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BlueSky Education

BlueSky Education

4.6/5

BlueSky Education

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What is BlueSky Education?

Link appraisal, professional development, quality assurance and school evaluation in one seamless solution

BlueSky Education’s award-winning platform helps school leaders to strengthen appraisal and performance reviews processes, and gain a deeper understanding of the impact of continued professional development on classroom practice and school improvement. Linking school quality assurance with holistic intelligence tools allows leaders to easily evaluate progress, while staff are engaged through a rich, ongoing professional dialogue.

BlueSky Education allows schools to design a tailored approach to teacher appraisal that aligns with the culture of the organisation, whether the school uses annual performance reviews or more frequent feedback conversations throughout the
cycle. The flexible platform encourages staff to align their own professional objectives to school and trust priorities and helps to create an open and continuous dialogue with their coach or manager that supports incremental development.

BlueSky is used by thousands of schools, trusts and groups around the world. It is the leading online solution of its kind – and has previously won top awards including a Bett Award for Leadership and Management.

More from BlueSky:

BlueSky Learning: Online CPD for teachers and school staff

BlueSky Learning is an affordable online library offering over 150 hours of high-quality, flexible learning for your entire school workforce. Led by leading practitioners, each research-based module provides focused interactive learning to enhance current knowledge, develop new skills and improve strategies for classroom teaching and behaviour management.

Opal Review: Develop your people through facilitated 360° performance reviews

Opal Review is a simple and intuitive facilitated 360° feedback tool which supports a developmental approach to performance reviews for all staff in an organisation. Opal Review is designed to support a forward-focused performance review strategy. Organisations can use the global competency frameworks or create bespoke review frameworks that align
with their culture and strategy.

Get in touch with the BlueSky team today to book your free demo today.

Educational Impact

improve school processes
88%
provide school data
81%
reduce teacher workload
69%
improve teaching efficiency
66%
improve teacher wellbeing
57%

Additional evidence

Nov 2021

The Bemrose School, Derby, UK

Download case study

Nov 2021

Doha College, Qatar

Download case study

Aug 2022

Advance Learning Partnership, County Durham

Download case study

Aug 2022

Watford Grammar School for Girls

Download case study

Aug 2022

Congleton High School, Cheshire

Download case study

Aug 2022

St Stephen’s C of E Primary School, Bradford

Download case study

Oct 2022

Newton International School – Doha, Qatar

Download case study

Jan 2023

Dulwich College Singapore

Download case study

Jan 2023

City Learning Trust, Stoke-On-Trent

Download case study

Dec 2023

Saracens High School. London

Download case study
CompanyBusiness Name: BlueSky Education
HQ Location: United Kingdom
Founded: 2001
Age Range0-4, 5-7, 8-10, 11-13, 14-16, 17-18, 19+
Features360 FeedbackAction ResearchAppraisal ProcessBespoke FrameworksCareer DevelopmentCoaching ConversationsCollaborationContinued Professional DevelopmentCpdDeep DivesEarly Career FrameworkEvidence Profile Individual PortfolioIndividual Progress SummaryInstant ReportsInternational StandardsIsiJournalLearning WalksLesson ObservationNational StandardsOfsted InspectionPerformance ReviewsPerformance ManagementProfessional DevelopmentProfessional LearningProfessional ObjectivesQuality AssuranceReal-time ReportingReview MeetingsSchool DevelopmentSchool ImprovementSefSelf-evaluation FrameworkStaff DevelopmentStakeholder ReportsStrategic PlanningTeacher StandardsTalent ManagementTrust-wide Reporting
LanguagesEnglish
AccessibilityModerate features
PoliciesTerms of ServicePrivacy PolicyGDPR
RequirementsInternet - Low BandwidthInternet - High BandwidthDesktop - MacDesktop - WindowsDesktop - ChromebookMobile - iPhoneMobile - iPadMobile - WindowsMobile - Android

Browser-based online platform: Access via any device with an internet connection.

Single sign-on (SSO) with Office 365 and Google.

MIS integration via Wonde.

Set Up

Set up usually takes less than 24 hours.

Our Customer Success managers will work with you to support set up implementation aligned to your school's requirements. We work with you to plan how the system will be set up to meet your school's requirements and agree your strategic goals for using BlueSky. We can support building templates for pro-formas such as Lesson Observation forms and other quality assurance processes. The set up session is usually around one hour and following this, we aim to have your school up and running within one working day.

TrainingLive OnlineWebinarsDocumentationVideos

Tailored online planning and initial training is included in your membership. BlueSky is designed to be very easy to get started and intuitive for all staff to use for day-to-day processes.
We provide key leadership staff with online training and resources to ensure training can be disseminated to all staff. We offer periodic review calls to ensure you get the most out of BlueSky, in line with your desired outcomes and school priorities.

SupportEmailFAQs/ForumKnowledge BasePhone Support

All school staff can access unlimited technical support via email or telephone, and can access our comprehensive knowledge bank which includes training materials, guidance, FAQs and video resources.

Home Learning

School must create the account.

TagsAppraisalSchool DevelopmentProfessional DevelopmentTeacher AppraisalLeadership Performance ManagementTeacher DevelopmentProfessional learningWorkforce appraisalTalent ManagementSuccession Planning

BlueSky Education Pricing


Pricing Plans

Paid Subscription

BlueSky Education pricing starts from £350 / year

Pricing plan available upon request.

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BlueSky Education Reviews

4.6 out of 5

from 59 Verified Reviews

BlueSky Education has collected 9 reviews in the past 6 months

User rating

Excellent
40
Great
19
Average
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BlueSky Education
Tom Hardy

Assistant Network Manager

Welland Park Academy, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Used BlueSky Education monthly for 5 years+

Jan 2024

Great, thanks!

Tom Hardy found BlueSky Education:
  • Moderately reduces teacher workload
    Clear training and improvement instructions saves time
  • Moderately provides school data
    Puts all feedback in one place making it easier to access
  • Significantly improves teaching efficiency
    Targets and CPD is summarised and made easier to manage for all staff
  • Moderately improves teacher wellbeing
    Increase in wellbeing from praise via the BlueSky platform
  • Significantly improves school processes
    Praise and targets are easily identified and managed via the platform
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Simon Jackson

Deputy Headteacher

Prince Henry's Grammar School, England

Used BlueSky Education weekly for 5 years+

Dec 2023

Great potential, but system needs improving. Things like mandatory focus on an observation (I don't want one, it is in the title of the form), mandatory training evaluations (short and long term) are really frustrating. I would like to be able to personalise these forms more and remove some of these fields.

Reply from BlueSky Education:Thank you for your review Simon - we appreciate your feedback. We have made many areas of BlueSky customisable and are working on a number of updates for the new year so hope to be able to address this area soon.
Simon Jackson found BlueSky Education:
  • Does not significantly reduce teacher workload
    The appraisal system is good for record keeping, but is clunky for staff. We are often following up wrong dates/ 'you have to tick this box for this to happen' etc. It could be simpler I think.
  • Moderately provides school data
    Useful to see metrics for teacher development
  • Slightly improves teaching efficiency
  • Does not significantly improve teacher wellbeing
    It is a lot of chasing up for leaders, when staff can't follow the systems. Also, insisting on certain fields is really frustrating eg you don't seem to be able to turn off a mandatory evaluation for training. Sometimes I don't want staff to evaluate it.
  • Moderately improves school processes
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BlueSky Education
Sally Filek

Performance & Development Coordinator

Used BlueSky Education daily for 5 years+

Dec 2023

Very good system, but it would be made easier if as Administrator you could clear completion of say objectives if impact statements were missing without having to contact Blue Sky. Also to reinstate leavers who return.

Reply from BlueSky Education:Thank you very much for your review Sally!
Sally Filek found BlueSky Education:
  • Slightly reduces teacher workload
  • Significantly provides school data
  • Moderately improves teaching efficiency
  • Slightly improves teacher wellbeing
  • Moderately improves school processes
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BlueSky Education
Paige Frape

Communications and Admin Officer

Used BlueSky Education monthly for 7–12 months

Nov 2023

Customer support area rsponds quickly, easy application to use

Reply from BlueSky Education:Thanks you very much for the 5 star Review Paige!
Paige Frape found BlueSky Education:
  • Slightly reduces teacher workload
    smoother process of appraisal process
  • Slightly provides school data
  • Does not significantly improve teaching efficiency
  • Slightly improves teacher wellbeing
    Application is easy to use
  • Slightly improves school processes
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BlueSky Education
India

Assistant Head

Used BlueSky Education daily for 3-4 years

Nov 2023

It can take time to embed, some of the systems ( for example logging CPD ) could be more flexible and easy to bespoke to school. Staff can find it difficult to use, but from an admin side it's great

Reply from BlueSky Education:Thank you so much for taking the time to review us, India.
India found BlueSky Education:
  • Slightly reduces teacher workload
    Streamline CPD request process
  • Significantly provides school data
    PM objectives, colleagues self review, lesson observation
  • Moderately improves teaching efficiency
    Link to CPD priorities
  • Does not significantly improve teacher wellbeing
  • Significantly improves school processes
    Easy to monitor
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Anton McLean

Head of School

Kingsbury High School, England

Used BlueSky Education daily for 4-6 months

Nov 2023

It's a very useful system that has helped with efficiency. There are 1 or 2 things that could be done better.

Reply from BlueSky Education:Thank you for your review Anton, we appreciate the feedback.
Anton McLean found BlueSky Education:
  • Moderately reduces teacher workload
    Not necessarily workload, but efficiency of systems
  • Moderately provides school data
    Observation reports; Appraisal objectives
  • Slightly improves teaching efficiency
    Observation reports
  • Does not significantly improve teacher wellbeing
    Maybe CPD, but difficult to quantify
  • Significantly improves school processes
    Appraisal, CPD
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BlueSky Education
Lawrence Collins

Headteacher

Used BlueSky Education monthly for 1-2 years

Nov 2023

Reply from BlueSky Education:Thank you for your comments Lawrence!
Lawrence Collins found BlueSky Education:
  • Significantly reduces teacher workload
    Negates need for excessive 'form filling' and sharing of paper work with line managers / appraisers. Both would usually involve email exchanges and this increases the risk of conversations not being captured in a timely manner.
  • Slightly provides school data
    Informs evaluation of whole school targets on the development plan (mapping of appraisal expectations against the focus areas for school development)
  • Slightly improves teaching efficiency
  • Significantly improves teacher wellbeing
    Teacher's feel valued and their voice captured. Transparency on the information shared helps teachers to 'own' their personal development.
  • Moderately improves school processes
    One system for evidencing and recording of whole appraisal and CPD
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Bernard Cassidy

Head Teacher

St George's primary School, Wallasey, England

Used BlueSky Education weekly for 5 years+

Nov 2023

Easy to use, good value and outstanding customer support.

Reply from BlueSky Education:Thank you for a fantastic review Bernard!
Bernard Cassidy found BlueSky Education:
  • Significantly reduces teacher workload
    Simple record keeping. Allows meaningful discussion on appraisal with low level bureaucracy for teachers.
  • Significantly provides school data
    Focused on school shared outcomes. Also provides leaders with internal data on CPD, self evaluation and appraisal at a touch of a button.
  • Significantly improves teaching efficiency
    Clear links to professional standards and frameworks and helped us focus our staff on mechanism for improving teaching and learning.
  • Significantly improves teacher wellbeing
    Records discussions on well being and ensured a whole school, systemic focus.
  • Significantly improves school processes
    Simplified processes and communication for Call aspects of professional development.
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Leyla

Head of Professional Learning and Talent

Windsor Academy Trust, England

Used BlueSky Education monthly for 5 years+

Nov 2023

Great to use for appraisal functionality

Reply from BlueSky Education:Thank you so much Leyla, wonderful to get your feedback!
Leyla found BlueSky Education:
  • Does not significantly reduce teacher workload
    No
  • Significantly provides school data
    Accessible information on staff appraisal objectives available through the reporting function
  • Does not significantly improve teacher wellbeing
    No
  • Does not significantly improve teacher knowledge
    Not aware of how it can be used for this function
  • Significantly improves school processes
    Online functionality of recording and tracking staff appraisal objectives and reviews
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BlueSky Education
Chris Wilshaw

Deputy Headteacher

Used BlueSky Education weekly for 4-6 months

Oct 2022

BlueSky have been very supportive in producing a bespoke appraisal system that fits us as a school. They have always been very quick to respond to queries and understanding that we've not yet mastered the system. Nothing is ever too much trouble. We are delighted to be able to have the overview we now do of appraisal and development plans, and that this can be seen so quickly and efficiently. I wish we'd moved across years ago!

Chris Wilshaw found BlueSky Education:
  • Moderately reduces teacher workload
    No need for printing appraisal, taking to someone different in the school to hand in a paper copy. Line managers can see all the targets of people they line manage easily on one screen.
  • Moderately provides school data
    Easy to gain an overview of the targets all school staff have set. Can now track which teacher standards staff are focussing on, and which school development priorities their targets link to. This would have taken a lot of work with our previous (paper based) system.
  • Moderately improves teacher wellbeing
    Reduced time spent on emailing and printing versions of paper appraisal back and forth.
  • Slightly improves teacher knowledge
  • Significantly improves school processes
    Much easier and quicker to see whether all appraisals, targets and development plans are complete. Line managers and SLT can now simultaneously see and read these, without passing paper copies between them.
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Stefanie

Head of Governance

Advance Learning Partnership, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Used BlueSky Education weekly for 5 years+

Aug 2022

I have used BlueSky for several years and find it really supports staff development. It also aligns objectives to the priorities of the School/Trust. BlueSky provides a platform that helps staff to feel that they are personally being invested in, making staff feel valued.

Stefanie found BlueSky Education:
  • Slightly reduces teacher workload
    Helps support a paperless system. Pulling everything together into one report for analysis
  • Moderately provides school data
    The system provides data of CPD impact allowing for further support where required. Also provides data on learning walks and mentoring/coaching, which supports with teacher development
  • Moderately improves teacher wellbeing
    The system provides staff with an area to reflect on practice to help staff with future opportunities. It allows staff to know they are valued, through coaching, appraisals and CPD.
  • Slightly improves teacher knowledge
  • Moderately improves school processes
    All schools use the system so there is a streamlined process across the Trust. Reports provide efficient information to help analyse requirements across the schools/trust. E.G. CPD impact supports future CPD training requirements.
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Joanne

Associate Assistant Headteacher

Used BlueSky Education monthly for 3-4 years

May 2022

It has helped to streamline our performance management systems. It’s easy to use and intuitive allowing leaders to have oversight of a variety of school processes in one place.

Joanne found BlueSky Education:
  • Moderately reduces teacher workload
    It’s quick and easy to navigate.
  • Significantly provides school data
    Quality Assurance data is easy to retrieve and in a sensible format.
  • Significantly improves school processes
    Centralised CPL systems
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Mandy Alexander

Teacher Development Manager

Used BlueSky Education daily for 5 years+

Mar 2022

Mandy Alexander found BlueSky Education:
  • Slightly reduces teacher workload
  • Moderately provides school data
    Data on appraisal and learning walk thrus informs teacher development.
  • Slightly improves school processes
    Appraisal process. Analysis of observations and CPD imapct
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Kieran

Headteacher

Churston Ferrers Grammar School, England

Used BlueSky Education daily for 5 years+

Mar 2022

Always been happy with the concept, product, support and development

Kieran found BlueSky Education:
  • Significantly reduces teacher workload
    Feedback from observations
  • Moderately provides school data
    CPD outcomes / engagement
  • Significantly improves school processes
    Systematizing professional dialogue
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Deb Poole

Director of Staff Development

City Learning Trust, England

Used BlueSky Education daily for 7–12 months

Feb 2022

The support team are brilliant; the system is very user-friendly (despite my several attempts to break it) and the possibilities are endless with the fact you can make everything bespoke to your setting. Whenever I can't figure stuff out (often) or how to do something (often) the team are always on hand to remind / help / support or find a clever work around that does the job better than I'd hoped. They're FABULOUS. Corinne, our main person, holds a) our Trust and b) my sanity together.

Deb Poole found BlueSky Education:
  • Does not significantly reduce teacher workload
    no, sorry
  • Significantly provides school data
    The ability to develop our own observation proformas, own ranking scales and then a pie chart afterwards is just MINT
  • Significantly improves school processes
    The link between appraisal, CPD and observations
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Uzma Zaffar

Vice Principal - Quality Assurance

Doha College, Qatar

Used BlueSky Education daily for 5 years+

Feb 2022

Fantastic service

Uzma Zaffar found BlueSky Education:
  • Does not significantly reduce teacher workload
    NA
  • Significantly provides school data
    CPD data PD Data
  • Significantly improves school processes
    CPD needs and requirements PDs Probation period reports Lesson Observations Overview Statements
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Charlie Larrington-Vandy

Lead Practitioner of Teaching and Learning

Queen Elizabeth's School Dorset, England

Used BlueSky Education weekly for 5 years+

Feb 2022

There are still some things I believe that could be more editable to create really bespoke uses for our school.

Charlie Larrington-Vandy found BlueSky Education:
  • Moderately reduces teacher workload
    Paperwork over duplicating learning walks is gone!
  • Moderately provides school data
    We use it to see on whole school impact of new initiatives
  • Moderately improves school processes
    learning walks are easily monitored and tracked
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Livvy Black

Assistant Headteacher

The Radclyffe School, England

Used BlueSky Education weekly for 4-6 months

Feb 2022

It's brilliant especially with the trainer input

Livvy Black found BlueSky Education:
  • Moderately reduces teacher workload
    Reduced paper work for applying for CPD and lesson observations
  • Moderately provides school data
    QA data
  • Significantly improves school processes
    Streamlining QA
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Sonia

Appraisal Coordinator

Newton, Qatar

Used BlueSky Education daily for 4-6 months

Feb 2022

It's a game changer

Sonia found BlueSky Education:
  • Moderately reduces teacher workload
    Less paperwork
  • Significantly provides school data
    All reports and percentages lead us to close gaps with the right cpds
  • Significantly improves school processes
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Brian Crombie-Fisher

HR Director

Wade Deacon Trust, England

Used BlueSky Education occasionally for 5 years+

Feb 2022

Brian Crombie-Fisher found BlueSky Education:
  • Moderately reduces teacher workload
  • Moderately provides school data
  • Moderately improves school processes
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Kate Marchesi

Head

St. Martin's CofE VA Schools, England

Used BlueSky Education weekly for 4-6 months

Feb 2022

It started off well with regular meetings and conversations but not heard much in the last couple of months only to be told they are leaving.

Kate Marchesi found BlueSky Education:
  • Moderately reduces teacher workload
    Classroom observations and feedback
  • Does not provide school data
    None
  • Moderately improves school processes
    PMP
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Andrew Williams

Head of High School

Emirates International School Meadows, United Arab Emirates

Used BlueSky Education daily for 5 years+

Feb 2022

Thought my time working in three schools and using Bluesky the support has bee tremendous. Casper and her team have been incredibly supportive - especially when I have set this up in new schools. It also has a significant impact on school development, standardisation of activities as well as monitoring.

Andrew Williams found BlueSky Education:
  • Significantly reduces teacher workload
    Analysis of data collected is quick and easy
  • Significantly provides school data
    We recently used Bluesy as part of data collection for our annual inspection and as a result it supported our move from good to very good.
  • Significantly improves school processes
    Lesson observations, PD and Performance management are now streamlined through the whole school.
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Laura Pearson

Education Director for Training, Development and School Improvement

Aquinas Church of England Education Trust, England

Used BlueSky Education weekly for 3-4 years

Feb 2022

Some functions can be difficult to navigate - not always user-friendly

Laura Pearson found BlueSky Education:
  • Slightly reduces teacher workload
    Keeps appraisal information in one place.
  • Does not significantly provide school data
  • Moderately improves school processes
    Appraisal targets;observations
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Adam

Vice Principal - Sponsor Support

The Shared Learning Trust, England

Used BlueSky Education weekly for 5 years+

Feb 2022

Other products are now available which present similar functionality.

Adam found BlueSky Education:
  • Slightly reduces teacher workload
    Aids administration by collating evidence / observation / targets/ reviews all in one place.
  • Moderately provides school data
    Allows easy overview of custom QA strategies and PM progress.
  • Moderately improves school processes
    Allows all the above to be centrally located and reported upon
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jennese alozie

Director of Effectiveness and Performance

STEP Academy Trust, England

Used BlueSky Education monthly for 3-4 years

Feb 2022

The platform and the team of staff are just incredible and it has supported the Trust's success journey to date.

jennese alozie found BlueSky Education:
  • Significantly reduces teacher workload
    teachers have one place to store, update and upload all their professional development, career aspirations, evidence of impact and performance management. it also allows for further engagement with line managers and sharing resources with other teachers
  • Significantly provides school data
    Helps to improve pupil outcomes as we can regularly track actions taken, monitor impact to date and review/evaluate impact and make next step decisions all in one place - so efficient, user friendly and related to how well pupils achieve and make progress. To date, results in terms of pupil outcomes put the Trust in top 5%
  • Significantly improves school processes
    All central team and school based staff use the platform so unified approach across the Trust. Catering staff performance management and Heads of service evaluations of impact are all conducted across the Trust because of Blue sky platform. so much more efficient way to demonstrate and monitor and support processes that used to take us far too long and we were not getting an accurate cross Trust picture. I also means we are now finding even more creative and efficient ways to work with impact, from catering and IT to leadership development and premises
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