The NEU advice and guidance will be updated when the 2023-24 School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document is published, but please note that the key points from the NEU advice and guidance documents remain valid.
Why are school pay policies important?
The school teachers’ pay and conditions document (STPCD) requires every school to have a pay policy setting out how pay decisions are taken. The provisions of school pay policies are vital in determining how much teachers are paid on appointment and how they progress up the pay ranges.
The NEU believes that it is vital that every school adopts a pay policy which maintains teachers’ existing entitlements as far as possible and do not implement policies which threaten teachers. School pay policies that comply with our pay policy checklist will be fully consistent with the requirements of the STPCD and will ensure that schools can continue to recruit, retain and motivate teachers.
Where can I obtain a copy?
For school teachers, the school’s pay policy should be available from the head teacher, the school office or via the school intranet. For centrally employed teachers, the policy will be the local authority policy and should be obtainable on request via the line manager.
What is the NEU school pay policy checklist and model school pay policy?
The NEU pay policy checklist outlines the union’s minimum expectations in protecting teachers against unnecessary changes to existing school pay policies.
What features of the pay policy should I look out for?
- Will teachers joining the school retain their previous pay entitlement?
- Are there fixed pay scales on the main pay range and upper pay range?
- How many points do they have?
- Do the provisions for taking decisions on pay progression meet NEU requirements?
- Do the provisions for taking decisions on threshold progression to the upper pay range comply with NEU minimum standards?
- Are there clear criteria for awarding teaching and learning responsibility (TLR) payments and other allowances and payments?
- Is there a clear appeals procedure?
- Is there a provision for annual review and monitoring of the policy including consultation with trade unions?
