from the last PDP, will populate the Form 3 PDP Review section.
Below diagram and PowerPoint outlines how the workflow works:
This page was last updated on: 01/11/2023
