Teachers' pay rises

It was an empty gesture - easy for TM to make one when she's leaving office, leaving someone else to pick up the pieces. I'm surprised at her.

My DD is a Deputy Head Teacher, and said only yesterday when I was at their house that the Govt is only funding 0.75% of this. She doesn't know how her school will be able to fund the remainder! There is no-one left there they can make redundant as running on the bare minimum for staff already.

suziewoozie How can I do know one who did exactly what trisher said possibly be interpreted as saying it made it sound as though it happened a lot!!

Is perhaps English not your first language, in which case your interpretation of my post would be understandable?

It was one anecdote based on known fact.
Is that plain enough?

It’s another occasion when Theresa May says the right thing and either doesn’t do it or doesn’t fund it. How are councils who have had budgets demolished to the extent many can’t meet statutory responsibilities, to pay wage increases?

Teachers on long term sick leave should not have to worry they’ll be dismissed before the end of their statutory sick leave. Stress levels are high as a result of government policies, many newly qualified teachers leave within five years. Some teachers work for agencies, higher wages maybe but no holiday or sick pay and, no long term commitment. If they aren’t happy in the school, they move on, it’s the same in nursing, social work for example.
We need a more constructive supportive culture for public servants, which the government can model. Just like the recent conservative governments have modelled scorn and disdain

Anecdotes can be very misleading and not even necessarily based on fact but perception, Your post sounded very critical and also made it sound as though it happened a lot - by implication at least. As someone once said ‘the plural of anecdotes is not data’.

My post was merely anecdotal suziewoozie and a tale about one person in reply to trisher's post as trisher has obviously experienced this, if rarely; it wasn't a general observation.

Well if you’re appointed to the job, it must be thought you have something to offer. People change jobs for a whole raft of reasons - it doesn’t always involve more money but sometimes it does, so what?

Of course it's not wrong if you have something to offer.

You make it sound as though it’s wrong to go for promotion. What’s wrong with part or whole of the motivation being an improved pension? Anyway I thought changes to pensions now mean that they are not final salary but average earnings so there’s less advantage in doing that.

I do know one who did exactly what trisher said; none of mine were at the school but I know someone who worked there.
This HM had moved from a tiny school in a lovely area to a larger one and I asked my friend, a teacher, why he would do that and have all the stress when he was near retirement - she said 'to boost his pension, of course!'.
I can say no more about him on a public forum!

Oh I don’t know Callistemon you could be right , but until only a few years ago we were a 5 generation family and according to the children my grandma was “a very old lady” . So I’m half expecting a 99 year old to take over as head teacher .

Crystal - the shortage of head teachers and doctors predates the changes to the pension cap although I accept that that has now exacerbated the situation.

The whole issue of the pension cap has resulted in head teachers and other public sector workers on higher salaries such as hospital consultants or surgeons to take early retirement or be unable to do any extra work as they would be worse off . This has exacerbated the shortage of such key workers. Schools have has to fund extra pay rises, N.I. and employer pension contributions, whilst at the same time having a cut in funding for sixth formers and SEN, which has resulted in them having to have larger classes, fewer subjects, fewer support staff and even shorter weeks. The whole academy and free school programme introduced by Gove has also been a big hole into which the government has poured tax payers money for ideological reasons.

If it's any consolation, now I think about it, Y6 was a disaster for my DD with their teacher being off on permanent sick leave, a supply teacher who had holidays booked, another one who was absolutely lovely but hopeless and DD herself having to have time off. Nevertheless, they all came through it OK and it all seems a long time ago now.
It is a worry at the time though.

my DGS got to meet her and when the class asked what he thought he shrugged and said “she is as a very old lady”
Sorry, gillybob, but I laughed and laughed when I read that.
I bet she's all of 50!

Sister - it depends on length of service - teachers build up to the entitlement you quote. I think how ill heath retirement is dealt with varies enormously.

...Perfectly reasonable esp when schools are struggling to pay for the basics like paper towels.

you'd have complained if they hadn't got a reasonable rise ,so why complain when they get one?

No I wouldn't. 9% in line with other public sector workers like myself would have been perfectly reasonable. The predicted changes will be offset by the tax rates set by the SG as per their wish.

A teacher off long term sick would normally get 6 months full pay and six half pay. If they are off every now and again there is a staged process which is gone through and fit to return interviews.

My colleague who was diagnosed with bone cancer and underwent gruelling treatment for 3 months was told she could not get a ‘full ill health” retirement pension as although the Doctors said she can’t be cured it was deemed as ‘not necessarily terminal’. Her union advised her to work the system, as above, and try and then go for a partial ill health pension! This was after 20 years service in the same school and only 8 days off sick in all that time.

She worried all through this about her class and the guilt she felt for them. The school were advised by HR and as in my case the individual is not recognised, we have all become a number!!! and how much we will cost the school.

The majority of us went into teaching to do our best for the next generation and I hope the powers that be will do something about the cuts to budgets

you'd have complained if they hadn't got a reasonable rise ,so why complain when they get one? Everyone would love a decent rise...sadly there needs to be more money coming in to pay it .Now with the predicted cuts in Barnett there will be even less to go round .

13% up here and 2 extra in-service days. Meanwhile schools are having to make massive cuts across their budgets.

Understandably, it's not been well received by other public sector workers who got 9% or less, and even less so by staff in the private sector.

I look forward to seeing the resulting improvements in my child's education.

Oh dear indeed gilly I hope she's not one of those who thinks a few years as a head will add nicely to her retirement pension! (and before anyone jumps in, it's rare but it does happen!).

I think The problem with the school reports was that there was a supply changeover at the time Trisher and neither had got to know the children enough to comment. . Most of the parents agree that it has been a bit of a wasted year for those children including my DGS . Heaven help the year 5 teacher who will have a lot of catching up to do .

I think you are right that the school is having problems . It seemed to turn itself around under the last but one head, who was brought in following a scathing Ofsted report. The children all adored her and she introduced some very good ideas and practises, but she took early retirement and it’s been down hill ever since . Yet another new head starting in September whom having been chosen as a class representative, my DGS got to meet her and when the class asked what he thought he shrugged and said “she is as a very old lady” . Oh dear .

Welsh teachers will also receive a 2.75% increase, with new entrants getting a 5% increase.
There is discussion on just how this will be funded and the Welsh Assembly will be pressurised to fund the increase so that schools will not have to find this money from their budgets.

I hope the Assembly will do that and set an example to Westminster to do the same.

As far as the original question goes there is no doubt that this government has presided over cuts to education in real terms that will impact for years to come, at the same time pretending they are spending more- They are of course but that's because there are more children! Spending per head has been cut!
gilly in the past I did a lot of supply work and some was long term some short. When I was there when reports were due I did them, reporting on what I had done, any achievements children had made whilst I was there and any problems I had seen. It wasn't comprehensive and I did have to miss out sections where I hadn't covered the work in question, but I felt parents were entitled to something. Teachers like anyone else can and do get long-term illnesses, providing proper cover and ensuring as little disruption as possible to the children is the responsibility of the head and governing body. It sounds as if the school has long term problems. I hope your GC has a better year next year.