Any school governors on here?

[MinnieMountain]

I’m a governor of an infant school.

Can anyone tell me what the usual pattern of pay increases for a head teacher is please? Eg do they generally go up every year then stay on the top of their pay band for ages?

We’re currently discussing the head teacher’s pay award for this year and none of the more experienced governors have got back to me yet.

This somewhat depends on whether you are an academy or a maintained school. Academies generally have greater scope for setting their own pay scales etc.
For a maintained school, schools are put into different groups dependent on the number of pupils in the school. As an infant school I would not expect your school to be in anything but a group 1 or 2, unless you are a massive infant school. The group of the school dictates what the salary range the headteacher will be in - a 7 point scale and also a maximum salary for the group. There are allowances for this maximum salary to be breached under different circumstances but there should always be a 7 point scale under which the headteacher is being paid, which means that there is a point at which no further increases are possible.
Movement up the 7 point scale is based in the headteacher's general capability and whether or not they met the objectives set for the last year. The headteacher performance management committee decides how well the headteacher performed over the last 12 months and makes a recommendation to a pay committee who agree or disagree with the recommendation. There should be no capability to just increase year and year the headteacher's salary. Obviously the last 18 months have been a particularly difficult time for school staff so who ever is making decisions on the performance of the headteacher into consideration needs to recognise that the set objectives may not have been met given the unique circumstances of the last 18 months.
If you want to talk privately then more than happy to.

The Headteachers performance criteria should be SMART. They must have a fair evaluation of the targets and this informs a pay recommendation. The idea is that the performance targets improve the school. They shouldn’t be woolly and poorly defined.

The pay committee can agree to a pay increase based on the performance evaluation. Even two incremental points might be awarded. Schools can extend the pay range but don’t forget there is also the cost of living increase. In schools there is not a role for every governor to be involved. The pay committee recommend the pay increases but even with teachers, they have not evaluated the performance of the teachers. SMT have done it. But yes, teachers and SMT can sit at the top of a pay scale. They can apply for promotion elsewhere though.

Thank you.

It’s a maintained school.

I’m on the pay committee for the first time, so I don’t know the history of her pay increases but she appears to have gone up a point every year.

She definitely deserves an increase this year, I was just curious as to the norm and if she can sit at the top of her pay scale for a while. She’s not at the top yet.

Yes once youre at the top of the pay scale you’re at the top as a HT and can’t progress beyond that unless there is a special application by Governors of some of the guidance set out in Teachers pay and conditions.

If you are on the pay committee you just don’t go by your gut reaction!!! You need to see the recommendation based on performance management. Every head works hard but the performance management has to be objective. The pay committee must be too. You don’t look at previous pay either. It’s about what objectives were set and whether she/he has met them or not with evidence to back up decisions. You cannot award pay increases that are not based on evidence.,I suggest you read up on head teacher performance management and what your role is. On a pay committee. There’s training too. Have you not done any? If you haven’t I suggest you sign up asap.

I am a governor of 2 schools and a Trustee in a MAT

More importantly I advise governors on HTPM- I do about 30 a year.

Assuming not in a MAT
You set a range based on the number of pupils. Governors should review this annually a part of the adopting of the pay policy- very few GB do this! The STPC outlines the processes.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-teachers-pay-and-conditions

However HT recruitment is very hard (I also do a lot of those) and in my experience most Heads are now out of range. Some GB do this by extending the range and other just find a way to make additional payments within the pay policy.

The expectation is that they move through the range unless there is a capability issue. The Dfe issues advice about teachers in the pandemic and this should be applied to HT as well

DfE Guidance 3rd June 2020 states, maintained schools must continue to adhere to the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD), which includes the requirement to ensure that all pay progression for teachers is linked to performance management. However, we would expect schools to use their discretion and take pragmatic steps, to adapt performance management and appraisal arrangements to take account of the current circumstances…..Schools must ensure that teachers are not penalised during the appraisal process or in respect of any subsequent pay progression decisions as a result of partial school closures, where this has impacted on the ability of the teacher to meet fully their objectives.

You will have a pay policy which outlines how additional payments can be given.

Ignore the advice about SMART targets. There has been no data for 2 years and 2022 will be unviable. I set again the Ofsted criteria for good (or os for a few schools) and the 2020 HT Standards. It is an art not a science. They may link to the SDP.

HTPM is the opportunity to talk about the wide performance of the HT. Governors should focus on what the HT is doing well and if there are any areas that could be improved (not based on your view as a parent ie not give more homework to Y4) . It is often the ONLY time that anyone tells you that you are doing a good job as a Head- except when Ofsted pop up every 5 years. Focus on that- prepare something to say and make sure that you say it and it is recorded.

You should have an external adviser who will support you through the process. Do You?

@TizerorFizz

If you are on the pay committee you just don’t go by your gut reaction!!! You need to see the recommendation based on performance management. Every head works hard but the performance management has to be objective. The pay committee must be too. You don’t look at previous pay either. It’s about what objectives were set and whether she/he has met them or not with evidence to back up decisions. You cannot award pay increases that are not based on evidence.,I suggest you read up on head teacher performance management and what your role is. On a pay committee. There’s training too. Have you not done any? If you haven’t I suggest you sign up asap.

We are in a pandemic Your view is not in line with current DfE advice

@HolidayTime2021

I am a governor of 2 schools and a Trustee in a MAT

More importantly I advise governors on HTPM- I do about 30 a year.

Assuming not in a MAT
You set a range based on the number of pupils. Governors should review this annually a part of the adopting of the pay policy- very few GB do this! The STPC outlines the processes.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-teachers-pay-and-conditions

However HT recruitment is very hard (I also do a lot of those) and in my experience most Heads are now out of range. Some GB do this by extending the range and other just find a way to make additional payments within the pay policy.

The expectation is that they move through the range unless there is a capability issue. The Dfe issues advice about teachers in the pandemic and this should be applied to HT as well

DfE Guidance 3rd June 2020 states, maintained schools must continue to adhere to the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD), which includes the requirement to ensure that all pay progression for teachers is linked to performance management. However, we would expect schools to use their discretion and take pragmatic steps, to adapt performance management and appraisal arrangements to take account of the current circumstances…..Schools must ensure that teachers are not penalised during the appraisal process or in respect of any subsequent pay progression decisions as a result of partial school closures, where this has impacted on the ability of the teacher to meet fully their objectives.

You will have a pay policy which outlines how additional payments can be given.

Ignore the advice about SMART targets. There has been no data for 2 years and 2022 will be unviable. I set again the Ofsted criteria for good (or os for a few schools) and the 2020 HT Standards. It is an art not a science. They may link to the SDP.

HTPM is the opportunity to talk about the wide performance of the HT. Governors should focus on what the HT is doing well and if there are any areas that could be improved (not based on your view as a parent ie not give more homework to Y4) . It is often the ONLY time that anyone tells you that you are doing a good job as a Head- except when Ofsted pop up every 5 years. Focus on that- prepare something to say and make sure that you say it and it is recorded.

You should have an external adviser who will support you through the process. Do You?

Could you please come and advise my governors of this haha

Could you please come and advise my governors of this haha

Sadly whilst teacher PM has evolved to be a process linked to CPD and coaching and not an event, most HTPM is done by governors who really don't have the knowledge of the school , the time or the skills to do it well.

SMART targets etc are very 2006 and dont align with the reality of leading a school in 2021 (or indeed with the best fit model of Ofsted)

The pay panel should be receiving a report from the HTPM committee, which recommends a pay increase or not. The pay panel shouldn't be making a judgement themselves because they won't have had the confidential meeting which evaluates the performance of the Head.

It’s about what objectives were set and whether she/he has met them or not with evidence to back up decisions.

It certainly isnt
It is about the wider performance of the HT which is a key part of the process.

Not according to any documentation I have read. And continue to read. However last year is exceptional, with slightly different advice and giving a focus for performance management, but in standard years my comments are accurate and plenty of schools use this model. It absolutely remains evidence based and objectives are set. The PM policy has not been abandoned. The objectives can be wide rending but they are not waffle and woolly feelings about a wide range of issues. This year the focus is returning to school, well being of staff and pupils. Fair enough. It may not be about this next year if there are other issues which should be a string focus.

@TizerorFizz

Not according to any documentation I have read. And continue to read. However last year is exceptional, with slightly different advice and giving a focus for performance management, but in standard years my comments are accurate and plenty of schools use this model. It absolutely remains evidence based and objectives are set. The PM policy has not been abandoned. The objectives can be wide rending but they are not waffle and woolly feelings about a wide range of issues. This year the focus is returning to school, well being of staff and pupils. Fair enough. It may not be about this next year if there are other issues which should be a string focus.

HTPM isn't just about a narrow set of objectives. Having a rounded view isnt' being wooly- it is about understanding the job and the accountability frameworks.

As governors you are influential in setting the policy. Do you look for excellent practice nationally?

What is the schools approach for teacher PM and does the HT policy align with this?

HTPM shouldn't be a 1 off event but sadly it mostly is (although some GB fit in a mid-year review and think that's it)

Oh and check how much an advert in the TES for a new Head costs. Then think that you may have to go through the process 2 or 3 times.

It is based on their appraisal results and the recommendation. Each school has a level they adhere to and usually can go 25% over if needed.
The appraisal committee decides with advice from an external advisor and then a recommendation goes to the Finance or other committee based on the evidence which can include broader consideration. It depends on the evidence, the situation and the budget. You may find you can not give a rise or may wish to look at other options. Nothing is set. But you do need to explicitly record why that decision was arrived at.

@cabbageking

It is based on their appraisal results and the recommendation. Each school has a level they adhere to and usually can go 25% over if needed. The appraisal committee decides with advice from an external advisor and then a recommendation goes to the Finance or other committee based on the evidence which can include broader consideration. It depends on the evidence, the situation and the budget. You may find you can not give a rise or may wish to look at other options. Nothing is set. But you do need to explicitly record why that decision was arrived at.

You cant stop the progression of a Headteacher through the agreed pay range because the school doesn't have any money (budget)

You can consider budget when setting the ISR but with recruitment so dire and recruitment costs so high it would be foolish to not set at the top of the group or increasingly out of group.

Most LAs have an agreed PM policy for all their maintained schools. Thank God! They are updated but each school wouldn’t write their own. They buy into central services who do the work! Most governing bodies wouldn’t have that expertise or time! Every single primary school that’s not an academy would follow the agreed policy and the governors of each individual school are responsible for implementing it. Only the adviser would be going into several schools as an education professional. Governors who do PM are trained and cannot do it unless they are. So every school has trained governors. Usually 3 or 4.

The schools also have a Pay Committee. I thought these were a statutory requirement. It never looks at the budget and is entirely separate. Pay increases based on PM are not constrained by the budget or overridden by the Finance committee.