Review Body Report offers fairness to part-time and supply teachers

6 February 2007  

Commenting on the School Teachers’ Review Body Report published today, Tuesday 6 February, Steve Sinnott, NUT General Secretary, said:

“The NUT’s campaign for fair treatment of part-time and supply teachers is paying off. The Review Body has recommended and the Government has accepted that their working time should be more accurately reflected in their pay. This is aimed at ensuring that the change guarantees that part-timers and supply teachers are treated in the same way as full-time teachers.

“Consultation on how this is to be achieved must include all teachers’ organisation and not confined to a select few of Government favourites. This will ensure that the NUT’s emphasis, accepted by the Review Body, of the amount of additional time beyond their teaching hours worked by part-time teachers should be paid for. The NUT will wish to ensure that this also applies to supply teachers.

“The Review Body’s recommendation, accepting the NUT’s view, that a defined list of teachers’ roles and responsibilities should be maintained is very welcome. This ensures that both employers and teachers know what can and cannot be expected of them.

“The Review Body has recognised that shortages are not simply confined to maths and science but also affect other priority subjects. Teacher shortages impact on many areas of the curriculum and will not be addressed without a substantial increase in pay for all teachers. This problem is now more acute as the planned increase for September is lagging well behind the rate of inflation*. The Review Body must ask the Government to allow this issue to be looked at in the light of the changing economic circumstances.

“The NUT opposes the Review Body’s recommendation for greater use of performance related pay. I welcome the Education Secretary’s decision not to change the current arrangements for teachers moving up the pay scale. The Union will be vigilant in ensuring that the Education Secretary’s decision is not merely cosmetic.”