NASUWT: Secretary of state gives licence for 25% pay rise for heads
Commenting on the publication of the School Teachers’ Review Body’s 20th Report on leadership pay levels, Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union, said:
“At a time when public service workers including teachers are facing a significant pay cut as a result of a two year pay freeze, rising cost of living and increases in VAT and National Insurance, schools have been given a licence to give headteachers a 25% discretionary pay rise.
“The report and the Secretary of State have failed abjectly to tackle the serious, outstanding issues in relation to leadership pay.
“This recommendation will not address the increasing evidence of disproportionate and excessive benefit packages being awarded to some headteachers, in addition to increased salary. There is an increasing tendency for schools to offer packages of benefits in addition to salary, including private health care, additional leave, a car and/or membership of a variety of clubs.
“It will not introduce the much needed openness, fairness, transparency, consistency and objectivity to pay determination for school leaders.
“It will not address the fact that pay determination for headteachers relies solely on governors, whose decisions are often cloaked in secrecy and neither monitored nor subject to scrutiny or challenge.
“Throw all of this into the mix of greater autonomy for schools, the fragmentation of the service and the severance of a direct link with local authorities and it is clear that the system is wide open to abuse.”
ENDS
For more details contact
NASUWT Press Officer Peter Graham on 07966 195010
Lena Davies
Journalist
NASUWT
0121 457 6250
lena.davies@mail.nasuwt.org.uk
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