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The LGA Workforce Bulletin
The key stories this month are to do with the latest pay negotiations and around the outcome of the School Teachers’ Review Body and the trade union claim for school support staff. If you would like to forward any views about these pay awards please contact us.
If you have not already done so, please register to receive a free copy each month (along with any other relevant bulletins, for example the month Employment Law Advisory Bulletins) using the following link
Online facility time reporting
The deadline for reporting has been extended by a month to 31 August 2019. If your organisation is yet to submit, it can do so via this link.
Teachers’ pensions
You should be aware that employer contributions are to increase to 23.68% of contributory pay, from 1 September 2019. The Teachers’ Pension Scheme is keen to remind employers to ensure their systems are set up to take this increase into account.
Employers will also need to ensure that they use the new paying in slip, which will be available to download from the Employer Portal at the beginning of September. More information on the changes can be found on their website.
The Apprenticeship levy
Academies and multi-academy trust will have to report against their public sector target for 2018/19 before 30 September 2019. Employer link is interested in getting a picture from the sector. A short questionnaire has been developed, please complete it. A summary of responses will be made available through our website.
Financial transparency of local authority maintained schools and academy trusts
This consultation was published on 17 July 2019, outlining the current financial transparency arrangements for academy trusts and local authority maintained schools and considers possible changes. The outcome is to explore ways to improve transparency in the financial health of local authority maintained schools.
Most Employer Link subscribers in the education sector are from the academies sector, so the consultation may have no direct impact. However, as the consultation compares the transparency regime in academies Employer Link would be interested in any views you have and what kinds of burdens this places on you and what advantages it brings in terms of financial planning and accountability. If you or finance colleagues would like to share any views please contact us.
Reducing workload: Making data work in schools
The Department for Education (DfE) have requested Employer Link to remind our subscribers of the letter from the then Secretary of State concerning data burdens on schools.
The letter is aimed at MATs and local authorities to ensure they collect data from schools in an effective and efficient way. Much of the letter concentrates on pupil data but there is a section on performance management guidance, with the revised guidance “Implementing your schools’ approach to pay” published back in March.
National picture in Initial Teacher Training (ITT)
The DfE has published the performance profiles for ITT for 2017/18. This data shows the number of teachers that have gained Qualified Teacher Status by subject. Along with the overall national data, there is a dataset for each of the providers, including through the Higher Education route and the employer route. Please forward this data on to the workforce planning leads in your organisation.
Skills tests
The Government has decided to replace the skills test in litertacy and numeracy for prospective teachers at the end of this recruitment cycle.
The skills tests will be replaced with a new system of provider-led assurance. The Standards and Testing Agency will be working with teacher training providers over the coming months to develop guidance on the fundamental mathematics and English skills teachers will need. This guidance will be published before the end of this recruitment cycle.
If you have any queries, please contact us on: Skills.TESTS@education.gov.uk
Event: The essentials of teachers’ pay and conditions
This has proved a popular training event across the country over the last 12 months, the next session is in London on 23 September 2019. It is aimed at people who are relatively new to teachers pay and conditions but it has also been a useful refresher for those returning to the sector.
If you want to know more about this event, express an interest in attending a session elsewhere in the country or to request a booking form please contact us. The closing date for expressing interest is 6 September 2019.
Event: Diversity and Inclusion – the roadmap to success
This event challenges the lack of progress in creating diverse and inclusive public sector workplaces. Leading academics and speakers from across all sectors will explore key themes in valuing difference and inspiring change and showcase what has worked in their organisations.
We will benchmark the impact of the Government’s equality agenda for employers and explore how these can be used to achieve the organisational transformation needed to create modern and inclusive workplaces. It takes place on 1 October 2019 in London and is free to Employer Link subscribers, contact us to receive the discount code so you don’t pay more than you should.
Event: LGA Annual Teachers’ Pensions conferences
The LGA Annual Teachers’ Pensions (TPS) conferences are for people that make employer decisions about, as well as technical experts in, the TPS. This year’s events are taking place on Tuesday 8 October 2019 in London and Thursday 17 October 2019 in York.
This year’s practical workshops are:
- dealing with bereavements – do you know what happens?
- struggles with outsourced payroll – share your experiences and ideas as well as finding out what’s happening
- in or out of pensionable employment - do you know the implications and the impact on your responsibilities as a TPS employer?
If you are an Employer Link subscriber you will pay the lowest rate – contact us to receive the discount code so you don’t pay more than you should.
If you have any questions about any of the items in this newsletter, please contact us.
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