Teacher appraisal occurs in two specific instances: To gain or renew registration to teach, and as part of the employer’s performance management processes for salary progression and professional learning. Teaching standards are well established, with the New Zealand Teachers Council (NZTC) holding the lead role in defining standards for the profession. Beginning teachers are well supported and registration processes appear to be consolidated. Overall, teachers are seen as trusted professionals with a high degree of autonomy. However, regular teacher appraisal processes as part of performance management appears still variable across schools. The limited extent of input in teacher appraisal that is external to the school raises a number of challenges and the fact that there are two different sets of teaching standards risks sending conflicting messages about teaching. Certain elements of teacher appraisal could also be better aligned. For example, there is room to improve the links between teacher appraisal and professional development and between registration processes and teacher career structures.