School Teachers' Review Body - Cm. 8813

Book excerpt: In this report the Review Body considers wide-ranging changes to the teacher pay framework, focussing on three issues: pay for the leadership group; allowances and safeguarding; and non-pay conditions. The report builds on principles set out in its 21st Report on pay for classroom teachers: increased autonomy for schools to respond to local circumstances within a broad national framework; appropriate reward allied to accountability; and simplification of the existing pay system so governing bodies can use it effectively and with confidence. School-led improvement is creating a variety of new roles, including leadership of multiple schools; and encouraging wider collaboration to spread best practice. The impact of academies is beginning to shape the market for able leaders. The recommendations in this report: (a) provide a clear and usable framework for setting the pay of school leaders, enabling governing bodies to match pay to accountabilities and the local needs of the school as well as offering appropriate reward to high quality leaders who are so crucial to raising standards; (b) provide greater freedom in setting the level of Teaching and Learning Responsibility payments; whilst retaining the main allowances used by schools and the existing safeguarding provisions; (c) remove unnecessary detailed guidance on non-pay conditions whilst retaining the core statutory protections on teachers' working hours and time for planning, preparation and assessment. These proposals will enable substantial simplification of the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document so it provides an accessible handbook for governing bodies, leadership teams and teachers to exercise professional judgement at local level.