School Teachers' Review Body
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| School Teachers' Review Body | |
|---|---|
| Name | School Teachers' Review Body |
| Formation | 1980s |
| Purpose | Independent advisory body on pay for school teachers |
| Location | United Kingdom |
| Leader title | Chair |
| Parent organization | Cabinet Office |
School Teachers' Review Body
The School Teachers' Review Body provides independent advice on pay and conditions for teachers in state-funded schools in the United Kingdom. It advises ministers and ministers' departments, engaging with trade unions such as National Education Union and NASUWT, and employers including Local Government Association and Association of Education Directors. Its reports influence annual pay settlements and intersect with legislation like the Education Act 2002 and the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document.
History
The Review Body was established in the context of reform debates involving figures and institutions such as Margaret Thatcher, James Callaghan, Department for Education and Science, Edward Heath, and the legacy of the Crosland reforms. Early antecedents include arbitration mechanisms referenced during the premiership of Harold Wilson and industrial relations episodes like the disputes involving the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s the Review Body reported alongside inquiries influenced by the Tait, McCrone, and Tomlinson commissions, responding to pressures from the Trades Union Congress and parliamentary debates in the House of Commons.
Mandate and Functions
The mandate derives from ministerial directions and terms of reference issued by the Cabinet Office, with statutory interactions shaped by instruments such as the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document and/or the Education Act 1996. Its principal functions include examining evidence from unions like the National Association of Head Teachers and National Union of Teachers, employers like the Local Government Association, and bodies including the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Resolution Foundation, and Office for National Statistics. The Review Body considers comparative systems such as those overseen by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body, the NHS Pay Review Body, and the Prison Service Pay Review Body.
Organizational Structure and Governance
The body is chaired by an appointed academic or senior public figure, often drawn from networks that include Institute for Education, University College London, University of Oxford, London School of Economics, University of Cambridge, King's College London, or University of Manchester. Membership includes experts in public finance, labour relations, and pedagogy, with secretariat support from officials linked to the Cabinet Office and the Department for Education. Governance follows appointment conventions seen in other non-departmental public bodies such as the Civil Service Commission and Arbitration Committee, and must navigate parliamentary accountability to committees including the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee and the Education Select Committee.
Review Process and Methodology
The Review Body collects written submissions from unions and employers including NASUWT, National Education Union, Association of Teachers and Lecturers, National Association of Head Teachers, and employer groups like the Local Government Association and Solace. It commissions empirical work from think tanks and research centres such as the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Brookings Institution (for comparative models), IPPR, Education Endowment Foundation, and university departments at University of Warwick and University of York. Methodologies include benchmarking against pay in contexts like the Civil Service, NHS, and Higher Education sector pay scales, analysis of data from the Office for National Statistics, and consideration of evidence related to recruitment and retention reported by bodies such as the Federation of Small Businesses and the Confederation of British Industry.
Recommendations and Impact on Pay Policy
Recommendations have ranged from increments to headline pay scales to structural changes mirroring proposals from commissions like McCrone or manifestos from parties including the Conservative Party, Labour Party, and Liberal Democrats. Its reports have influenced annual pay awards implemented via statutory instruments and the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document, affecting pay policy decisions made by Secretaries of State such as Michael Gove, Estelle Morris, and Gavin Williamson. Impact is monitored through indicators produced by the Office for National Statistics, recruitment metrics from local authorities such as City of London Corporation education services, and periodic audits by the National Audit Office.
Relationship with Government and Stakeholders
Interactions include formal evidence sessions with ministers from the Department for Education and engagements with unions like NASUWT, National Education Union, National Association of Head Teachers, and employer representatives such as the Local Government Association and academy chains including United Learning and Ark Schools. The Review Body also communicates with devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland where parallel arrangements involve entities like the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers and the Education Workforce Council.
Criticisms and Controversies
Critiques have come from trade unions such as the National Education Union and NASUWT alleging that the Review Body's recommendations do not fully address recruitment pressures highlighted by research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies and calls for parity with professions represented by the British Medical Association and Royal College of Nursing. Academics from institutions like University of Oxford and Institute of Education have debated methodological transparency, while commentators in outlets referencing cases like the 2010 United Kingdom general election and policy shifts under Austerity in the United Kingdom argued that constraints set by Treasury guidance limit the body’s independence. Controversies also include disputes over regional comparability raised by authorities in Greater London Authority and bidding organisations such as Local Government Chronicle.