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NEWS
School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions
Teaching Today summarises the changes that came into effect on 1 September in England and Wales.
The Government has announced a number of revisions to the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD), which took effect on 1 September. These are as follows:
changes to the pay scales to reflect the 2.3% pay award from 1 September 2010;
an increase of 2.3% in the value of the TLR1 and TLR2 ranges from 1 September 2010 and a requirement to increase all Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) payments by 2.3% from 1 September 2010;
a new special educational needs (SEN) allowance range of between £2,001 and £3,954 together with revised criteria for their allocation, replacing the previous system of two separate and defined SEN allowances;
additional salary increases for some main and upper pay scale teachers in inner London;
revised provisions for the threshold assessment process; and
revised and restructured provisions that relate to teachers’ conditions of employment and professional responsibilities.
THRESHOLD ASSESSMENT
The new provisions remove the arrangements for backdating of payment to the previous September, which was previously available to some eligible teachers. Now threshold payment may only be backdated from 31 October to 31 September of the same year to allow for a performance management review to take place.
SEN ALLOWANCES
The new SEN provisions that came into effect on 1 September mean that schools will need to review their SEN payments arrangements as soon as possible. There is no requirement to undertake a staff restructuring to apply the new criteria but schools must take account of the criteria in making new awards and when a post with an SEN payment becomes vacant. Schools will also need to review whether some teachers not receiving an allowance are now eligible to do so.
Relevant bodies will have to make a judgement about the nature and challenge of a teacher’s work with pupils with SEN compared to that of other teachers in the school or service, as they do when establishing the value of TLR payments. Teachers can receive TLR payments and an SEN payment. The Section 3 Guidance points out that relevant bodies are also required to ensure that teachers with SEN payments are not carrying out tasks more appropriately undertaken by support staff and whether it would be more appropriate to award a TLR for the responsibilities instead of an SEN payment. Posts with SEN responsibilities have to be identified in the school staffing structure and the teacher notified.
Transitional Arrangements
The relevant body in schools will need to ensure that their pay policy has been amended to set out the basis for rational, transparent and fair decisions on levels of payment for SEN allowances.
The relevant body must notify the teacher in writing within one month of the determination of:
i. the reason for the determination;
ii. the value of the old allowance and the value of the new allowance (if any);
iii. the safeguarded sum;
iv. that the old allowance is to be replaced with the new lower allowance (or, in the case where the teacher is no longer entitled to an SEN allowance, no allowance) on 1 September 2010;
v. the latest date on which safeguarding will end; and
vi. the details of where a copy of its pay policy may be inspected.
Safeguarding Arrangements
Where teachers are either no longer eligible for an SEN payment or the payment is less than the amount previously paid, the safeguarding provisions in the STPCD will apply.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The STPCD has been revised and significant amendment has been made. The changes have not been agreed with the NASUWT or other unions, but have been included by the Secretary of State nevertheless.
All contractual provisions on working conditions still apply and must be implemented. NASUWT Representatives should raise with the headteacher how the changes to the STPCD in relation to SEN allowances are to be implemented in the school. NASUWT Representatives should be involved fully at all stages and seek support and advice from their NASUWT Local Association or Regional or National Centre if problems arise.
NASUWT Representatives should also ensure that the school is fully compliant with the statutory provisions of the STPCD in relation to all of the contractual entitlements, including planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time, rarely cover, leadership and management time, dedicated headship time, administrative tasks and work/life balance. Some schools are claiming that these no longer apply following a change in Government. This is nonsense. All contractual provisions continue to apply
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