PUBLIC SECTOR
Changes proposed to teachers’ pay and conditions
Just published, the latest School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) Report for England and Wales includes proposals to alleviate staff shortages in priority subjects, change the treatment of part-time and supply teachers and widen the use of performance-related pay.
Other proposals concerned special educational needs allowances, the ”excellent teacher scheme” and professional responsibilities. There were no recommendations on pay rises because a two-year deal is already in place with teachers due to receive a 2.5% increase from September 2007.
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At the same time as the report, the response from The Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Alan Johnson, was also released providing insight into which of the recommendations will be put in place.
Widening the use of performance-related pay proposed
Performance-related pay has been a point of contention between teaching unions and the Government and currently, only certain teachers undergo performance reviews in order to progress up pay scales.
For the majority of teachers on the main scale, there is no requirement for a performance management review or any explicit criterion for pay progression. Most receive one-point pay progression each year until they reach the top of the scale, with no more than an implied criterion of satisfactory performance.
But in a move designed to introduce a formal link between performance and pay progression for all teachers, the STRB report recommended that all progression on incremental pay scales follow a formal performance management review and an assessment by the local employer.
But no change at present
This proposal was strongly opposed by the National Union of Teachers and the union welcomed the comment from the Secretary of State for Education and Skills that he: “Will not be proposing any change in the current pay progression arrangements”. He did say, however, that all teachers should complete a performance management review.
Pay flexibility in maths, physics and chemistry
A continuing problem in the teaching profession in recent years has been the shortage of teachers in ”priority subjects” such as maths, physics and chemistry.
Because such shortages may change in the future there has been a reluctance to make permanent changes to the whole pay structure so schools are allowed to take a number of different approaches to address the problems. These include:
Starting teachers higher up the main pay scale.
Awarding double increment pay progression for excellent performance.
Allowing wide discretion in setting a pay range for teachers judged as having ”advanced skills”.
Providing recruitment and retention incentives, which may include benefits as well as pay. From September 2008, discretion in setting spot salaries for those deemed ”excellent teachers”.
The latest review body report recommended that the use of these flexible solutions be increased significantly and the minister broadly agreed with this.
Encouraging existing teachers to gain more qualifications
A previous move to improve the supply of staff with knowledge of priority subjects was the introduction of accredited qualifications in mathematics, chemistry and physics for teachers not specialising in these areas. The latest report built on this by recommending that teachers receive a financial incentive for completing diplomas in priority subjects.
One possibility proposed was for those completing the diplomas to receive a non-consolidated golden hello payment in the same way a newly-recruited science teacher does. At present, the level of golden hello payment for science teachers is £5,000.
In response, the minister said that he “welcomed the agreement that incentives should be payable, and will consider the most appropriate mechanism and how to pilot their implementation.”
Other recommendations:
Among the other recommendations provided by the STRB were:
Additional evidence to be gathered on the use of special educational needs (SEN) allowances.
A more formal approach to setting spot salaries for posts falling under the Excellent Teacher Scheme to be adopted with broad, high-level criteria and local flexibility.
The development of provisions to stipulate how pro-rata salaries for part-time teachers should be calculated.
Differences between pay and conditions in England and Wales to be kept under review.
The Secretary of State for Education and Skills accepted these other recommendations with just one notable concern over the local flexibility associated with setting spot salaries for those in the Excellent Teacher Scheme. On this point, he called for consultation to determine whether such a framework would be workable.
Underlying the Government’s commitment to the profession the minister said that: “We have increased teachers’ pay by 18% in real terms since 1997.”
Want to know more?
Title: School Teachers’ Review Body: 16th Report - 2007.
Availability: To download the 75-page report, free of charge, in PDF format visit the Office of Manpower Economics web site at www.ome.uk.com/review.cfm?body=7.
The School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) was established in 1991 as an independent body to examine and report on such matters relating to the statutory conditions of employment of school teachers in England and Wales as may from time to time be referred to it by the Secretary of State. The STRB reports to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State.