Pay: Teachers

Teachers Pay Update 2021

Staff should expect to progress up the pay scale without impediment in September 2021 unless concerns were raised before lockdown. Where concerns were raised, staff should receive an appraisal during the first term to enable a decision to be made on progression for that member of staff.

TEACHER PAY SCALES

Click here to see the pay scales for teachers for 2021/22 and their monthly equivalent – use this to check you are being paid on the correct scale.

ANNUAL PAY PROGRESSION

Click here for guidance on how decisions are made about teacher pay progression and how this might affect you.

Headline: After five years teaching you should expect to be on M6.

EXTRA RESPONSIBILITIES, TLRs AND THE UPPER PAY RANGE

Click here for guidance on being asked to take on extra responsibilities without additional payment.

Headline: You should not be expected to take on extra responsibilities as a condition for moving onto the Upper Pay Range.

LBTH PAY POLICY

Click here to see the full LBTH pay policy which your school should have adopted.

We hope this information is useful to you, and we are always here to help, so do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any concerns about implementation of pay policy in your school.

For more information and useful resources from the national union click here.

Click here for the NEU Pay Toolkit

For 2021 pay scales click here

Download a copy of the LBTH revised Pay Policy here.

Pay progression for all staff now depends on appraisal outcomes and criteria set by schools.

Being aware of how the pay progression system works, and taking action to challenge pay policies collectively or appeal decisions individually, essential to help protect teachers’ pay.

Download our NEU Appraisal Pay Calendar for reps
Click here for a copy of the School Teachers Pay & Conditions document
Download a copy of the LBTH 2021 Pay Policy

Pay in Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets and the City has negotiated a borough wide pay policy for teaching staff which we strongly urge school union groups to get adopted by the school governing body. Most of our casework related to pay is generated in schools where this policy has not been adopted.

TH Model Pay Policy for schools 2021

Teaching staff

1. Pay Progression

If you are on any point below M6 or on U1 or U2, the school must review your pay and make a decision about whether to move you to the next point. You should be informed about this decision in writing by October 31st. Please note that you do not need to “apply” to make pay progression if you are on any of these points

2. Applying to move onto the Upper Pay Spine (U1)

If you have applied to move to the Upper Pay Spine the school should review your application as part of the Appraisal Review and inform you of the decision. In order to move onto the Upper Pay Spine a teacher must demonstrate that they have met the Upper Pay Range criteria – these are available in your school and it is important that your Appraisal objectives give you the opportunity to address these in the year in which you intend to make an application.

3. Decisions on progression

All decisions on progression and moving onto UPS must be based on the outcome of Appraisal Reviews for the previous year If your Appraisal Review is successful you should expect to move up the pay scale.The LBTH pay policy makes clear that teachers should expect pay progression unless concerns have been raised during the course of the year and the teacher given opportunities to address them.

4. Decisions on non-progression

Schools can decide that a teacher should not progress following an unsuccessful review.

However, the LBTH policy makes clear that a “no surprises” principle should apply, which means that any teacher at risk of not progressing should have been alerted that this was possibility in good time for them to address any concerns that were arising. Where a school decides not to award pay progression they must inform the teacher concerned in writing, setting out the reasons for the decision and their right to appeal.

What if I am not awarded progression?

If you are not awarded progression you are entitled to appeal against the decision. Appeals can be made on a number of grounds and we can advise on this. Whether you decide to appeal or not you should make sure that the school is supporting you in addressing any areas of concern that lead to the decision so that you can be successful next time.

Download our NEU Appraisal Pay Calendar for reps

If your school has a different pay policy, talk to members about getting the Tower Hamlets pay policy adopted. This is the best way to ensure everyone is getting paid fairly. Please contact us for advice on how to do this.