School support staff pay grades

[Zingy123]

I am employed on a zero hours contract at a school doing exam invigilation. It has come about we have been paid incorrectly per hour. I am struggling to get any information as to when these pay rates changed.

The school are saying the pay rates changed in April 2026 but I have heard this may have been in November 2025.

Apparently it's all to do with certain grades being made obsolete.

Thank you

I don’t think anyone here can help you.
contact HR and ask them.
every school has different grades for invigilators

It's nationally decided pay grades. HR are useless hence me trying to get clarification.

There are no nationally decided pay grades for invigilators. Do you mean your school follows the NJC Green Book pay grades for support staff?
Not all schools do.

If so, the Green Book pay grades can be found here:
https://www.local.gov.uk/our-support/workforce-and-hr-support/local-government-services/local-government-services-pay-2

The school will decide where on the pay scale invigilators sit.

The pay award for April 2025 wasn't agreed until September time, so any hours worked between April and Sept 25 will have been backdated to account for the increase probably around Oct/Nov 25 time depending on your school.

Likewise the pay award for April 26 has not yet been agreed, so any hours worked since April 26 will be backdated for the increase, once it's been agreed..

Thank you. Yes they use the green book. I'm actually a lead invigilator on grade 7. I have been paid the wrong amount since April 2025 I believe. They are offering to correct it from April 2026. I want to know how I get proof of the dates the rates changed.

Were you paid the pre pay award amount (which would be the April 2024 amount)?

Yes I was paid £13.26 per hour from April 2025 to June 2026. They then decided to give me £13.69 backdated to April 2026. I believe I am owed 12 months backpay. They don't agree. I was on grade 7 the whole time.

What does your contract say? And are you employed year round or rehired each summer?

It's a continuous contract we are just given shifts as and when required. Contract doesn't seem to mention pay grades unfortunately.

If it is as you describe and you have been on scale point 7 since April 25. But only paid £13.26. Then I agree with you that the backdated 43p per hour should be from April 25-June 26.

Once the 2026 pay award is agreed, I would also be expecting backdated pay from April 26 to whatever the new rate is, when it is announced.

At least this is how it would work in my school.

What have they said when you've queried why the backdating is only going back to April 26?

Thank you. They are saying that the £13.69 only applied from April 2026 and not April 2025. I don't get much response from them. I think I will escalate it as I don't think it's fair.

April 26 pay rise hasn’t been agreed yet. And I think you mean grade 5 - scale point 7. 13.69 was the agreed pay for 25/26. Once this year is agreed, it will be backdated.

I see most of this has been said! Yes, they owe you money as far as I can see.

Send them the link to the green book pay scale and ask what they think point 7 should have been paid from April 25. Or ask them to confirm that they don't follow the green book pay scales and ask them for a copy of their pay scales.