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Pay in Maintained Schools in England

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Latest Pay Update - April 2013

The Coalition Government's pay freeze has been implemented since September 2011 for all classroom teachers, headteachers and the wider education workforce in schools. 

NASUWT members in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have voted for a programme of action short of strike action and for strike action to challenge attacks on pay, pensions, working conditions and jobs. For further information, click the 'Industrial Action Latest' button on the right-hand side of the page.

The pay review body - the STRB - has published its 21st report on teachers' pay which makes a number of recommendations that the NASUWT believes will have an adverse effect on the profession. See the full STRB report and read the NASUWT's leaflets outlining the changes at www.nasuwt.org.uk/STRB.

The Joint NASUWT/NUT Pay Policy Checklist outlines provisions that must be incorporated into any revised pay policy for 2013-14.

The School Teachers’ Review Body

The School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) report and make recommendations to the Government on teachers’ pay. The STRB recommended a 2.3% increase in teachers' salaries from 1 September 2010. The previous Labour Government accepted this recommendation. The STRB was given no remit to make a recommendation on the pay of classroom teachers earning over £21,000 in 2011 or 2012 due to the Coalition Government's pay freeze for public sector workers.

In February 2013, the NASUWT submitted evidence to the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) on the matters referred to it by the Secretary of State for Education in his letter of 17 January 2013. The NASUWT’s submission not only addresses in detail the matter of how to apply the 2013 pay award and the specific issues set out in the Secretary of State’s remit letter but also makes the case for a pay award substantially above the Coalition Government’s 1% target.

NASUWT leaflets outlining the changes are available at www.nasuwt.org.uk/STRB.

Pay Scales

The pay scales for 2009-13 are available in the form of a Salary Card.

Teachers' Pay

The pay scale for teachers in maintained schools has six annual increments followed by a three point pay scale for post-threshold teachers. Advice on Threshold and Upper Pay Scale progression is contained below. Teachers with additional responsibilities are placed on one of the two levels of Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) payments. Teachers have the opportunity to apply for leadership posts, Advanced Skills Teacher posts and Excellent Teacher posts. Further information on the salary structure is contained in the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document. The Union has also produced advice concerning Pay and Career Progression. Teachers should be informed on 1st September each year of their pay in a pay statement. Model Pay Statements (new window) are available.

Further details about teachers' pay and conditions are contained within the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document.

The Union has also produced advice concerning Part-time teachers' pay.

Threshold and Upper Pay Spine Progression

Threshold assessment is open to all qualified teachers who:

  • have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS);
  • are employed as a teacher by a local authority or the governing body of a local authority maintained school under the terms of the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document; and,
  • are paid on point M6 of the main pay scale for qualified classroom teachers.

Teachers applying for threshold assessment will need to meet the threshold standards as outlined in the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document.

Members should be aware that on 1 September 2009 the arrangements for threshold assessment changed. Round 9 was the last opportunity for successful threshold applicants, who had been eligible for threshold progression for more than one year, to have their pay uplift backdated to the previous September. From Round 10 all successful applicants receive their pay uplift from the following 1 September.

The NASUWT has successfully campaigned to ensure that the process of threshold assessment is as light in terms of bureaucracy as possible. Applications must be submitted within the relevant school year.  In England, since 1 September 2009, assessment against the threshold standards for the vast majority of eligible teachers is made solely on the basis of the evidence contained in the performance management review statements covering the two year period leading up to their request for assessment. There are exceptions to this for teachers who, for good reason, are unable to provide the relevant statements.

Round 12 applications should have been made between 1 September 2011 and 31 October 2012. Deadlines for submitting requests for threshold assessments in Round 13 are:

  • teachers who are covered by the 2012 Appraisal Regulations or 2006 Performance Management Regulations must submit their requests between 1 September 2012 and 31 October 2013;
  • teachers employed in England who are not subject to the 2012 Appraisal Regulations or 2006 Performance Management Regulations must submit their requests between 1 September 2012 and 31 August 2013;
  • teachers employed in Wales must submit their requests between 1 September 2012 and 31 August 2013.

Successful assessments will lead to payment of the uplift and a move to the upper pay scale from 1 September 2012 for Round 12 and 1 September 2013 for Round 13.

Members should consider carefully when to make their election for assessment. 

Teachers wishing to apply should contact their school to request an application form. The DfE guidance for schools and a Round 13 Threshold Assessment Form is available on the Threshold Section of the DfE's website (new window). 

The NASUWT produces guidance for members on Crossing the Threshold, which includes information on Upper Pay Spine progression and a Threshold Reassessment Form checklist for applications where standards were deemed to be not yet met. This form should be returned to your Regional Centre.

Performance Management

The Coalition Government's new arrangements for performance management/appraisal and capability proceedings came into force from September 2012. Further information is available in the Performance Management - Latest News section of the website.

Pay Policy

Maintained Schools are required to have a pay policy that should be reviewed annually in consultation with staff and unions or when other changes occur to the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document to ensure it reflects the latest legal position. All the provisions of the Joint NASUWT/NUT Pay Policy Checklist must be incorporated into any revised pay policy.

Family Friendly Rights

The NASUWT produces guidance for members with children on the provisions for Maternity, paternity, adoption and parental leave. The guidance also contains information on rights to time off for family and domestic reasons.

Advice on the legal requirements in assessing risks in relation to new and expectant mothers’ job activities is set out in the Health and Safety Executive booklet New and Expectant Mothers at Work (new window).

Members have the right to apply to work flexibly where they have:

  • children aged under 17;
  • disabled children aged under 18; or
  • carer responsibilities. 

The NASUWT has produced guidance on requesting Flexible working, and generally on Part-time work and job-share arrangements. 

The NASUWT, through the Rewards and Incentives Group, successfully negotiated the opportunity for teachers to participate in salary sacrifice schemes for childcare vouchers/benefits, cycles for work and mobile phones. There is a standard Salary Sacrifice Form on which employees can apply or express an interest.

Temporary workers and supply teachers

The NASUWT provides advice on the rights of Teachers who work on a temporary basis or fixed-term contracts and on the rights of Teachers working for employment agencies.

Tax

The NASUWT provides a brief outline of the various tax allowances which teachers are eligible to claim under UK legislation in the NASUWT's brief guide to tax for teachers.

Further information or assistance

Members needing further information or assistance should contact their Local Association Secretary or Regional Centre.