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NJC FOR STAFF IN SIXTH FORM COLLEGES

COMMITTEE FOR TEACHING STAFF

staff side London Fringe Area Allowances

SUBMISSION 2010

Introduction

It was agreed during the 2009-10 pay negotiations that the issue of a higher increase in London and Fringe Area Allowances would be pursued further as part of the 2010 negotiations and that the Staff Side would submit prior to those negotiations a more detailed submission specifically on London and Fringe Area Allowances for consultation by colleges in the context of the 2010-11 negotiations.

Consequently, the Staff Side reaffirms that it is seeking significant increases in the London and Fringe Area Allowances for sixth form college teachers in order to restore pay comparability with school teachers. The current levels of London and Fringe Area Allowances continue to create a significant pay shortfall for sixth form college teachers in London and the fringe area compared with the London and fringe area pay scales for teachers in schools. The disparity continues to grow year by year at all points on the pay scales and is particularly marked in terms of the pay comparisons with senior and experienced school teachers.

The Staff Side has pressed consistently for this issue to be addressed in line with the joint commitment made during the 2001 negotiations when both Sides of the Committee for Teaching Staff declared their ambition to match school teachers’ rates of London and Fringe Area Allowances within two years. Clearly that key objective has not been achieved.

The Staff Side states its view, therefore, that a significant increase in these allowances is needed now in order to ameliorate the situation, which is becoming increasingly untenable.

London and Fringe Area Allowances in SixthFormColleges and Schools

Currently, the Inner, Outer and Fringe Area allowances for teachers in sixth form colleges are £3,589; £2,392; and £947 respectively. These compare with the additions on the national pay rates for teachers in schools, from 1 September 2009, as set out below:

1.9.2009 / Inner / Outer / Fringe
M1 / £4,899 / £3,451 / £1,051
M6 / £4,727 / £3,485 / £1,013
UPS1 / £6,877 / £3,341 / £1,015
UPS2 / £7,618 / £3,465 / £1,013
UPS3 / £7,762 / £3,594 / £1,016

These pay gaps will be compounded by the 2.3 per cent increase that it is expected will be paid to school teachers from 1 September 2010. In addition, there will be higher increases of more than 2.3 per cent at some spine points for teachers in Inner London, viz. a minimum starting salary of £27,000 from 1 September 2010, consequential higher increases on points M2 and M3 on the main pay scale and also higher increases on points UPS1-UPS3 on the upper pay scale.

Recruitment and Retention Issues

It is unacceptable in principle for the longer termfor sixth form colleges to offer markedly different total pay to that available in schools in the London area and, increasingly, in the growing number of sixth form centres and academies with sixth forms open and due to open. While the Staff Side acknowledges that evidence appears to show few problems in sixth form colleges over recruitment and retentionof staff at present, this does not mean that the current lack of pay comparability is sustainable. The Staff Side believes that comparability is necessary to support recruitment and retention in the longer term.

Funding

In past years, the Staff Side has accepted that funding constraints for the further education sector have created problems for sixth form colleges in reinstating London and Fringe Area Allowances at the same levels as schools. Consequently agreement has been reached each year, albeit reluctantly, on an increase that was deemed to be more easily affordable. Given, however, that the funding allocations for post-16 students are determined on the same basis for both schools and sixth form colleges, the Staff Side believes that maintaining lower levels of allowances in colleges can no longer be deemed appropriate.

Future of the Sector

The Machinery of Government changes will mark a significant shift for sixth form colleges back to a closer relationship with schools. As a result, colleges will find it difficult to defend their position in terms of total salary when trying to recruit in what will become an increasingly competitive market for post-16 education. Teachers may be increasingly attracted towards the schools' sector and colleges may find difficulties in recruiting teachers to vacant posts. The likelihood of that cannot be underestimated and all three teacher unions believe that the current lack of parity in the London and Fringe Area Allowances, in particular in the Inner London area, will have an impact upon sixth form colleges. The case for the restoration of pay comparability with school teachers is now stronger than ever.

Staff Side

April 2010

T:\Sue's Files\6FCNJC\Salaries-structure, spines, increases, LAs etc\London allowances paper April 2010 FINAL.doc