Qualifying to teach? Get four terms full membership for just

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1 Pay and conditions

2 Qualifying to teach? Get four terms full membership for just 1 Phone or go online to upgrade from student to full membership of the NUT, even before you qualify. Membership hotlines: / Monday-Friday (9am-5pm) or go online at

3 3 Contents Contents 05 A message from the NUT General Secretary, Christine 06 Blower 14 Why pensions matter Money matters Teachers salaries Main pay scale Additional allowances Salary scales for London and the Fringe Area Your starting salary Salary queries

4 4 Contents 18 Your conditions of service Teachers conditions of service Teachers working time Professional duties Teachers legal responsibilities Managing pupil behaviour Teachers sick pay Maternity rights Leave of absence Parental leave Trade union duties and activities Notice to leave your job Cover for absent colleagues Gained time Appraisal 32 Accidents in school Grievance and disciplinary procedures 36 NUT benefits and services Contact us Regional/Wales office contact details

5 5 Dear colleague Teaching is a challenging and important job. As a teacher you can change children s lives. We believe you deserve professional status, proper pay, decent conditions and a good pension. The NUT is the union that only recruits qualified and qualifying teachers. The NUT NQT Guide Pay and conditions will give you lots of information and guidance on your pay and conditions of service to help you as you enter the profession. A message from the NUT General Secretary The NUT continues to campaign for there to be a merger of the teaching unions. We believe that a single organisation would be best placed to promote the interests of teachers and education. I wish you every success in your new career. With best wishes. Yours sincerely Christine Blower NUT General Secretary

6 Money matters

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8 8 Money matters Note: Statements about pay outlined below may not apply in academies, independent schools and free schools. For more information visit the pay and conditions section on the NUT website at: Teachers salaries Classroom teachers, i.e. all qualified teachers other than school leadership group teachers, Advanced Skills Teachers or teachers on the Excellent Teacher Scheme, are paid on the Main Pay Scale in their initial years of teaching and are then eligible to progress to the Upper Pay Scale. They may also receive additional allowances for various reasons. Main pay scale The Coalition Government has imposed a two-year pay freeze across the whole public sector covering the period to 31 August This will mean that the real value of teachers pay will be cut, as inflation increases but teachers pay is frozen. The NUT is campaigning to defend pay and public services see the NUT website at for details. Main Pay Scale values from 1 September 2012 are set out below. Details are given for each of the four separate scales: England and Wales; Inner London; Outer London; and the Fringe Area. Information on the geographical areas covered by each scale appears later in this section.

9 9 Money matters Pay scales from 1 September 2012 ( p.a.) Spine Point England & Wales (except London and Fringe Area) Inner London Outer London Fringe Area M1 21,588 27,000 25,117 22,626 M2 23,295 28,408 26,674 24,331 M3 25,168 29,889 28,325 26,203 M4 27,104 31,446 30,080 28,146 M5 29,240 33,865 32,630 30,278 M6 31,552 36,387 35,116 32,588

10 10 Money matters Point M1 on the Main Pay Scale is the common salary entry point for new entrants, although if you have experience inside or outside teaching you may be placed on a point higher than M1 (see Your Starting Salary opposite). Each September, if you have worked as a teacher during at least 26 weeks of the previous school year you will receive an additional spine point up to the maximum. The only exception to this would be in the highly unlikely event that the governing body determines that your performance is unsatisfactory. You will therefore be able to progress to point M6 on the basis of experience alone. Once you have reached the maximum on the Main Pay Scale, you may apply under the threshold assessment procedure for access to the Upper Pay Scale. Additional allowances Classroom teachers may be awarded additional allowances in respect of Teaching and Learning Responsibilities (TLRs) and involvement in Special Educational Needs (SEN) teaching. The levels of Teaching and Learning Responsibility payments are decided by schools, within two broad pay ranges set nationally. From 1 September 2010, the two separate SEN allowances were replaced by the ability to make SEN payments within an SEN payment range. Teachers may also, at the discretion of the school, be awarded payments for recruitment and retention purposes. See the NUT website at for further details on TLRs and other allowances.

11 11 Salary scales for London and the Fringe Area Your starting salary Money matters As explained above, there are separate pay scales for teachers in Inner London, Outer London and the Fringe Area. These separate pay scales incorporate the previous separate London allowances. The three areas cover the following local authorities: Inner London: Barking and Dagenham; Brent; Camden; City of London; Ealing; Greenwich; Hackney; Hammersmith and Fulham; Haringey; Islington; Kensington and Chelsea; Lambeth; Lewisham; Merton; Newham; Southwark; Tower Hamlets; Wandsworth; and Westminster. Outer London: Barnet; Bexley; Bromley; Croydon; Enfield; Harrow; Havering; Hillingdon; Hounslow; Kingston-upon-Thames; Redbridge; Richmond-upon-Thames; Sutton and Waltham Forest. Fringe Area: The districts of Bracknell Forest, Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead (in Berkshire); South Buckinghamshire and Chiltern (in Buckinghamshire); Basildon, Brentwood, Epping Forest, Harlow and Thurrock (in Essex); Broxbourne, Dacorum, East Herts, Hertsmere, St Albans, Three Rivers, Watford and Welwyn Hatfield (in Hertfordshire); Dartford and Sevenoaks (in Kent); Crawley (in West Sussex); and the whole of Surrey. Most new entrants are likely to start at point M1. If you are a mature entrant to teaching, however, you may be allocated additional spine points on appointment for experience gained outside teaching. This may include relevant work experience or unremunerated activities. Unlike the annual points awarded for experience gained inside teaching, the allocation of points for experience gained outside teaching is not mandatory. The NUT believes, however, that governing bodies should always take such experience into account and allocate spine points where appropriate. The NUT will advise and support members accordingly. The letter of appointment you received confirming your appointment should have indicated the spine point at which you will be placed and the starting salary that you will receive.

12 12 Money matters Salary queries If you experience problems in relation to the salary you receive or its payment, you should contact your NUT representative. It may well be that a genuine error has been made, in which case the NUT representative could raise the issue with the head teacher on your behalf. In such cases, the head teacher will probably move swiftly to resolve the situation. In most cases, the letter of appointment that you receive confirming your new post should indicate the spine point on which it has been agreed you will be paid. Should you believe your salary falls short of this amount, even after having allowed for the usual deductions of tax and National Insurance, then you will need to raise the issue in the appropriate forum. If you have reason to believe that you have been misled as to the spine point on which you will be paid, or you cannot resolve other issues as outlined above, it is important that you contact your regional office in England or NUT Cymru in Wales at an early stage.

13 A free behaviour guide for you To help you through your crucial first year, we will send you a FREE copy of the CD Rom, The Interactive Guide to Behaviour Management, when you upgrade your membership. FREE NUT FROM THE Phone or go online to upgrade: Membership hotlines: / Monday to Friday (9am-5pm) You can still upgrade your membership if you haven t got a job yet. Later, when you have your new school details, ring / to tell us and receive your FREE CD Rom.

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15 Why pensions matter

16 16 Why pensions matter When you re in the early stages of your career, you shouldn t have to worry about your retirement. But the Government s plans for public sector pensions threaten you with: Paying more Contribution rises mean NQTs starting from September 2012 will lose between 8 to 16 a month from take-home pay depending on where you work. You ll lose proportionately more as you rise up the salary scale. Find out how much you stand to lose with the NUT s pensions loss calculator at: Most NQTs will start on point M1, so enter that pay point when you use the calculator, unless you have been offered a job with a higher starting salary. The NUT is working with other teachers unions to defend teachers pensions. We have fought off such threats in the past. Support the NUT s campaign to protect your pension go to Working longer Young teachers could end up working to 68, or even longer! Getting less Changing pensions indexation will cost teachers thousands of pounds over the course of their retirement. Moving to career average pensions could affect you further.

17 Support thenut s campaign protect to your pension

18 Your conditions service of

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20 20 Your conditions of service Teachers conditions of service The conditions of service of teachers working in local authority maintained schools in England and Wales come from four sources. These are: the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document, usually known as the Blue Book, which sets out the provisions on teachers working time and professional duties the Burgundy Book National Agreement between local authorities and teachers organisations which covers such areas as sick pay, maternity pay and notice periods local agreements which may improve upon the provisions of the Burgundy Book or may cover other areas not included national legislation. Note: Statements about conditions of service outlined below may not apply in academies, independent schools and free schools. Visit the pay and conditions section on the NUT website at: for more information. Copies of the Blue Book and the Burgundy Book should be available in every school. Your new employer should also provide you with copies of any local agreements on conditions of service. You may have to request these. The current Blue Book is available to be downloaded from: publications/standard/publicationdetail/ Page1/DFE

21 21 Teachers working time Under the terms of the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document, full-time teachers are required to be available for work for 195 days in any year, of which 190 days shall be days on which they may be required to teach pupils in addition to carrying out other duties; and those 195 days shall be specified by the employer or, if the employer directs, by the head teacher. Teachers are also required to be available to perform such duties at such times and such places as may be specified by the head teacher for 1265 hours in any year, those hours to be allocated reasonably throughout those days in the year on which the teacher is required to be available for work. All teachers with timetabled teaching commitments have a contractual entitlement to planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time set as a minimum of 10 per cent of a teacher s timetabled teaching time. PPA time must be allocated in blocks of no less than 30 minutes and should take place during the school day. In the first year of teaching, an NQT is also entitled to a reduced timetable of no more than 90 per cent of the normal average teaching time in their school. This is in addition to PPA time. You are entitled to a clear lunch break. You cannot be directed to undertake any activity during this break. Your conditions of service Teachers are required to work such reasonable additional hours as may be necessary to discharge their professional duties, in particular marking, preparation and report writing. Please refer to the Workload guide in this pack. A more detailed guide on Teachers working time and duties can be downloaded from the NUT website at

22 22 Your conditions of service Professional duties The professional duties of teachers are set out in detail in the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document. It requires teachers to undertake a wide range of duties including in particular: planning and teaching lessons reporting on pupils progress maintaining good order and discipline preparation of pupils for examination collaborating with colleagues safeguarding pupil health and safety. Specific obligations relating to cover and to participation in appraisals are also set out. These duties are to be performed under the reasonable direction of the head teacher. There is no set definition of what is and is not reasonable, but the NUT has policy on all of these areas. It is also important to note that head teachers are required to have regard to the balance between your professional life and your life outside work. Teachers legal responsibilities All teachers have a duty of care towards their pupils. According to this duty of care, you are required to apply your training and skills as a teacher to safeguard pupils, demonstrating reasonable and careful professional standards while you are at work. If you have fulfilled your duty of care, as outlined above, you cannot be held liable for any accident. You should take care to avoid discrimination. The NUT believes that providing and promoting equal opportunities for pupils and staff is crucial to an effective education service. Discrimination at work on grounds of gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, transgender status, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity or age is unlawful. You should not be routinely required to undertake administrative and clerical tasks and should exercise your professional judgement in deciding whether particular tasks require your professional skills. Teachers cannot be required to arrange or supervise public examinations.

23 23 NQTs Getting behaviour right courses Courses start at 11am on the first day and finish at 2.30pm on the second Three opportunities to attend: Stoke Rochford Hall, Grantham, Lincolnshire Tuesday 27th Wednesday 28th November 2012 Friday 1st Saturday 2nd February 2013 Friday 17th Saturday 18th May 2013 NQTs in their first year of teaching are invited to apply for this continuing professional development opportunity. This course is FREE to NUT members; 150 (others). Includes VAT, food and accommodation. The course aims to enable NQTs to: better understand pupil behaviour identify further behaviour/classroom organisation strategies that work explore communication, power and the language of choice and extend their knowledge and understanding of disturbed behaviour. Tutors: Helen Howard, Paul Howard and Pete Hrekow. To find out more about these courses and apply online visit

24 24 Your conditions of service Managing pupil behaviour No member of the NUT should feel alone when facing pupil behaviour which is threatening or undermining. All teachers, at various points in their careers, need guidance and support from colleagues, from specialist services or from their union because of pupil behaviour. Schools should provide systems of support for teachers. The school behaviour policy should explain what teachers can and should do when they are experiencing persistent disruptive behaviour, or violent or threatening behaviour, from pupils. If you need support and advice about how to cope with a particular pupil or class, speak to your NUT representative about your rights and entitlements. Teachers sick pay The rights of teachers in respect of sick pay and sick leave are set out in the Burgundy Book National Agreement. The scheme gives a sliding scale entitlement according to length of service, as follows: During the first year of service: full pay for 25 working days and after completing four calendar months service, half pay for 50 working days. During the second year of service: full pay for 50 working days and half pay for 50 working days. During the third year of service: full pay for 75 working days and half pay for 75 working days. During the fourth and successive years: full pay for 100 working days and half pay for 100 working days. The scale shown here is the minimum. Certain local authorities will have agreed local improvements. Service with previous local authorities counts towards this scheme. Changing from one local authority to another will not affect the entitlement. Service does not have to be continuous.

25 Note: Statements about conditions of service outlined below may not apply in academies, independent schools and free schools. Visit the pay and conditions section on the NUT website at: for more information. To make sure you secure your sick pay entitlement, you should do all you can to inform your school as soon as possible that you will not be at work. Under the present arrangements, you do not need to send a doctor s note until the eighth day of absence. If you have been off sick for between four and seven calendar days, you will be required to complete a form of self-certification when you return to work. If you suffer a long illness, you are likely to be asked to send a doctor s note each month. Entitlement continues until the limit on working days has been exhausted. Weekends, holidays and half-terms do not count towards the limit on entitlement. For example, if you are a teacher in your first year of service you could be absent for 15 working days before the Christmas holiday, the holiday period itself and 10 working days after the holiday before your entitlement to full pay is exhausted. The sick pay year runs from 1 April to 31 March and new entitlement starts on 1 April each year. This means that, for the purposes of the sick pay scheme, your second and subsequent years of continuous service start on 1 April each year. To calculate your entitlement, you will need to calculate how many working days you have missed due to sickness since the previous 1 April. If you are absent due to illness on 31 March, however, sick pay continues to be paid for that spell of absence according to the previous year s entitlement and the new entitlement does not start until you are back at work. Teachers are also entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) which is a basic entitlement payable to all employees whatever their job. Teachers in their first years of service who have only a limited entitlement under the scheme will continue to receive SSP after their entitlement to full and half pay has run out. SSP is paid for the first 28 calendar weeks of absence, after which Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) must be claimed from the government. Telephone applications for ESA can be made by dialling or, for Welsh speakers, Alternatively, a claim form can be downloaded and printed from When a teacher is receiving full sick pay, SSP is included in this. When a teacher goes on to half pay, SSP will be paid on top for the remainder of the 28 week period. 25 Your conditions of service

26 Know your union rep Your first point of contact with the Union is your NUT representative or local secretary. Contact details of your local secretary can be found on your NUT membership card or via the contact map on the NUT website at:

27 27 Maternity rights The rights of teachers in respect of maternity pay and maternity leave are set out in the Burgundy Book National Agreement. Maternity entitlement is related to length of continuous service. The leave and the pay to which you may be entitled will therefore be based on how much continuous service you have completed as a teacher before the birth. For up-to-date information on your maternity rights, visit: All women teachers are, however, entitled to maternity leave of up to 52 weeks. Not all of this leave will be paid leave but most teachers will be entitled to maternity pay for part of this 52 week period. How much you will be paid and over what period will depend on individual circumstances. Fathers/partners who meet the employment conditions are entitled to 2 weeks paternity leave and may also be entitled to additional leave of up to 6 months. Adoptive parents, fathers and same sex partners of those giving birth may also be entitled to paid leave to care for their new-born or newly-adopted child. Employees on maternity and adoption leave may take up to ten keeping in touch days without losing their maternity pay. These days can be used for work or training but are not compulsory. Leave of absence Teachers may have contractual rights to paid leave of absence for domestic reasons, such as bereavement or when a dependant has fallen ill or been injured, and to paid or unpaid leave of absence for other reasons, such as weddings, study leave and moving house according to the terms of local agreements. Sometimes decisions on such leave are delegated to the head teacher but, if you are employed by a local authority, it is the local authority which ultimately determines your right to leave of absence other than where it is statutory. All teachers also have a statutory right to unpaid time off for urgent domestic reasons. This includes time off when a partner gives birth, when existing care arrangements are unexpectedly disrupted and to deal with an incident at a child s school. Your conditions of service

28 28 Your conditions of service Parental leave New parents qualify for a maximum of 13 weeks unpaid parental leave when they have completed one year s service with their employer. The leave can be taken up to the child s fifth birthday or 18th birthday if the child is disabled. Trade union duties and activities The NUT encourages its members to become involved in the work of the Union at school and local level. Arrangements for paid time off for trade union duties will normally be found in local agreements made in accordance with statutory provisions. Notice to leave your job Think very carefully before leaving your new post if your reasons for doing so are based on initial dissatisfaction, discipline problems or other such anxieties. In such situations you should seek advice and help from the NUT. You will not be the first teacher to have a difficult first year in teaching before experience and confidence grow. There are strict rules about giving notice of intention to leave a teaching post and if these are not observed you will be in breach of contract. Unless specifically released by the local authority, you can only leave at the end of term. For the purposes of these arrangements the three terms in each year are constituted as follows: the autumn term from 1 September to 31 December the spring term from 1 January to 30 April the summer term from 1 May to 31 August. There are three deadlines for giving notice to leave: in the autumn term, by 31 October in the spring term, by 28 February in the summer term, by 31 May.

29 29 Contracts then end respectively on 31 December; 30 April or the last day of the Easter break; and 31 August. Departing teachers are paid up to these dates. If you miss the deadline, the local authority may insist on you staying until the end of the following term. These strict rules may be waived with the agreement of the head teacher/governors of a school and of the local authority. The local authority may agree to let you go either at the end of that term or at the following half-term. It is unusual for the local authority to go against a school s wishes. If you have any difficulty in these areas, you should seek NUT advice. Cover for absent colleagues On 1 September 2009 a new provision was introduced into the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) as an individual contractual right for every teacher to only rarely cover for absent colleagues. Schools are, therefore, required to ensure that teachers may be required to cover only rarely, in circumstances which are not foreseeable. The NUT expects, therefore, that teachers will only be required to cover in exceptional emergency situations. The NUT s view is that most events which prompt a need for cover will be foreseeable. For example, it will be foreseeable that a number of staff are likely to take sick leave or maternity leave. In many areas of England and Wales it will be foreseeable that there may be adverse weather or traffic conditions which will affect teachers attendance, although it may be that any particular occurrence is itself unforeseen. It will certainly be foreseeable that there will be a need for cover to be arranged when teachers are absent from school due to other work commitments such as school trips, external meetings, or INSET days. Your conditions of service

30 30 Your conditions of service Gained time During the academic year, particularly in the summer term, some teachers will be released from some of their timetabled teaching commitments as a result of their pupils being on study or examination leave. Such time is known as gained time and you can be directed by your head teacher to undertake certain tasks during this time including developing curriculum materials, revising schemes of work, team teaching and CPD. Appraisal Appraisal arrangements do not apply to teachers in their induction year. The following information is provided for future reference. Head teachers should consult staff about an appraisal policy for agreement by the governing body. The regulations require that schools have in place an appraisal policy, reviewed annually. The NUT believes this should be developed after consultation with staff. Teachers will have their performance regularly assessed and will have the opportunity for professional discussion with their team leader about their work and their professional development. The NUT believes that appraisal procedures should be supportive, not undermining, of teachers. The Government is seeking to promote a model which does not meet these objectives. At the time of writing, the NUT is working with other teacher associations to develop an alternative to the government model.

31 Accidents in school Your school should have clear procedures for dealing with accidents in the classroom involving either pupils or teachers. These arrangements should include the provision of an accident report book in which all accidents and injuries should be recorded. You should ask about these procedures when you start your new post. Obviously, as the class teacher where a pupil has been injured, you will want to make the child or young person as comfortable as possible, but unless you have the appropriate qualifications you should not endeavour to administer any first aid and should obtain the necessary medical assistance without delay. Grievance and disciplinary procedures All schools must establish procedures to be followed if a teacher has a grievance or is subject to disciplinary proceedings. Where governing bodies have delegated powers, the form and operation of these procedures will be under their control. The local authority or the governing body is obliged to give you a copy of the procedures which apply. It is essential that you consult the NUT if you believe that you have a grievance or that you may be subject to disciplinary proceedings. 31 Your conditions of service

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33 NUT benefits services and

34 34 NUT benefits and services Benefits and services Your guide to the benefits and services provided for NUT members. Companies endorsed by the Union provide high quality products and services, designed to meet the needs of teachers. Financial advice Information and advice on retirement planning, saving, investing, protecting your family and your home. The Union is an introducer appointed representative of Teachers Assurance who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, registered number Freephone Mortgages and savings Teachers Building Society Freephone Home insurance Aviva Freephone Teachers Assurance Freephone Motor insurance Aviva Freephone Road rescue Britannia Rescue Freephone Discount shopping Countdown Travel Countdown Holiday Club Travel insurance Simple Travel Insurance Unsecured personal loans Moneyway

35 35 Utilities Utility Warehouse Discount Club Freephone (quote NUT or E54727 ); Insurance for self-employed members Alan Boswell Insurance Brokers or through Teacher support Teacher Support Network Teacher support line Telephone counselling for teachers (England) (Wales) Legal service (not work related) NUT Legal Plus Thompsons Freephone For legal and professional services relating to work or union activities contact your regional office in England or NUT Cymru in Wales. Group insurance The Union has a range of group insurance policies, underwritten by Aviva, for all in-service members subject to terms and conditions: Personal accident: permanent accidental injury or death. Hospitalisation benefit: compensation for hospitalisation for more than one day following an occupational accident. Personal property: cover for property in schools (theft, fire damage or malicious damage). Spectacles: cover for accidental damage to spectacles at work. Malicious damage to motor vehicles: malicious damage protection for vehicles on school premises. For details call the NUT Organising and Membership Department on For deals you can t afford to miss Shop & save with the NUT savings discounts cashback offers POWERED BY NUT benefits and services

36 Contact us

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38 38 Contact us Contact us Here are the areas served by the NUT regional offices in England, and NUT Cymru in Wales, and their contact details. 1 Northern 2 North West 3 Yorkshire/Midland 4 Midlands 5 Eastern 6 South East 7 South West 8 London W Wales W

39 39 Region 1 Northern NUT Northern Regional Office Regional Secretary: Mike McDonald Tel: northern@nut.org.uk Region 6 South East NUT South East Regional Office Regional Secretary: Marian Darke Tel: south.east@nut.org.uk Contact us Region 2 North West NUT North West Regional Office Regional Secretary: Avis Gilmore Tel: north.west@nut.org.uk Region 3 Yorkshire/Midland NUT Yorkshire/Midland Regional Office Regional Secretary: Ian Stevenson Tel: yorkshire.midland@nut.org.uk Region 4 Midlands NUT Midlands Regional Office Regional Secretary: Kit Armstrong Tel: midlands@nut.org.uk Region 5 Eastern NUT Eastern Regional Office Regional Secretary: Hilary Bucky Tel: eastern@nut.org.uk Region 7 South West NUT South West Regional Office Regional Secretary: Andy Woolley Tel: south.west@nut.org.uk Region 8 London NUT London Regional Office Regional Secretary: Tim Harrison Tel: london@nut.org.uk Wales - Cymru NUT Cymru Wales Secretary: David Evans Tel: cymru.wales@nut.org.uk

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44 Our aim: one union Qualifying to teach? Get four terms full membership for just 1 for all teachers To join us or upgrade from student to full membership, ring our hotlines or or join online Follow us on Twitter twitter.com/nutonline Published by NUT Designed by home thisishome.co.uk Printed by CHP /05/12