Sixth form colleges

Specific advice for members in sixth form colleges.

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Sixth form colleges ballot on industrial action

As you know, the National Education Union (NEU) is formally balloting its members in the sixth form colleges sector about taking discontinuous strike action during the autumn and spring terms.

You should receive a ballot paper in the week beginning 10 June and you will be asked to VOTE YES.

Find out more

Raise the Rate ask the Chancellor for more sixth form education funding

A cross-party group of 93 MPs has signed a letter to Chancellor Sajid Javid written by the NEU and other unions, urging him to prioritise investment in 16 to 18 education in the forthcoming spending review. The Education Committee report published in July, recommended that to urgently address underfunding in further education, there needs to be an increase to the base rate from £4,000 to at least £4,760, rising in line with inflation.

Sixth form college teacher's pay for 2019-20

On Thursday 4 July, the Staff Side met representatives of the Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA), the colleges’ national body, to discuss sixth form college teachers’ pay from 1 September 2019. The Staff Side pay claim for September 2019 is for a substantial and above-inflation increase to all teacher pay points and allowances in 2019-20, which must also make good the loss of 0.5% in comparison to school teachers’ pay suffered from September 2018. The SFCA made an offer of a 1% increase to all teacher pay points and allowances in September 2019. The Staff Side responded that this offer was unacceptable.  The Staff Side emphasised the need for higher pay for all teachers. The Staff Side noted that the 1% offer is well below inflation and is likely to be below the increase in school teachers’ pay for September 2019. The Staff Side noted the uncertainty on funding for sixth form colleges and the SFCA referred in this context to the current NEU dispute with the Secretary of State on funding for the sector and its effects on working conditions and pay. It was agreed that the negotiations would resume in the autumn term, when key information such as the September 2019 increase for school teachers and Government decisions on 16-19 funding was available.  
 

NJC national agreement conditions of service handbook

This is the national agreement on pay and conditions of service for teachers in sixth form colleges, also known as the Red Book. It includes the new pay and progression framework.

Sixth form colleges useful documents

Sixth form colleges advice and guidance