Dr B C Slater

BCS-EPS-BH-TP (01603) 223300

Schools-TchrsPay&Conds2000

Dear Colleague

You will have received directly from DfEE by post:

• Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document 2000
• Additional Guidance

and via their Website.

The purpose of this letter is not to give any further guidance in relation to these changes from September but to let you know the support that has been and will be provided by my department in the practical implementation of the changes.

• Education Personnel Services are undertaking, on behalf of all schools with the appropriate Service Level Agreement, the assimilation exercise in order to ensure that the majority of teachers will receive their revised salaries in September 2000, without the need for subsequent backdated payments. This process is being completed using the DfEE CD Rom which has also been sent to all schools. Some schools may wish to respond to individual enquiries from staff using their computer's CD Rom Drive. Alternatively, the programme may be downloaded from the DfEE's website at:

• The DfEE have sent two letters to you dated 17^th and 26^th July 2000 giving advice on the procedure which is to be followed following the NUT's successful challenge in the courts. The Secretary of State decided not to appeal against the judge's decision and has now asked the Review Body to consult statutory consultees on the threshold standards and the professional duties to be set out in the Pay and Conditions Document relating to the threshold process. The statutory consultees have been asked to make their submissions to the Review Body by 4^th September and the Review Body will then make their recommendations to the Secretary of State and the Prime Minister in early October. Further information can be found on the DfEE's website at:

EPS will await decisions and notification of Governing Bodies in relation to:

• Performance point for Headteachers (1999/2000)
• Performance point(s) for Deputies (1999/2000)
• Individual 5 point range for Deputies and the point at which each Deputy is placed
• Appointment of Assistant Headteacher, Individual School Range and point at which each Assistant Headteacher is placed
• Any adjustment to Individual School Range for Headteacher and resulting change in salary point.

As far as Deputies are concerned, unless Education Personnel Services hear to the contrary, they will be automatically assimilated to the Leadership Group pay spine at the nearest available (rounded up) point from 1^st September. Other changes can be decided and backdated to 1^st September.

Following the court's ruling on the threshold, the special grant for the threshold and the grant for permanent appointments of Assistant Heads have been withdrawn for the time being.

The grant to support performance pay for Heads, Deputies and Advanced Skills Teachers has been approved and details will be sent to LEAs and schools in the autumn. I will write to you again at that stage giving details of the support colleagues in Education Financial and ICT Services can provide in relation to payments of grants and their impact on the budget preparation process.

Once the arrangements for pay have been finalised, Education Personnel Services will review the current advice to governors on Pay Policy. There is a possibility that the DfEE may provide national guidelines, reflecting the new pay arrangements, and if this is the case, I will decide whether there is any benefit in continuing to develop separate advice for Norfolk schools, but if you need support and advice in its implementation, you should contact your Personnel Consultant.

Training for Secondary colleagues took place in July 2000. A series of further sessions for Primary and Special schools is being arranged for September and October 2000. Details of the location, dates and booking arrangements have been sent directly by Martineau Training [contact Cindy Keogh (01603) 223018].

Further enquiries on the content of this letter should be made to:

Bob Hedley, Personnel Manager (01603) 222418

Glynis Ballard, Personnel Manager (01603) 222522.

Yours sincerely

 Bryan Slater

Director of Education