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What should I consider in working out senior staff salary ranges? This article refers to the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) to explain how pay ranges are set for a senior leadership team. We look at total unit scores, headteacher groups, and individual school ranges (ISRs).

Contents

1. 1  Overview of the pay arrangements for the SLT
2. 2  The process for setting SLT pay ranges
3. 3  Total unit score
4. 4  Headteacher group
5. 5  Determining the individual school range (ISR) for headteachers
6. 6  Discretionary payments to headteachers from September 2011
7. 7  Pay for headteachers with responsibility for more than one school
8. 8  Deputy and assistant headteacher pay ranges
9. 9  Additional sources and further reading

Overview of the pay arrangements for the SLT

The regulations for determining the pay of all teachers in maintained schools are set out in the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) 2011. 

Headteachers, deputy headteachers and assistant headteachers are paid on a 43-point leadership pay spine. Headteachers' annual salaries range from £42,379 to £112,181.

Senior leadership team (SLT) salary ranges will vary according to role and school size. Teachers’ pay is also determined by location, as there are separate values for spine points for:

• England and Wales, excluding the London area
• Inner London
• Outer London
• The London fringe area

STPCD 2011, Department for Education, see pages 35 and 36 (Adobe pdf file)
https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-00072-2011.pdf

The process for setting SLT pay ranges

The STPCD sets out how senior leadership pay ranges are calculated. It says:

The STPCD sets out how senior leadership pay ranges are calculated

1. The relevant body first calculates the ‘total unit score’ to find the ‘headteacher group’ range
2. This is used as the basis for setting the individual school range (ISR) for the headteacher’s salary
3. Pay ranges for other senior staff are then set in relation to the ISR and the highest-paid classroom teacher

Total unit score

Each school has a total unit score which must be determined in accordance with the number of pupils on the school register.

Page 39 of section 2 of the STPCD sets out the calculation as follows:

Key Stage	Units per pupil
For each pupil in the preliminary stage and each pupil in the first or second Key Stage	7
For each pupil in the third Key Stage	9
For each pupil in the fourth Key Stage	11
For each pupil in the fifth Key Stage	13

The document says:

• Each pupil with a statement of special educational needs (SEN) must, if in a special class consisting wholly or mainly of such pupils, be counted as three units more than the pupil would otherwise be counted as, and if not in such a special class be counted as three such units only where the relevant body so determines
• Each pupil who attends for no more than half a day on each day for which the pupil attends the school must be counted as half as many units as the pupil would otherwise be counted

A different calculation for special schools is set out on pages 39-41.

Headteacher group

The headteacher group is set in accordance with the total unit score. Each headteacher group is tied to a range of spine points on the leadership pay scale:

Total unit score	Headteacher group	Range of spine points
Up to 1,000	1	L6-L18
1,001 to 2,200	2	L8-L21
2,201 to 3,500	3	L11-L24
3,501 to 5,000	4	L14-L27
5,001 to 7,500	5	L18-L31
7,501 to 11,000	6	L21-L35
11,001 to 17,000	7	L24-L39
17,001 and over	8	L28-L43

A full table setting out the headteacher groups and salary ranges can be found on page 38 of section 2 of the STPCD (use hyperlink at the top of this article).

Determining the individual school range (ISR) for headteachers

The ISR is determined by the relevant body in line with the appropriate headteacher group range. It must consist of seven consecutive spine points. The full guidance is set out on pages 42-44 of section 2 of the STPCD.

The minimum of the ISR must not be less than the minimum of the headteacher group range.

Can headteachers be paid outside the headteacher group range?

Section 2, paragraph 12.2.3 explains that in pay determinations made on or after 1 September 2011, schools cannot increase the ISR beyond the headteacher group range. It says:

The relevant body must ensure that the maximum of the ISR (where determined on or after 1 September 2011) does not exceed the maximum of the headteacher group range.

These rules have changed from the STPCD 2010, where previously the ISR could exceed the headteacher group range in cases where either the school was causing concern or if it had recruitment or retention difficulties.

In these circumstances, schools should now make discretionary additional payments to the headteacher, as explained below.

The changes in the 2011 document do not effect pay determinations made before 1 September 2011.

STPCD 2010, Department for Education, see page 43 (Adobe pdf file)
http://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/2010%20PandC%20All%20sections.pdf

Discretionary payments to headteachers from September 2011

In pay determinations made on or after 1 September 2011, the ISR must not exceed the maximum of the headteacher group range

As explained above, in pay determinations made on or after 1 September 2011, the ISR must not exceed the maximum of the headteacher group range.

Section 2, paragraph 12.5 says that the relevant body may instead make discretionary additional payments to the headteacher in any of the following circumstances:

• Where the school is causing concern
• If it considers that the school would have substantial difficulty filing a vacant headteacher post
• If it considers that the school would have substantial difficulty retaining the existing headteacher
• If the headteacher is appointed as a temporary headteacher of one or more additional schools

Section 3, paragraph 37 then explains that there is a limit for these payments. It says:

The total of all discretionary payments made to a headteacher in respect of any school year must not exceed 25% of the amount which corresponds to that individual’s point on their ISR for that year. All discretionary payments received in relation to their role as a headteacher count towards the limit.

Paragraph 39 adds that only in “wholly exceptional” circumstances will such discretionary payments exceed the 25% limit, but that schools should seek guidance from an external advisor if it is considering doing so.

Pay for headteachers with responsibility for more than one school

The headteacher group for permanent executive headteachers is determined by calculating the total unit score for all the pupils across all schools.

As explained above, relevant bodies should now make discretionary additional payments to headteachers with temporary responsibility for more than one school.

Deputy and assistant headteacher pay ranges

Deputy and assistant headteachers each have a pay range of five consecutive points that sit below the ISR.

Deputy headteacher ranges must start on a leadership group pay spine point that is above the first point of the pay range of the highest-paid assistant headteacher and above the highest-paid classroom teacher.

Paragraph 13.4 of the STPCD says:

On appointment at a particular school a deputy head teacher must be paid a salary equal to the amount specified for one of the bottom three points of the relevant deputy head teacher pay range.

Assistant headteacher ranges must start on a leadership group pay spine that is above the salary of the highest-paid classroom teacher.

Paragraph 15.4 of the STPCD explains:

On appointment at a particular school an assistant head teacher must be paid a salary equal to the amount specified for one of the bottom three points of the relevant assistant head teacher pay range.

In cases where schools have more than one deputy and/or assistant headteacher, the relevant body is entitled to establish two different pay ranges. Local Government Employers (LGE) says:

If the school determines that the roles being undertaken by the two deputy headteachers reflect different job weights, it is reasonable to establish two different pay ranges to reflect this. The ranges could overlap or be distinct.

Leadership group, LGE
http://www.lge.gov.uk/lge/core/page.do?pageId=119311