The requirement for maintained schools in England to operate PRP has been removed. Academies already had this freedom. We want to ensure that all pay progression is automatic and annual, see the advice on ending PRP. The vast majority of schools use the national advisory pay scales which are in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document and reflected in the joint union advice on pay.
Progression for teachers in Wales is no longer based on the outcome of their appraisal. From 1 September 2021, the Welsh Government abolished performance-related pay in favour of experience-based pay progression and reintroducing national statutory pay scales.
All teachers are eligible to progress except:
- teachers at the top of the main pay range who have not expressed a wish to ‘cross the threshold’.
- teachers at the top of the upper pay range.
- teachers at the top of their leadership group pay range.
- unqualified teachers at the top of the unqualified teacher pay range.
- leading practitioners at the top of their range.
A written pay recommendation is required for every teacher following the outcome of the school’s appraisal arrangements. The school must have regard to this recommendation in making pay progression decisions. The NEU’s view is that a decision to progress made by your appraiser should not be overturned by the head teacher or governing body.
The decision should be based on the outcome of your performance appraisal review, and there is no requirement for you to provide additional evidence. You should check your school’s pay policy to see the criteria and evidence your school expects you to fulfil for progression. When you agreed your objectives you should also have discussed how your performance against these objectives would be measured. The
NEU does not expect teachers to be required to provide a portfolio of evidence to show they have met their objectives. You should agree with your appraiser how your performance will be managed and what, if any, evidence you need to collect. You may wish to take note of examples showing how you met the aspects of your objectives, which may be useful if you do not receive the pay recommendation you think you deserve.
Yes – the NEU’s view is that all pay progression should be automatic and annual.
Objectives must be SMART - specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely - and fit for purpose. The DfE advice advocates “targets and objectives that enable teachers to demonstrate performance, rather than simply results”. You should challenge any objectives you think are unachievable or inappropriate at the outset and, if they are imposed, record your objections in writing.
Your school must have a pay policy that details how pay progression will operate in your school. If your school has a pay scale, ideally the one recommended by the NEU, you should progress to the next point on the pay scale. If your performance has been deemed exceptional you may progress two points, provided this has been incorporated into your school’s pay policy. If your school does not have a pay scale it is likely that all teachers will be paid on a spot salary determined by the governors/head teacher.
As long as you remain at the same school, there is no mechanism by which you can be moved down the pay scale.
The NEU’s view is that all pay progression should be automatic and annual, please contact your NEU rep if you are denied progression. If there isn’t an NEU rep in your school, please contact the relevant regional office.
Any increase to your pay following pay progression should be backdated to 1 September.
If you do not agree with your appraiser’s decision not to award you progression, or you believe the amount of progression recommended is insufficient, you should consider lodging an appeal. You should check with the school’s pay policy to ensure your appeal is made within the time limits - you usually have ten working days to lodge an appeal.
You may wish to discuss your decision to appeal with your NEU rep in the first instance (if you do not have a school rep, contact the relevant region.) If your appraiser is not your line manager, you may also wish to discuss your appeal with your line manager.
Your appraiser should have given you reasons why they did not recommend you for progression, and you should consider carefully whether you have the evidence available to show that these reasons are not sufficient and that their decision is not correct.
You may be required to provide additional evidence to support your appeal, although it should not be too onerous a task for you to collect this information.
Denying progression on this basis is clearly unfair and, in certain circumstances, can be unlawful discrimination.
If you moved post during, or at the end of, the previous year, previous statutory guidance said that head teachers should consult with the previous head. The STPCD no longer includes that advice, but its principles remain valid.
Teachers who, for reasons of maternity or other leave, miss significant periods should have their targets reassessed to make them more realistic and achievable, while still rigorous, bringing them in line with the school’s appraisal cycle.
The DfE advice confirms that such teachers are entitled to consideration for pay progression in the same way as other teachers. Governing bodies should take decisions by reference to available information such as from the most recent appraisal review or from any part of the period when the teacher was present.
If you go on maternity leave at the end of the summer term, we advise you to ask for a review to be undertaken before you leave. Similarly, if you return to work in the summer term you should ask for interim targets to be set for you to meet by the end of October.
All teachers should get the cost-of-living increase set out in the STPCD, separately from and additional to any pay progression for which the teacher is eligible. We have detailed pay advice.
If you are in England, the STPCD includes advisory pay points in relation to the Main, Upper and Unqualified Teacher pay ranges.
Although the advisory points are not mandatory, the NEU is urging employers to follow the STRB’s recommendation.
