Management Information Sheet
Modern Reward Strategy: Job Matching Quality Assurance
If you are a Foundation or VA school that has opted out of MRS please disregard.
Thank you all for your previous input into the job matching of support staff in your school.
Since you undertook this exercise lots of work has been going on behind the scenes. We now have the majority of jobs evaluated and quality-assured and have a draft pay structure that is constantly being refined to make sure the final version is both fair and affordable. We have also done a quality check of all job matches made across the organisation - approximately 23,000 job matches, 12,500 of which are in schools.
We are focusing on quality to ensure job matches are correct. When we write to staff we want to be confident it is based on sound information. This will help avoid distress to staff and unnecessary appeals. Checking the quality of the job matches will also avoid costing errors.
Working with the Schools Steering Group
The Schools Steering Group is chaired by Anne Gibson, Head of HR, and consists of Headteachers, School Governors and members of both the Children's Services Department and the MRS team.
The main objectives of the group are:
All members of the group agree that this is a successful way of working through the impact MRS will have on schools.
Richard Moore, Headteacher of Fakenham High School, Alison Kahn, Headteacher of Fred Nicholson Special School, Martin White, Headteacher of Drayton VC Junior School and Ashley Best-White, Headteacher of White Woman Lane Junior School, all of whom are members of the Schools Steering Group, were eager to make sure that their job matching decisions are correct. They invited the MRS team to their schools to discuss queries raised against previous matching decisions. This proved to be a valuable exercise for the Headteachers and the MRS team, as suitable ways forward were agreed by both parties and all four schools are now confident that the matches made are correct and are clearer on the impact these decisions will have on their schools.
The experiences at these schools have given an understanding of the best way to proceed to ensure time spent on the exercise is minimised and joint agreement on the outcomes is reached and understood. The Schools Steering Group believe that this worthwhile exercise should be rolled out to all schools.
Job Matching Quality Assurance and Way Forward
As you know, template job descriptions are available for support roles in schools and individual roles should be graded in accordance with the relevant template.
When the revised pay and grading structure has been agreed and introduced new grades will be given to these templates and also for jobs where there is currently no template but which are also subject to MRS and the job evaluation process.
It is the schools' responsibility to make sure matching is correct and that people are paid fairly. A quality check of matching decisions in schools shows that for the majority of jobs the matches look correct.
However some of the matching decisions show a shift from the grade currently being paid and the grade of the template the job has been matched to. This can be expected in some cases but these matching decisions need to be double checked in order to ensure the decisions are correct.
The importance of consistent grades
It is worth reiterating the importance of consistency in grades across the Council. Any differences in grades should be based on real differences in job size, and those size differences are what the job evaluation scheme has confirmed. Employees can complain to Employment Tribunals if they are paid less than others doing similar jobs, even if those others work in other Community schools or work in other areas of the Authority. While schools have powers under local management, those powers need to be exercised fairly if such claims are not to be successfully pursued.
A note regarding school budgets
We understand that you will probably have already accessed your budget pack for the next financial year. We appreciate that not knowing the impact of MRS makes budgeting difficult, however we are unable to inform you of the full impact whilst this work is outstanding. The current budgetary advice therefore continues; that is the non-teaching staff costs should be inflated by 3.0%. This will automatically happen if you use the budget software modelling package provided by Children's Services Finance. If you wish for any further financial advice on how to budget for MRS please contact your Finance Support Officer.
A special message for VA and Foundation Schools
VA and Foundation Schools have been given the option to participate in the MRS project and those that have asked to be included will receive the same information and will need to take the same action as community schools.
A special note regarding School Reorganisations
We are aware that many schools reorganised in September 2007 and when we contact the schools affected, we can discuss any specific job matching or job evaluation issues.
Further contact details
You will be contacted by a member of the MRS team and need not take any action in the meantime. If you wish to speak to a member of the team please contact the MRS team by email.
Further information on MRS and current job grading procedures can be gained by contacting your Children's Services HR consultant.
Information about the Modern Reward project, including our ever-growing 'frequently asked questions' is available on the Norfolk Schools site.
Sally Albrow
HR Project Officer - MRS Team
Phone: 01603 222172
Email
Modern Reward Strategy, 208 North Wing, County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich, NR1 2DH.
Modern Reward Strategy: Job Matching Quality Assurance
| The majority of job matching work is now complete and this letter is to notify you of the next stages of MRS job matching - the quality assurance process - and the contribution we wish you to make. |
Thank you all for your previous input into the job matching of support staff in your school.
Since you undertook this exercise lots of work has been going on behind the scenes. We now have the majority of jobs evaluated and quality-assured and have a draft pay structure that is constantly being refined to make sure the final version is both fair and affordable. We have also done a quality check of all job matches made across the organisation - approximately 23,000 job matches, 12,500 of which are in schools.
We are focusing on quality to ensure job matches are correct. When we write to staff we want to be confident it is based on sound information. This will help avoid distress to staff and unnecessary appeals. Checking the quality of the job matches will also avoid costing errors.
Working with the Schools Steering Group
The Schools Steering Group is chaired by Anne Gibson, Head of HR, and consists of Headteachers, School Governors and members of both the Children's Services Department and the MRS team.
The main objectives of the group are:
| to ensure a "business" input from schools into the planning for MRS outcomes and implementation. | |
| to ensure that the proposed way forward has the support of, and is understood by, schools. | |
| to test the implications for schools, and for the management of their support services, of potential MRS outcomes. |
All members of the group agree that this is a successful way of working through the impact MRS will have on schools.
Richard Moore, Headteacher of Fakenham High School, Alison Kahn, Headteacher of Fred Nicholson Special School, Martin White, Headteacher of Drayton VC Junior School and Ashley Best-White, Headteacher of White Woman Lane Junior School, all of whom are members of the Schools Steering Group, were eager to make sure that their job matching decisions are correct. They invited the MRS team to their schools to discuss queries raised against previous matching decisions. This proved to be a valuable exercise for the Headteachers and the MRS team, as suitable ways forward were agreed by both parties and all four schools are now confident that the matches made are correct and are clearer on the impact these decisions will have on their schools.
The experiences at these schools have given an understanding of the best way to proceed to ensure time spent on the exercise is minimised and joint agreement on the outcomes is reached and understood. The Schools Steering Group believe that this worthwhile exercise should be rolled out to all schools.
Job Matching Quality Assurance and Way Forward
As you know, template job descriptions are available for support roles in schools and individual roles should be graded in accordance with the relevant template.
When the revised pay and grading structure has been agreed and introduced new grades will be given to these templates and also for jobs where there is currently no template but which are also subject to MRS and the job evaluation process.
It is the schools' responsibility to make sure matching is correct and that people are paid fairly. A quality check of matching decisions in schools shows that for the majority of jobs the matches look correct.
However some of the matching decisions show a shift from the grade currently being paid and the grade of the template the job has been matched to. This can be expected in some cases but these matching decisions need to be double checked in order to ensure the decisions are correct.
The importance of consistent grades
It is worth reiterating the importance of consistency in grades across the Council. Any differences in grades should be based on real differences in job size, and those size differences are what the job evaluation scheme has confirmed. Employees can complain to Employment Tribunals if they are paid less than others doing similar jobs, even if those others work in other Community schools or work in other areas of the Authority. While schools have powers under local management, those powers need to be exercised fairly if such claims are not to be successfully pursued.
What we are asking you to do 1. A discussion on matching queries We have checked all matching decisions made and either confirmed them, in which case no further action is needed, or queried them and suggested an alternative match. We will contact you between 25 February and the end of April to discuss these with you. 2. New job matching When agreement has been reached with the Trade Unions, consequential changes to pay will be implemented with effect from 1 April 2007. The original matching was undertaken based on the position in your school at that date. We have been tracking staffing changes that occurred from April 2007 to date. So whilst we may not have any queries regarding your matching decisions, we will need to speak to all schools to confirm our suggested matches for any new starters and re-matches where staff have changed jobs from May 2007 onwards. |
Prior to contact from the MRS team You will shortly be sent by email some job matching guidance and a spreadsheet listing the support staff in your school at 1 April 2007, along with any changes in staff from May to December 2007. The spreadsheet will show current job matches and any suggested amendments that we would like to discuss with you. Please read through this matching guidance then await a telephone call or visit from the MRS team. There is no need to take any action in the meantime. |
Process for resolving incorrect matches or grades We will contact you to resolve issues where your staff appear to be wrongly matched. We will work together to come to one of the three following conclusions: |
1. Correcting Incorrect Matches You and your MRS contact will discuss a new match and correct it. You need not take any further action. Example: Your Teaching Assistants are currently graded Scale 3, you originally matched them to template T7 Teaching Assistant Scale 4. On reading the matching guidance it's considered that T8 Teaching Assistant Scale 3 is the more appropriate match. When the MRS team member calls and asks you about this particular match you can simply agree to their suggestion to rematch the job to T8 Teaching Assistant Scale 3. |
2. Jobs currently graded too high Where you are currently paying too high a grade for a job this cannot be sustained for equal pay reasons. This will therefore be resolved through the MRS matching process. On contacting you, the MRS representative will agree the most suitable match for the job in question and will hold this information until MRS implementation. On implementation the employee undertaking this role will be subject to MRS pay protection arrangements and when these end will be paid at the top increment of the revised grade for the job. Example: Your Teaching Assistants are currently graded Scale 4, however when referring to the template JDs and the matching guidance it is apparent that they actually work to the Teaching Assistant, Scale 3 job description. Under MRS they will be correctly matched to the Scale 3 template JD but will be protected on their Scale 4 salary until March 31 2010. From April 1 2010 they will adopt the salary grade for the Scale 3 Teaching Assistant template JD and will be paid on the top increment of that scale. |
3. Jobs currently graded too low Where you are currently paying lower than the recommended grade for the job this should be resolved outside MRS with immediate effect. Your MRS contact will advise you to match the employee to the actual job they undertake and this completes the MRS matching aspect. You will then be advised to contact the Employee Service Centre to increase the salary to the rate currently recommended for the job (this can be backdated to the date the employee began working at the higher level if appropriate) and to issue the employee with an updated job description if they do not already have this. If you need any assistance in doing this you will be advised to contact your normal HR Advisor from the Children's Services Department. When MRS is implemented there will be no further increase to this person's pay UNLESS the template JD is evaluated and graded higher than it is currently. Example: You currently pay your Teaching Assistants on Scale 1/2, however when reviewing the template JDs and the matching guidance it is apparent that they actually work to the Scale 3 job description. Under MRS they will be matched to the Scale 3 template JD but their salary needs to be lifted to Scale 3 with immediate effect. Therefore please issue the employee with a Scale 3 job description and ask the Employee Service Centre to increase their salary from the appropriate date. When MRS is implemented there will be no further increase to this person's pay UNLESS the Scale 3 JD is evaluated and graded higher than it is currently. |
Process for jobs which cannot be matched For such jobs, you will be asked to send an up to date Job Description and Person Specification to your MRS team contact who will advise you on how to proceed. |
What Happens Next? Following your phone call or visit from the MRS team any amendments you agree to will be made. This information contributes to the ongoing modelling and costing of a revised pay and conditions package that will be subject to formal consultation with the Trade Unions. |
A note regarding school budgets
We understand that you will probably have already accessed your budget pack for the next financial year. We appreciate that not knowing the impact of MRS makes budgeting difficult, however we are unable to inform you of the full impact whilst this work is outstanding. The current budgetary advice therefore continues; that is the non-teaching staff costs should be inflated by 3.0%. This will automatically happen if you use the budget software modelling package provided by Children's Services Finance. If you wish for any further financial advice on how to budget for MRS please contact your Finance Support Officer.
A special message for VA and Foundation Schools
VA and Foundation Schools have been given the option to participate in the MRS project and those that have asked to be included will receive the same information and will need to take the same action as community schools.
A special note regarding School Reorganisations
We are aware that many schools reorganised in September 2007 and when we contact the schools affected, we can discuss any specific job matching or job evaluation issues.
Further contact details
You will be contacted by a member of the MRS team and need not take any action in the meantime. If you wish to speak to a member of the team please contact the MRS team by email.
Further information on MRS and current job grading procedures can be gained by contacting your Children's Services HR consultant.
Information about the Modern Reward project, including our ever-growing 'frequently asked questions' is available on the Norfolk Schools site.
Sally Albrow
HR Project Officer - MRS Team
Phone: 01603 222172
Modern Reward Strategy, 208 North Wing, County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich, NR1 2DH.