Summary of ASCL’s response
The Secretary of State issued the remit for the STRB’s 30th report on 18 September 2019. The remit covers the following matters for recommendation:

• An assessment of the adjustments that should be made to the salary and allowance ranges for classroom teachers, unqualified teachers and school leaders to promote recruitment and retention, within the bounds of affordability across the school system as a whole and in the light of the Secretary of State’s views on the need for an uplift to starting salaries.
• Additional advice to schools on the performance-related pay progression pathway for classroom teachers including advisory pay points on the main and upper pay ranges. The STRB’s views on the role of progression to the upper pay range and the continued case for separate main and upper pay ranges.

How did we respond?
In our response we welcomed the proposal for £30,000 starting salary for teachers, but also make the case that is essential that this increase is reflected in all salary points within pay ranges to improve teacher retention.
Our recommendations also include:

• Reinstatement of the advisory pay points to the STPCD, ensuring no detriment to any teacher or leader in the assimilation process. These should be a mandatory element.
• Retention of the separate main and upper pay ranges.
• Removal of the performance-related pay element of the pay system from the STPCD at the earliest opportunity.

Why have we taken this view?
We believe that a significant increase to all pay ranges is required in order to address the erosion of pay since 2010.

There is fragmentation across the system caused by some employers applying the annual uplift to all pay points and some only applying it to the minima and maxima of each range. To ensure equitable treatment for all staff, funding should be provided to assimilate all teachers and leaders who are currently on lower valued points to the minimum advisory pay points as published by joint unions which we are calling to be included in the Document.

It is our view that it would be preferable to make the necessary changes to the current system and ensure that there is more consistent implementation, than to dismantle the whole system and return to a single pay range.
There is currently no evidence that performance-related pay impacts positively on pupil outcomes, and growing evidence that it may have a negative impact on retention and workload.

Read the full consultation response here.