HC Deb 22 January 2002 vol 378 cc816-7W
Mr. Pickthall

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what is the pay entitlement of a teacher who has achieved the upper pay spine when changing schools. [28189]

Mr. Timms

Crossing the threshold entitles a teacher to be paid on point 1 of the upper pay scale. That entitlement continues to apply when a teacher changes schools. Further progress on the upper pay scale will be on the basis of discretionary performance points awarded by individual governing bodies. The School Teachers' Review Body is considering whether such points should be portable, as we have proposed. Portability would be consistent with expecting all schools to take account of the same general criteria in awarding such points. It would also facilitate movement between schools.

Mr. Pickthall

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures she is taking to ensure consistency between schools in allocating upper pay spine awards. [28190]

Mr. Timms

Progress on the upper pay scale for classroom teachers will be on the basis of discretionary performance points awarded by governing bodies at individual schools. The Department sent guidance on school salary policies and performance points to schools last September. This said that points should reward substantial and sustained performance and contribution to the school that showed greater breadth and depth than the threshold standards. The guidance also made it clear that schools would have to interpret and develop these general criteria in the light of local circumstances and priorities.

Mr. Laurence Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what changes she plans to the head teachers' retirement package arrangements; and if she will make a statement. [29264]

Mr. Timms

£10 million of standards fund money was made available in each of 2000–01 and 2001–02 to support an early retirement scheme for head teachers. This was a two-year scheme aimed at raising the standard of leadership in schools. Although the financial support that this scheme provided will not continue beyond the end of this financial year, it will still be open to employers to grant early retirement to head teachers where they believe that doing so would be beneficial.