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SCHOOL TEACHERS’ REVIEW BODY
REPORT
APRIL 2001
General Pay Increase
The STRB has recommended a general pay
increase of 3.7 per cent for most classroom teachers, along with all members of
the leadership group and all Advanced Skills Teachers (ASTs). This increase
applies to both salary scale points and to allowances for management,
recruitment and retention and special needs.
In addition, the STRB has recommended
larger pay increases for classroom teachers at points 1-6 of the main pay
scale. These range from 5.9 per cent for teachers paid at points 1 and 2 of
that scale to 4.1 per cent for those at point 6.
The STRB has recommended that all
three rates of London area allowances – Inner London, Outer London and
Fringe - should be increased by 30 per cent.
The Secretary of State proposes to
accept all of the above recommendations.
The
NUT’s view is that the above increases are insufficient. They will do
nothing to address the recruitment and retention crisis or to reverse the gap
which has emerged between teachers and other graduates in salary terms.
Teachers earn less in starting salaries than graduates generally, then see this
gap grow as other graduates benefit from better rates of salary progression
than do teachers. With regard to London area allowances, the increase in the
Inner London allowance still leaves teachers with half as much of the allowance
available to police officers across the whole of London.
Upper Pay Scale
The STRB has recommended that it is
inappropriate to specify, as the current Pay and Conditions Document does, that
levels of performance for the purposes of determining progression on the upper
pay scale should become progressively more challenging towards the top of the
scale. In addition, the STRB has recommended that there should be no special
provision for withdrawing points awarded on the upper pay scale in the event of
a serious deterioration in performance, but that schools should be able to rely
on existing arrangements for handling questions of professional competence. The
STRB intends to return to the issue of whether points awarded above the
starting point of the upper pay scale should be retained as an entitlement for
teachers who wish to move to another school.
In his response, the Secretary of
State has refused to accept all of the STRB ‘s recommendations on the
upper pay scale. In particular, he has stated that teachers who progress on the
upper pay scale should be performing above the level of the threshold. Not all
teachers who pass the threshold should be expected to reach the top of the
upper pay scale. Points on the upper pay scale above point 1 can be removed
where performance falls to such a level that capability procedures are
triggered. Due to the fact that no teacher will be eligible to progress to
point 2 of the upper pay scale on 1 September 2001, the issue of retaining
points above point 1 on moving post will not apply to the 2001 Pay and
Conditions Document and consideration of this issue can therefore be deferred,
as the STRB recommends. No details on funding for progression on the upper pay
scale have been given.
The NUT has
consistently raised the issue of progress on the upper pay scale with the
Secretary of State and the STRB. Progress on the upper pay scale will be
entirely at the discretion of governing bodies, with no defined national
criteria. Factors outside of a teacher’s control will therefore limit
opportunities for movement beyond the first point of the upper pay scale, with
major implications in terms of equal opportunities and equal pay. Further
points awarded on the upper pay scale should, like the first point, be fully
portable and school budgets should not suffer from appointing teachers who have
progressed beyond that first point.
Recruitment and
Retention Allowances
The STRB has recommended that a new,
fifth, recruitment and retention allowance should be created. It has also
recommended that the current restrictions on the use of the full range of the
allowances should be removed and that schools should have the discretion to use
them all. In addition, schools should be encouraged to use the allowances as a
bonus paid to a teacher who remains in a school for a specified period of time
(“golden handcuffs”).
The Secretary of State proposes to
accept these recommendations. The “golden handcuffs” could be paid to
teachers remaining in challenging posts for periods of up to three years, with
such teachers informed in advance of the amount payable. The value of the
payment would be equal to the accumulated value of the allowances during the
period specified. All schools would have the discretion to use this method of
payment.
The NUT
believes that recruitment and retention allowances do not provide an answer to
the problems of teacher supply. Only proper, professional salary levels fully
funded by the Government and equivalent in value to those available to
graduates generally can provide such a solution. The Union is opposed to the
use of “lump sum” payments, which could be non-consolidated and
non-pensionable. This would disadvantage teachers in receipt of such sums
compared to those in receipt of allowances and would be inimical to the
operation of a fully integrated salary structure. A number of questions are
raised by the “lump sum” proposal: issues such as tax, contractual
arrangements and the treatment of teachers who require maternity leave during
the period covered.
Recruitment
Incentives
The STRB has recommended that the Pay
and Conditions Document should be amended to cover local recruitment
incentives, housing assistance and bursaries under the proposed fast track
scheme.
The Secretary of State proposes to
accept this recommendation.
The NUT does
not oppose these in principle but believes that they are no substitute for
proper professional levels of salary and salary progression which can compete
with other graduate occupations.
Fifth Management
Allowance
The STRB has recommended that the DfEE
should discourage the use of the fifth management allowance pending further
consideration of its future.
The Secretary of State proposes to
accept this recommendation and will issue guidance on the matter.
The NUT
believes that the issue of the fifth management allowance is secondary to the
need for clear national criteria and full funding for management allowances.
Special
Educational Needs
The STRB has recommended that the
existing mandatory basis should continue to apply to the award of the first SEN
allowance to: teachers in special schools; those teaching hearing or
visually-impaired children; and those appointed to SEN units in mainstream
schools. For teachers generally in mainstream schools, the STRB is attracted to
a more discretionary approach on the basis proposed by the DfEE. This approach
states that the first SEN allowance should recognize “significant
contact” with statemented or non-statemented SEN pupils above and beyond
what might normally be expected of a teacher. The award of the second SEN
allowance should continue to be on the existing discretionary basis.
The Secretary of State proposes to
accept these recommendations.
The NUT
believes that there should be a single, mandatory first SEN allowance in
certain prescribed circumstances. The second SEN allowance should be mandatory
where teachers are required to hold an approved qualification for working with
profoundly hearing or visually-impaired children. In addition, there should be
an element of discretion to deal with other circumstances where payment of the
second allowance would be appropriate.
Mark Time
Safeguarding
The STRB has recommended that under
the mark time arrangements for teachers assimilating to the new salary
structure, the maximum offset against salary increases should be reduced from
£500 to £250.
The Secretary of State proposes to
accept this recommendation.
The NUT
believes that this recommendation represents an admission that the mark time
arrangements introduced last year were flawed and disadvantaged many teachers
and should be replaced by full personal safeguarding. The reduction in the
amount offset against salary increases will mean that the amount safeguarded
will be tend to be preserved for longer.
Leadership Group
The STRB has recommended that the
flexibility to adjust the salary ranges of heads and other leadership group
members should be retained as schools continue to develop their leadership
groups.
The Secretary of State proposes to
accept this recommendation and proposes to extend this flexibility to ASTs.
Performance
Management
The STRB has recommended that the DfEE
– in consultation with interested parties – considers the timing for
changes to the Pay and Conditions Document to reflect the need for pay purposes
to take account of appropriate information from performance reviews carried out
under the new appraisal regulations. This relates to the rationalisation of the
setting of individual objectives for teachers for pay and performance
management.
The Secretary of State proposes that
the Pay and Conditions Document should not include references to the setting of
objectives. It should stipulate that pay progression decisions are based on
information about a teacher’s performance. Such information will normally
be available from the new performance management arrangements. Pay decisions
will be taken by governing bodies on the advice of the head, except with regard
to the head’s own salary. The criteria will be:
- for pre-threshold teachers, including fast-track:
an additional experience point will be awarded for excellent performance, in
particular in classroom teaching;
- for post-threshold teachers: performance above the
level of the threshold;
- for ASTs: continuing excellence in their own
teaching and contribution to the standards of their own school and any other
institutions where ASTs work as part of their outreach work;
- for heads: quality of leadership and management and
pupil progress;
- for other leadership group members: contribution to
the leadership and management of the school and pupil progress, including those
taught directly by deputy heads and assistant heads.
Relevant bodies would be expected to
take account of appropriate information from performance reviews carried out
under the relevant appraisal regulations.
The above criteria will be used in the
Pay and Conditions Document for the award of performance points in 2001-02. No
changes will be made in arrangements for objectives until September 2002, by
which time performance management arrangements will be in force in England and
Wales.
The NUT has given its views on
the performance management arrangements in separate consultations. It has
opposed the imposition of a rigid requirement for a one-year cycle after the
first cycle and the requirement for a pupil progress objective. The setting of
objectives should reflect the circumstances of the reviewee and focus on the
identification of professional development needs. The effective extension of
the cycle by the DfEE to just under two years shows that the cycle should
conform to the original appraisal arrangements.
The Government has committed
itself to a full review of the threshold process for 2002. The NUT believes
that the standards contained in the threshold application form, while needing
revision, constitute an appropriate framework in the context of the current
scheme up to 2002. The NUT also believes that there should be no changes in
arrangements for objectives until the outcome of the review.
There should be a specific
reference to a commitment to make separate funding available for teachers on
the upper pay scale. Without reference to upper pay scale standards, the
Government’s claim that classroom teachers can be paid over £30,000
will be seen as baseless.
Conditions of
Service and Workload
The STRB has recommended that the DfEE
should organise an urgent and independent programme to identify more clearly
and tackle the problems of excessive workload. The STRB has stated that it
“continues to resist limits on hours or such matters as contact time”
but that “vigorous action is needed to identify and tackle the issues
involved”.
The Secretary of State has responded
to the STRB’s recommendation by stating that he agrees with the
STRB’s views on “crude limits”. He has, however, also claimed
that the DfEE has already acted to reduce workload and has failed to agree to
the STRB’s recommendation of an urgent and independent review of the
issue.
The NUT
deplores this continuing rejection of any protections against excessive
workload through limits on working time or other improvements in conditions of
service. This contrasts with the attitudes in Scotland where teachers have, for
example, gained the protection of a 35 hour limit on weekly working time.
ASTs
The STRB has recommended that
selection standards and procedures for ASTs should be as were used up to July
2000. From 1 January 2002, classroom teachers applying for AST posts should
have been required to have crossed the threshold. ASTs should continue to be
paid on their separate pay spine. In addition, they should have a duty to
undertake outreach and inreach work, details of which should be for
consultation between the DfEE and interested parties.
The Secretary of State proposes to
accept these recommendations and expects them to enable AST assessments to
resume this Spring. He will consult on a draft Pay Order which will contain
details of the resumed arrangements.
The NUT
continues to oppose the AST grade and believes that the introduction of the new
pay structure removed any possible justification for its continuation. The NUT
will continue to press for the removal of the AST grade without disadvantaging
existing ASTs and for all teachers to be allowed the opportunity to specialise
in the areas set out for ASTs without subjecting them to the additional tests
associated with that grade.
Fast Track
Teachers
The STRB has recommended that the DfEE
should consult on the detailed processes, criteria and standards for the fast
track scheme.
The Secretary of State proposes to
accept this recommendation for the fast track in England. He proposes that the
processes, standards and criteria should be the same as those set out in the
DfEE’s written evidence to the STRB and that these could be set out in
general terms in the Pay and Conditions Document. The Pay and Conditions
Document would allow scope for the possibility of a separate scheme in Wales.
The NUT
continues to oppose the fast track scheme. It is not possible to accurately
identify candidates who would prove to be effective teachers before such
candidates had done any teaching practice. Such limited augmentary incentives
are divisive and would be unnecessary if all teachers received proper,
professional salary levels.
Sabbatical Leave
The STRB has recommended that
alternative approaches for sabbatical leave should be explored by the DfEE in
consultation with interested parties.
The Secretary of State has responded
by stating that the “4 over 5” scheme proposed by the DfEE last
September, whereby teachers would be entitled to sabbatical leave of one year
only if they had accepted a reduction of 20 per cent in salary for the previous
four years, will not be proceeded with. He will follow pursue this matter
separately.
The NUT
welcomes the decision not to proceed with the “4 over 5” scheme.
Teachers should not be forced to pay for sabbatical leave, which will provide
an opportunity for professional development and in so doing benefit schools.
Professional
Duties
The STRB has recommended that the DfEE
should, in consultation with interested parties, update the existing
professional duties of heads and other teachers in respect of training and
professional development in order to reflect the new context of formal
performance management reviews. This should be done once the necessary
regulations on teacher appraisal and opportunities for development are made.
The Secretary of State proposes to
accept this recommendation but does not intend to made the change until 2002.
The
NUT’s view is that all teachers should be entitled to funded professional
development as part of their contracts. Until all teachers have equality of
access and entitlement, there should not be a statutory duty to undertake
professional development. The initial submission by the TUC-affiliated teacher
organisations to the STRB outlines how professional development can be secured
both as an entitlement and a duty in a way which will achieve the full support
of teachers.
General
Safeguarding
The STRB has recommended that the DfEE
should consult interested parties on the continued basis for general
safeguarding, referring the matter back to the STRB as appropriate.
The Secretary of State notes the
STRB’s view that it did not have sufficient information in order to
recommend a time limit on safeguarding which may be triggered when a post is
reorganised out of existence and the postholder is allocated to a more junior
post. Sources of information will be discussed with interested parties.
The NUT will
continue to oppose any weakening of existing safeguarding provisions.
Golden Jubilee
Bank Holiday 2002
The STRB has recommended that, for
2001-02, the teachers’ working year of 195/190 days should be reduced by
one day with consequential reductions in the 1265 hours of annual directed
time. These recommendations are based on proposals put to the Review Body by
the DfEE in view of the Government’s decision to create an additional Bank
Holiday to commemorate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee.
The Secretary of State proposes to
accept this recommendation. For 2001-02 the working time limits will be 194/189
days and 1258.5 hours, as opposed to the usual 195/190 days and 1265 hours.
The
NUT’s position on this matter has already been set out in detail in NUT
Circulars 157/00 (CoS) and 3/01 (CoS).
Maternity and Parental Leave
The STRB has proposed that periods of
maternity and parental leave taken as a result of the new statutory
entitlements under the Maternity and Parental Leave Regulations 1999 should
count towards the length of service necessary to gain experience points on the
main classroom teachers’ pay scale.
The Secretary of State proposes to
accept this recommendation.
The NUT
welcomes this decision which maintains the previous position that period of
sick leave and maternity leave count towards length of service in this way.
Next
Steps
Following the publication of the STRB
report, the normal period of consultation was initiated by the Secretary of
State. The NUT has responded to the Secretary of State.
In his consultation the Secretary of
State has proposed three Parliamentary Orders to give effect to the
recommendations, subject to the outcome of the consultation.
Following the publication of the STRB
Report on Friday 2 February, an edition of NUT News setting out the details of
the pay scales from 1 April 2001 was in schools by Tuesday, 6 February.
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