Kent Scheme Pay Award 2024

Against a backdrop of financial pressures, County Council have agreed the Pay Award for 2024/2025, which will be distributed using Total Contribution Pay (TCP) with a percentage awarded for each assessment level. This means there is a requirement to make assessments following a review of Total Contribution. The usual

TCP Rules are applicable with regards to pay progression and assessments.

We were not able to reach agreement with our recognised Trade Unions on the overall pay award, as part of the local pay bargaining process.

Kent Scheme Pay Award Information for Schools

KR3 has increased to £12.10 per hour or £23,337 per annum, to reflect and continue to exceed both the rising National Living and Foundation (real) Living Wage. This represents a 9.6% increase to KR3.

The Kent Scheme pay bands have been increased at the tops and the bottoms by 1.35%. Exceptions to this are the minimum and maximum of grades KR3 to KR6 and the bottom of KR7. These have been increased by a higher percentage to maintain our pay policy principles and to accommodate the increase at KR3. In circumstances where the increase to the grade minimum exceeds the percentage awarded for the performance assessment, individuals will receive the greater of the two percentages to continue to ensure individual salaries remain within the grade boundaries.

The new grade bandings apply to Voluntary Controlled and Community Schools. Where a school does not follow the KCC pay award timeline - an appropriate pay policy needs to be in place. In any event, schools cannot pay beneath the new statutory minimum from 1 April 2024. Foundation and Voluntary Aided schools as well as Academies (where the Governing Body are the employer) are not obliged to follow Kent Scheme Pay and TCP.

View the Kent Scheme Pay Scale for 2024-25 here (PDF, 14.8 KB).

Total Contribution Pay (TCP) for Kent Scheme Terms and Conditions

As in previous years, where the Governing body has made provision within their pay policy to do so, Kent schools continue to be able to exercise local discretion regarding the percentage increases applied to each of the assessment ratings; Outstanding, Excellent, Successful, Performance Improvement Required and Not Assessed - applicable reason . For more information refer to your Line Manager or Headteacher in the first instance.

Individuals with an assessment rating of ‘Performance Improvement Required’ should receive no pay increase. Individuals with an assessment rating of ‘Not Assessed’ should receive no pay increase unless their salary falls beneath the grade minimum, at which point they will move to the new grade minimum.

In circumstances were a rating is deferred, salary should be kept within the grade minimum. Increases in pay received, will be offset against the any future percentage increase awarded for the performance assessment. It is important that deferred assessments are completed in good time and both the individual and Line Manager are responsible for ensuring these are completed.

Personal Performance Assessments

We continue to recommend you discuss your TCP rating with your manager, to understand how you have performed and can reflect on the contribution you have made. The review meeting is also an important opportunity to identify performance objectives, discuss what good performance looks like and what development, performance and wellbeing support you may need throughout the year.

Current School Allowances

The school allowances available to support staff have also been reviewed and increased. Details of the new allowances can be found here (PDF, 102.3 KB).

Performance assessments

We continue to recommend managers still have assessment conversations, so people understand how they have performed and are given a rating to reflect on the contribution they have made. Schools may choose to award a rating of successful, excellent, outstanding or performance improvement required as a formal record of their performance over the past year. The review meeting is also an important opportunity to identify performance objectives and learning and development needs for the next appraisal cycle.

Changes to Kent Scheme Annual Leave Provision

The Kent Scheme annual leave arrangements are outlined in the adjacent table. The Concessionary Day remains.

Due to recent changes in the in the Employment Rights (Amendments, Revocation and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2023, KCC will be changing the way KCC employees who have an irregular hours contract, i.e. Permanent Relief or Casual KCC contract, receive their annual leave pay.

From 1st April 2024, KCC employees who have an irregular hour contracts will no longer need to claim the annual leave they have accrued. Annual leave payments will be calculated and paid automatically for every hour claimed, this will include any enhanced pay. This change does not affect the formula used to calculate annual leave entitlement.

For further details and to discuss any changes that may be taking place in your school, please contact your line manager or headteacher in the first instance.

Kent Scheme Newsletter for Schools

The Kent Scheme newsletter for schools from 1 April 2024 (PDF, 146.1 KB) is also available for you to view and download and includes useful information about The Local Government Pension Scheme rates and the huge variety of benefits available for Kent scheme employees working in Voluntary Controlled and Community Schools on the Kent Rewards platform.

If you have any questions about any of the details of the Kent scheme pay award, please contact you line manager or headteacher. This communication has also been sent from the Corporate Director’s office to the headteacher’s or nominated persons in each Kent school.