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Pay in Maintained Schools in England

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Contents

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Latest Pay Update - May 2012

The Coalition Government's pay freeze has been implemented for all classroom teachers, headteachers and the wider education workforce in schools. Employees earning £21,000 or less received a pay increase of £250 for 2011. 

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 NASUWT has submitted evidence to the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) for 2012 and this will be published soon, in accordance with the STRB's procedures.

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 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. 

On 20 April 2012 the NASUWT submitted evidence to the STRB for their consideration in preparation for their 2012 Report. The NASUWT’s submission addresses in detail the specific issues set out in the Secretary of State’s letter to the Review Body of 21 February 2012 and the questions identified in the Review Body’s invitation to make written submissions sent to statutory consultees on 22 February 2012. 

Pay Scales

The pay scales for 2009-11/12 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 (new window). 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 (new window).

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 (new window).

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.

For teachers to whom the 2006 Performance Management Regulations apply, the relevant period for applications in Round 12 started on 1 September 2011 and ends on 31 October 2012, which will allow the 2011/12 performance management cycle to provide evidence for assessment. 

For teachers who are not subject to the 2006 Performance Management Regulations, the relevant period of applications in Round 12 started on 1 September 2011 and ends on 31 August 2012. Those teachers who are unable to use the performance management review statements should cite evidence in support of their applications as they have done in previous rounds of threshold. 

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 12 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

Although the Coalition Government has announced new arrangements for performance management and capability proceedings to take effect from September 2012, members should note that until then, the current performance management regulations remain in force and schools will be acting unlawfully if they fail to adhere to them. 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. The Model Pay Policy 2009 (PDF - 1376KB) was agreed by the Rewards and Incentives Group (RIG) and recommends a structure for schools to follow. It covers all key areas that schools need to consider. 

Review of Staffing Structures

The majority of schools have now implemented their restructuring plans and have met the statutory obligation to complete a review of their staffing structure by the due date of 31 December 2005. The NASUWT have produced guidance with the Rewards and Incentives Group concerning the Review of Staffing Structures.

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: A Guide for Employers (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 (PDF - 177KB) 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.

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.