The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP
Secretary of State for Education
Sanctuary Buildings
Gt Smith Street
London SW1A 3BT / NATIONAL UNION OF TEACHERS HEADQUARTERS
Hamilton House Mabledon Place London WC1H 9BD
Telephone 020 7388 6191 Fax 020 7387 8458

General Secretary Christine Blower
Deputy General Secretary Kevin Courtney

8thJune 2012

Dear Secretary of State,

Trade Dispute over Sixth Form College Teachers’ Pay and Working Conditions

I am writing to you as the Minister with statutory responsibility for the funding of the sixth form colleges sector.

The National Union of Teachers represents approximately four thousand five hundred teachers employed in the sixth form colleges sector. I am writing to set out the NUT's continuing concerns at the consequences of your actions in respect of funding for 16-19 education, and for the sixth form colleges sector in particular for those teachers' pay and working conditions.

I previously wrote to you on 21st December 2011 on these matters. You responded by your letter of 13th January 2012. You failed to resolve that disputewhich resulted in industrial action by our members consisting of a strike in sixth form colleges in London on 23rd February 2012.

As I previously reminded you, and as remains the same, on 13th December you made a series of announcements on education funding for 2012-13. The proposed 2012-13 funding settlement for 16-19 education and training remains broadly unaltered in cash terms, representing a real terms cut for the sixth form colleges sector. This settlement represents the second year of real terms cuts to the sector, following a similarly inadequate funding settlement of 2011-12.

These funding settlements announced by you have had consequences for the terms and conditions of employment of our members in the sixth form colleges sector which include, inter alia:

  • increases in the class sizes taught by our members;
  • increases in the number of teaching hours per teacher, the number of students taught by group, and the number of groups taught;
  • job losses through both voluntary and compulsory means, with consequential increases in workload for those that remain in post;
  • refusal by some colleges to implement scheduled contractual pay progression or nationally agreed pay increases for 2010-11; and
  • the refusal by the Sixth Form Colleges Forum (SFCF) to offer any pay increase to teachers for 2011-12, citing lack of funding as the reason, following a pay increase of only 0.75% for 2010-11.

Other wider consequences have included substantial reductions in "enrichment" provision and reduction in availability of courses, both of which are having a significant impact on the quality of education provided.

In addition we seek a settlement which would allow teachers in sixth form colleges to focus on teaching and learning and which would recognise them as highly skilled professionals deserving of good terms and conditions. We are prepared to meet at any time to seek a settlement of this dispute – which we believe to be inextricably linked to the provision of high quality education for all children and young people. We are very prepared to discuss alternative methods of teacher accountability

We seek an undertaking from you that you will exercise your relevant statutory powers towards the sixth form college sector so as to effect, as soon as reasonably practicable, the following :

  1. You should issue directions and guidance to sixth form college employers that teachers in sixth form colleges shall have pay and conditions of at least equivalent benefit to the terms provided for teachers in maintained schools under the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document.
  1. Funding to sixth form colleges should be made conditional on teachers in sixth form colleges receiving pay and conditions of at least equivalent benefit to the terms provided for teachers in maintained schools under the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document.
  1. There will be a significant reduction in the scale and frequency of inspections of sixth form colleges by Ofsted.

In the event that your unequivocal undertaking in respect of all these matters is not received forthwitha trade dispute will exist between you and the relevant members of this union and the latter will be balloted for industrial action. I and my team remain available to discuss this with you at any time.

Yours sincerely

CHRISTINE BLOWER

General Secretary