Teachers’ Pay - September 2019

This includes confirmation of the new teaching pay range values which are applicable from 1 September 2019.

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

• A 2.75% increase to the statutory minimum and maximum values of all the pay ranges and allowances for teachers and leadership teachers.

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

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

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.

The minimum and maximum of the TLR and SEN allowance values have also increased by 2.75%. Schools should ensure no teacher is receiving an allowance beneath these new minimum values. Schools may determine what increase, if any, to apply to allowances currently in payment within the ranges.

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

Any pay recommendation or 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.

Teachers’ Pay Grant

The DfE has also announced that the National Pay Grant for Teachers will be extended and will continue to be paid as a separate grant for the 2020-21 financial year.

This will be calculated by applying the average percentage uplift announced for 2019 (less the 2% 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. Different funding rates apply for Primary, Secondary and Special schools and alternative provisions.

The DfE have now published further guidance on this grant, which can be accessed on the Government website

This guidance confirms eligibility, the basis for determining the rates, the 2019-20 funding rates per pupil and arrangements for new and growing schools. Please note that the per pupil rate of the grant has increased from September 2019 to reflect the additional 0.75% element that the Government have agreed to fund.

It should be noted that it is not intended that this additional funding will support the full cost of the continued use of a reference point approach to teacher pay progression.

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.

Local Authority Advice to Kent Maintained Schools

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

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 or academy is likely to receive through the National Pay Grant. Consideration should be given to the implications for both the current financial year and future years.

Since 2013, there have been no mandatory requirement to publish reference points within the pay ranges, just minimum and maximum values. For a number of years KCC has published reference points but in line with the national direction, we now feel it is an appropriate time to stop publishing them. Governing bodies are responsible for determining the value of any pay progression criteria based on performance determined with reference to the outcomes of teacher appraisal.