ATL Pay & Conditions Survey 2009

While a third of independent schools is finding the recession tough-going, a third is riding the storm and a third is thriving, according to an Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) survey, reports John Richardson 

Thirty-one per cent of independent school teachers said pupil numbers have fallen in their school for this academic year, reports an ATL survey of 1,422 teaching staff and 148 support staff working in independent schools around the UK. However, a third said their school has more pupils and 31 per cent have the same number of pupils.
 
During October, ATL undertook a survey of pay and conditions in the independent sector. With more than 1,500 members taking part, the survey gives an authoritative snapshot of current conditions in the sector. As one might expect, the survey results record the impact of the recession. We can see the effect of a chill wind with some job losses and a deflationary effect on cost of living awards.

It is worth noting a couple of things about the format of the survey and ATL’s policy position on pay. While ATL represents all staff working in the independent sector, there are distinct differences in employment conditions between teachers and support staff. Therefore, we conducted two similar but distinct surveys: one for teachers (the majority of our membership) and one for support staff.

At the heart of both surveys were questions relating directly to pay. Members were asked about basic pay, additional allowances, pension, pay scales, and the annual cost of living increase.

Basic pay
The survey asked about broad ranges of pay. It also needs to be borne in mind that a significant number of teachers receive additional payments for extra duties, whereas this is generally not the case for support staff.

Fifty-four per cent of teachers earn a basic full-time equivalent salary of between £30 and £40k. Twenty per cent earn between £20 and £30k, and 18 per cent earn between £40 and £50k.

It is impossible to draw job-specific conclusions from the support staff pay ranges, as ATL has members ranging from bursars to cooks. However, the majority of our support staff members are classroom-based, and a significant minority are office-based.

What the survey reveals is that for many support staff pay is low. Forty-six per cent of support staff earn a basic full time equivalent salary between £10 and £20k; while a further 43 per cent earn between £20 and £40k.

Allowances
Interestingly, a majority of teachers (53 per cent) receive additional allowances for duties beyond classroom teaching. These additional payments are awarded for a variety of reasons but by far and away the biggest category covers management responsibilities. Of those who receive allowances, 54 per cent of respondents receive them for management duties. There is then a marked gap to the next category, which is for residential duties at 14 per cent. 

This is in direct contrast to support staff, of whom 86 per cent do not receive any additional payments to their basic salary.

Other benefits
There are other benefits in the independent sector, such as board and lodging for boarding school staff, or reduced school fees for staff children.

The most significant benefit, other than salary, is pension contributions. A pension is an important part of remuneration. For teachers, the Teachers Pension Scheme (TPS) is the most beneficial scheme. Good pension provision in the state sector has traditionally been seen as a counter-balance to the higher salaries on offer in the commercial and financial sectors. Independent school employers have always taken a similar view and offer TPS to remain competitive.

The survey records that the vast majority of respondents, nearly 80 per cent, are in the TPS. However, worryingly, a significant minority, 20 per cent, are not.

For support staff, the picture of pension entitlement is not nearly so rosy. More than half of support staff (54 per cent) state that they have no access to a pension scheme. This illustrates the chasm in pay and conditions between teachers and support staff.

Cost of living increase
The general headline is that cost of living awards in the independent sector have dropped significantly. In 2008, the majority of teachers received a cost of living higher than the 2.45 per cent awarded in the state sector. This year it was the reverse.

In 2009, only 24 per cent received a pay increase greater than the state sector, while 54 per cent received less. It should be noted that the state sector pay award itself was lower at 2.3 per cent. By comparison, in 2008, 51 per cent received a pay increase greater than the state sector, while 33 per cent received less.

A startling revelation is that a significant minority of teachers (20 per cent) did not receive an annual cost of living award in September 2009 at all. More worryingly still, a small number of members have seen a cut in their salaries.

While ATL strongly opposes salary cuts, there may be exceptional circumstances where our members may consider it. However, this should be done on the basis of an informed decision, when the employer has given full financial disclosure to staff.

Mowden Hall, Northumberland, stands as a salutary lesson. In September 2009, the staff as a whole, including ATL members, reluctantly agreed to a pay freeze on account of the financial circumstances of the school. However, they were angry to subsequently hear that the school had written to the parents to inform them that the school fees were going up 2.8 per cent to pay for the staff’s (non-existent) pay rise!

There is no doubt that some schools have needed to take urgent action to curb costs. However, there is a widespread belief that a fair number of independent schools have made cuts as a precautionary action and stand in a financially healthy position. ATL members are not blind to the state of the economy and, although reluctantly, some have accepted the need to accept less this year. But this is seen as a temporary measure to ride out the storm.

ATL members are also mindful that their colleagues in the state sector received 2.3 per cent in September 2009 and will receive the same award in 2010. All the main political parties have said that they will honor the 2010 pay increase, so any talk of a public sector pay freezes would not come into effect until 2011 at the earliest.

While the overwhelming majority of teachers in the independent sector expect to have their salary reviewed annually, unfortunately, a significant minority of support staff do not enjoy this reasonable expectation.

Only 65 per cent of support staff receives a cost of living award annually. ATL is particularly concerned for the 9 per cent of members who report that they never receive a cost of living increase.

Roles changed without review
The survey also highlights the problem of someone’s role being changed without being reflected in their job description or role profile and without financial recognition. This is of particular concern among support staff where they are often viewed as a flexible resource without due attention to the impact of any changes on them.

Eighty per cent of support staff reported that significant changes had been made to their roles. However, where this had happened, only 43 per cent had had this reflected in their job description and even fewer, 35 per cent, had received a pay review as a consequence.

Impact of recession on pupils and staff numbers
Twenty-nine per cent of respondents replied that there were fewer teacher staff, while 17 per cent reported more staff. This is a reversal of the situation from the 2008 survey when 32 per cent reported that there were more teachers, while 14 per cent said that there were fewer.

The recession is also impacting in other ways. Twenty per cent of teachers said their school is offering incentives to keep and attract pupils, with discounted fees including bursaries, scholarships and deferred payment of fees being most common.

Forty-three per cent of teachers report a cut in spending in their school in 2008-09 and the same percentage expect their school to make cuts this year, up from 27 per cent for 2008-09.

The recession is clearly biting in the independent sector. However, things need to be kept in perspective. Many schools are unaffected and a significant number of others are prospering.

There is always scope for improvement. The ATL pay survey brings into focus some of the key pay and condition issues for staff. In the light of which, we hope employers will review their policies.

Our members – teachers and support staff – are realistic about the financial pressure that their schools may be under and, where necessary, some have reluctantly accepted pay freezes to help their schools survive. But schools must not use the recession as an excuse to cut salaries or worsen terms and conditions. School employers should not forget that their staff are their key asset.

John Richardson is the national official for the independent sector for the Association of Teachers and Lecturers. The full results of the survey are available on the ATL website at www.atl.org.uk.

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