2018 School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document

The 2018 School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) has now been published by the DfE. This includes confirmation of the new teaching pay range values which will be applicable from 1 September 2018.

The following changes have been applied to the national pay frameworks:

• A 3.5% increase to the minimum and maximum of the main pay range and the unqualified teacher pay range
• A 2% increase to the minimum and maximum of the upper pay range, the leading practitioner pay range and allowances across all pay ranges (TLR / SEN).
• A 1.5% increase to the minimum and maximum of the leadership pay range and headteacher group size

There is no nationally determined prescribed cost of living award for teachers.

Schools should ensure no teacher is receiving an allowance beneath these new minimum values. Schools may determine the increase applied to allowances currently in payment within the ranges.

There have been no other changes to teachers’ pay and conditions this year.

Local Authority Advice Kent Maintained Schools.

Where schools use reference points for pay progression the SPS Pay Policy Guidance reflects the percentage increases as above. For the avoidance of any doubt the reference points remain lower than the NASUWT rates although the top and bottom of the range are the same. The difference is due to reference points not increasing last year in the SPS Pay Policy Guidance.

In 2018-19 schools in Kent have generally seen a change in their per pupil funding, this ranges from a small decrease per pupil to a substantial increase per pupil. The teachers’ pay grant is a welcome significant contribution to the additional cost of teachers’ salaries, however the 1% school budget contribution to the increase in teachers’ pay will present different affordability challenges on an individual school basis.

Consequently it is important that every School and Academy carefully considers the financial affordability implications of any pay progression decisions. These implications should be on the year any increases take effect as well as future years.

The Local Authority expects that all Community and Voluntary Controlled schools will use the SPS Model policy as the basis for their school pay policy.

Implementing the changes

Where a teacher is paid on the minimum of their pay range, their salary must be uplifted to the new minimum.

Where a teacher is currently paid at the maximum of their range they may also move to the new ceiling value - subject to performance and evidence of meeting the criteria for pay progression within the school.

For all other teachers, schools must determine based on evidence of performance and in accordance with their own pay policy, how to take account of the uplift to the national framework in making individual pay progression decisions.

Schools should ensure all pay decisions are informed by evidence of performance as provided by the appraisal process.

Any pay recommendation / decision should only be made after the completion of the appraisal review meeting. This review meeting should take place no later than 31 October for teachers (31 December for the Headteacher) and any pay award should be backdated to 1 September.

The National Pay Grant

The DfE has also published provisional details of the additional funding which will be available to support the implementation of the pay award.

Both schools and academies will be eligible to access funds from the pay grant which will cover the 2018/19 and 2019/20 financial years.

This has been calculated by applying the average percentage uplift announced for 2018 (less the 1% increase that schools should have budgeted for) to the overall annual pay bill for teachers.

This will then be allocated based on the number of pupils in each school or academy, at the following rates:

All mainstream schools will be funded for at least 100 pupils and all high needs institutions for at least 40 places.

Local Authorities will pass the additional funding provided by The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) to maintained schools. The ESFA will provide funding directly to Academies.

The ESFA will provide further detailed guidance and information in October. This will include school level allocations for mainstream schools, and local authority level allocations for high needs. The ESFA will then make payments later in the autumn.

It is recommended that schools and academies carefully consider the financial affordability implications of any pay progression decisions. Decisions should also be made with regard to the additional funding which the school / academy is likely to receive via the National Pay Grant. Consideration should be given to the implications for both the current financial year and future years.

Updates to the SPS Model Pay Policy for Schools and Academies

We will be updating our model pay policy and guidance for schools and academies in due course.

Our pay policy guidance contains a number of alternative approaches to pay progression.

Schools and academies may adopt whichever pay framework is appropriate to the needs of the school so long as the pay range values are compliant with those set out in the STPCD.  Many schools have opted to retain a points based pay framework but this is not mandatory.

Meaningful consultation is encouraged with staff and unions at a local level about any revisions to a school’s pay policy.

BPS financial planning tool has been updated to follow the SPS model pay policy. If you school has a different pay policy please contact schools financial services who will amend your financial planning tool accordingly.

Further Information

• Schools' Personnel Service website - The 2018 SPS model pay policy and 2018 Salary Ranges for Teachers will be available shortly
• The 2018 STPCD is available here
• Further details regarding the National Pay Grant for Teacher’s Pay
• DfE Guidance - Implementing your Schools’ Approach to Pay