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Pay in Sixth Form Colleges in England

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Sixth-Form College Pay Update - September 2011

Following the extremely unsatisfactory increase of 0.75% from September last year, to which the NASUWT did not agree, the claim submitted by the teacher unions in 2011 was for increases that would at least restore parity with teachers on school teachers’ statutory pay and conditions. The sixth-form college employers refused to make any offer to increase pay for sixth-form college teachers from September 2011 despite the commitment given as part of last year’s offer to take part in discussions on pay in 2011 and 2012 and to restore comparability with school teachers as soon as funding permitted.

The employers sought to soften their refusal to make an offer for increases for 2011 by indicating that they were willing to discuss the possibility of taking a different position for 2012. The Staff Side rejected the employers’ position outright. In particular, the NASUWT rejects their refusal to even begin to repair the damage done last year and to address the pay comparability gap created with teachers in schools when financially viable.

As a result, the teacher unions will be considering the position within their respective national organisations and will continue to discuss jointly what steps should be taken in response. In an attempt to make some progress in National Negotiations for teachers in sixth form colleges, the NASUWT and the other Unions on the staff side of the National Joint Council (NJC) have asked local representatives to lobby their College Principal to support their staff in their pursuit of a reasonable cost of living increase to their pay. The three teacher unions are carrying out a joint survey of sixth form college representatives in order to gain up-to-date information on the impact of cuts to sixth form college funding including the impact on jobs, pay, workload, conditions of service and educational provision.

The National Joint Council for Sixth Form Colleges

The National Joint Council (NJC) for Sixth Form Colleges was set up following the establishment of the colleges as autonomous corporations on 1 April 1993. The remit of the NJC is to negotiate national pay and conditions of service for staff in sixth form colleges, and to recommend agreements reached in the NJC to individual colleges. National agreements negotiated through the NJC are implemented by Colleges to maintain a national bargaining platform rather than individual college bargaining. The NASUWT chairs the Teachers' Side and the Sixth Form Colleges Forum provide the Employers' Side. 

The NASUWT is committed to achieving parity of pay for teachers working in sixth form colleges with colleagues in schools. 

Pay Scales

The pay scale for teachers in sixth form colleges has six annual increase points followed by a 3-point Professional Standards Payment (PSP) range. Movement to the PSP range is after application for assessment under the Professional Standards (similar to the threshold in schools). Teachers with additional responsibilities are placed on one of the 5 levels of the management range. The management range has 3 PSP points for each of the 5 levels. The salary scale is contained in Appendix 2 of the Teaching Staff in Sixth Form Colleges Conditions of Service Handbook.

The Professional Standards Payment Manual is Appendix 8 of the Teaching Staff in Sixth Form Colleges Conditions of Service Handbook.

Performance Management

The Performance Management Framework for teachers in Sixth Form Colleges is contained in Appendix 7 of the Teaching Staff in Sixth Form Colleges Conditions of Service Handbook.

NASUWT Sixth Form College Advisory Committee

The Committee is elected annually and comprises of five nominees from branches (four from sixth form colleges and one from the general FE sector), two members of the Salaries and Pensions and Conditions of Service Committee and one member of the Education Committee, together with the three negotiators on the Sixth Form College NJC.

The Committee meets to consider issues that are particularly relevant to members in sixth form colleges and is always receptive to information from our sixth form college members.

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. Information on the occupational entitlement to maternity, adoption, paternity and parental leave and pay are contained in Appendix 5 and Appendix 6 of the Teaching Staff in Sixth Form Colleges Conditions of Service Handbook.

Advice on the legal requirements is 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. 

Many sixth form colleges will also offer the opportunity for teachers to participate in salary sacrifice schemes for childcare vouchers/benefits, cycles for work, mobile phones and other benefits. Detailed guidance on salary sacrifice is provided by HM Revenue and Customs (new window).

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 Union 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 or Regional Centre.