Teaching and learning responsibility payments (TLRs) are an essential part of the teacher pay system and are intended to reward classroom teachers who take on additional leadership and management duties. Yet many teachers - particularly in primary schools, where the majority are women - receive no TLR payment, despite carrying out substantial extra responsibilities. Where TLRs are awarded, payment is often too low in relation to the responsibilities undertaken.
The deep dive approach of Ofsted places additional pressure on primary subject leads, to be accountable for every subject across the school and not just their core subject area.
Additionally, there is an equality issue for part-time teachers, namely that many undertake the full responsibilities of their TLR role but are paid a prorated allowance.
The NEU position
The NEU is clear that staff cannot be held accountable for subject areas they do not receive TLR payments for. Teachers, including those on the upper pay range, should not be required to undertake additional responsibilities without appropriate TLRs.
Expecting teachers to carry out additional work without proper remuneration is not acceptable. We need to move to a fair and transparent national pay structure, with fully funded, appropriate and mandatory payments for additional responsibilities.
Where a part-time teacher undertakes the full additional responsibilities of a promoted post, we believe it would be unfair, unethical and potentially unlawful if they did not receive the full value of the TLR payment for those responsibilities, simply because they are employed on a part-time contract.
What the STPCD says
The criterion for TLR payments is set out clearly in the school teachers’ pay and conditions document (STPCD), which states that a school ‘may award a TLR payment to a classroom teacher for undertaking a sustained additional responsibility, for the purpose of ensuring the continued delivery of high- quality teaching and learning and for which the teacher is made accountable.’
Paragraph 48 of the STPCD makes it very clear that teachers cannot be required to carry out significant responsibilities without additional payments.
We are pleased that our campaigning has led to a positive change in the STPCD; part-time teachers who take on the full responsibilities of a TLR can now be paid the full TLR payment. While this change will not be mandatory until 1 September 2026, the NEU is clear that all schools should implement it immediately to end the current unfair and discriminatory practice.
Action for reps
Follow the bargaining cycle to challenge the disproportionate allocation of TLRs at your school.
