The Minister for Education and Welsh Language issued the remit for the IWPRB’s 4th report on 20 December 2021. The remit covers the following matters for recommendation:

A. Multi-Year Approach (2 years)
In considering a multi-year approach for implementation from September 2022 and September 2023:

1. What adjustments should be made to the salary and allowance ranges for classroom teachers, unqualified teachers and school leaders, to ensure the teaching profession in Wales is promoted and rewarded to encourage recruitment and retention of high quality practitioners;
2. Consideration of the case for further statutory guidance within the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions (Wales) Document in addition to that currently provided in Section 3 of the Document, with specific reference to statutory guidance previously provided in the STPCD for England & Wales prior to 2012.

B. Short and/or medium-term amendments to remedy particular items of concern:
Whether the existing structure for teachers’ pay, terms and conditions requires amendments from September 2022 to facilitate the recruitment and retention of high quality practitioners, with specific consideration of Recommendations 5 + 7 of the IWPRB’s 3rd report:

1. Undertake a review of the proposal to remove the pro-rata principle from TLR payments to part-time teachers.
2. Undertake a review into the remuneration of the ALNCos.
3. Undertake a review of all pay scales within the STPC(W)D including, but not limited to, the following:

a) Case for separate teacher main and upper pay scales
b) Consideration of Leadership Group pay scales
c) Consideration of specific pay scale for remuneration of headteachers with responsibility for more than one school
d) Requirement for Allowance Ranges to be replaced by set scales
e) Impact of any proposed changes on other Teacher and/or Leadership Group pay scales.

C. Longer term – for implementation from September 2023:
Undertake a strategic review of teachers’ pay, terms and conditions in Wales.

How did we respond?
Our evidence submission (links below) included robust information to demonstrate the need for a significant above inflation increase for all teachers and school leaders. We do not support differentiated pay awards and therefore it is our view that any increases to starting salaries must be applied to all points within all pay ranges and allowances.

We also give our views on multi-year awards and the items for consideration under item B. We recommend that it would be more appropriate to consider some of these elements under item C as part of the wider strategic review.

Why have we taken this view?
Our evidence highlights issues relating to recruitment and retention across the profession.
We modelled the real terms impact on school leaders’ pay since 2010 as a result of public sector pay caps/freezes which produced some stark results. The Welsh Government must take urgent action to address this. 

Teachers and school leaders deserve to be remunerated appropriately and fairly for the crucial role they fulfil in society, as has been made even more clear since the onset of the pandemic.

ASCL Cymru evidence to IWPRB 4th remit

Appendix 3