This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/apr/12/teachers-denied-pay-rises-for-not-volunteering

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Teachers 'denied pay rises for not volunteering to do school clubs' Teachers 'denied pay rises for not volunteering to do school clubs'
(about 13 hours later)
Teachers are being unfairly denied pay rises because they fail to volunteer to run lunchtime clubs, drive the minibus or help with digging the school garden, the leader of one of the biggest teaching unions has claimed.Teachers are being unfairly denied pay rises because they fail to volunteer to run lunchtime clubs, drive the minibus or help with digging the school garden, the leader of one of the biggest teaching unions has claimed.
Headteachers have been given greater power by education secretary Michael Gove to decide who receives pay increases and why. But some schools are "making it up as they go along", according to Chris Keates, general secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers.Headteachers have been given greater power by education secretary Michael Gove to decide who receives pay increases and why. But some schools are "making it up as they go along", according to Chris Keates, general secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers.
Staff meeting agreed teaching targets are being presented with new objectives linked to the extent to which they make a "wider contribution to school life". Cases being dealt with by her union include a teacher who was told she would not be moved up the pay scale because she had failed to volunteer to organise and run a school club and one whose absence was noted when the staff and parents formed a painting team to redecorate a classroom. Staff meeting agreed teaching targets are being presented with new objectives linked to the extent to which they make a "wider contribution to school life". Cases being dealt with by her union include one teacher who was told she would not be moved up the pay scale because she had failed to volunteer to organise and run a school club, and another whose absence was noted when the staff and parents formed a painting team to redecorate a classroom.
"Teachers are being told, 'yes, you have met your teaching and learning objective but we don't think you have made a wider contribution to the school'. But teachers are not told in advance what that wider contribution needs to be," said Keates. "We have people penalised for not volunteering to run clubs, maintain the school garden and drive the minibus when the person that normally does it was off sick." "Teachers are being told, 'Yes, you have met your teaching and learning objective but we don't think you have made a wider contribution to the school.' But teachers are not told in advance what that wider contribution needs to be," said Keates. "We have people penalised for not volunteering to run clubs, maintain the school garden and drive the minibus when the person that normally does it was off sick."
The union, which will debate the issue at its annual conference next weekend, is expecting a flood of pay claims when the new rules on teachers' pay progression begin to take effect from September. Performance-related pay for teachers was introduced in 2003 but Gove announced last year he was abolishing long-service pay progression and automatic pay rises for teachers reaching a certain standard. Heads and governing bodies now have greater freedom to set starting salaries and decide how pay rises are awarded.The union, which will debate the issue at its annual conference next weekend, is expecting a flood of pay claims when the new rules on teachers' pay progression begin to take effect from September. Performance-related pay for teachers was introduced in 2003 but Gove announced last year he was abolishing long-service pay progression and automatic pay rises for teachers reaching a certain standard. Heads and governing bodies now have greater freedom to set starting salaries and decide how pay rises are awarded.
Keates said the changes removed any clarity from the process. "I don't think any reasonable person, even those who are devotees of a hard link between pay and performance, would think it is fair to add criteria on that the teachers did not know were going to be used. It is patently unfair that however hard a teacher works, however well they meet their objectives and improve teaching and learning, they are still denied pay progression on things irrelevant to the quality of teaching in the classroom."Keates said the changes removed any clarity from the process. "I don't think any reasonable person, even those who are devotees of a hard link between pay and performance, would think it is fair to add criteria on that the teachers did not know were going to be used. It is patently unfair that however hard a teacher works, however well they meet their objectives and improve teaching and learning, they are still denied pay progression on things irrelevant to the quality of teaching in the classroom."
But headteachers defended the right to make judgments based on a teacher's "contribution to the whole school". Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "Heads are expected to judge against objectives that are set but also against teacher standards, drawn up by the government. These make it clear that teachers should observe a certain level of professionalism and contribute to the whole school. Heads are perfectly within their rights to refer to those standards."But headteachers defended the right to make judgments based on a teacher's "contribution to the whole school". Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "Heads are expected to judge against objectives that are set but also against teacher standards, drawn up by the government. These make it clear that teachers should observe a certain level of professionalism and contribute to the whole school. Heads are perfectly within their rights to refer to those standards."
Hobby said schools should adopt a transparent pay policy. "As early as possible heads should be having one-to-one conversations saying, 'Look, this is going really well, but I'm worried I haven't seen you contributing to clubs or other things. If you want your pay increment, I'd like to see some more of that'."Hobby said schools should adopt a transparent pay policy. "As early as possible heads should be having one-to-one conversations saying, 'Look, this is going really well, but I'm worried I haven't seen you contributing to clubs or other things. If you want your pay increment, I'd like to see some more of that'."
Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, which represents secondary heads, said the pay changes had been rushed in and senior staff needed more training. "We have been advising headteachers to ensure they have high-quality pay policies that are explicit, clear and transparent about the criteria." Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, which represents secondary heads, said the pay changes had been rushed in and senior staff needed more training. "We have been advising headteachers to ensure they have high-quality pay policies that are explicit, clear and transparent about the criteria," he said.
However, one headteacher, who asked not to be named, said: "The policy allows headteachers to find a way to survive during austerity by making relatively arbitrary decisions about pay progression so that schools remain solvent."However, one headteacher, who asked not to be named, said: "The policy allows headteachers to find a way to survive during austerity by making relatively arbitrary decisions about pay progression so that schools remain solvent."
Teachers are also being denied pay rises if all their lessons are not judged "good" or "outstanding" by Ofsted, according to the National Union of Teachers. The union's national conference over Easter will hear that teachers are under "unbearable stress" because they fear pay rises will be refused on the basis of 20-minute lesson observations. NUT teachers are threatening strikes at schools where pay disputes arise over imposed targets or Ofsted gradings. Teachers are also being denied pay rises if all their lessons are not judged "good" or "outstanding" by Ofsted, according to the National Union of Teachers.
A Department for Education spokesman said: "We have reformed teachers' pay so that heads can pay great teachers more. We already have the best generation of teachers ever in our schools and these changes will further raise the status of the profession and encourage more great people into teaching."A Department for Education spokesman said: "We have reformed teachers' pay so that heads can pay great teachers more. We already have the best generation of teachers ever in our schools and these changes will further raise the status of the profession and encourage more great people into teaching."