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STATES OF JERSEY
MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: VOTE OF CENSURE (P.6/2017) – COMMENTS
Presented to the States on 13th February 2017 by the Minister for Education
STATES GREFFE
2017 P.6 Com.
COMMENTS
All newly qualified teachers ("NQTs") starting work in a States of Jersey school in the past 4 years have commenced their careers on level 3 of the Jersey Main Point Scale ("MPS"). This starting salary is currently £38,296.
The Jersey teaching pay scale does include a level 1 and 2 but they are not currently used. These levels were previously for graduate teachers with a degree at a Third or Pass grade. A candidate with a 2:2 degree or higher starts on level 3.
New teachers in States schools require a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education or PCGE, and the minimum entry grade for this course is now a 2:2 degree or better. As a result, no teachers are now recruited on levels 1 and 2 in Jersey.
This is not the case in England and Wales, where nearly all newly qualified teachers start work on level 1, which is £22,244 outside London.
According to the National Union Teachers ("NUT") Guide 2016–17 to Pay, Pensions and Conditions1;
"Most new entrants to teaching will normally be placed on the first, minimum, point of the school's pay scale for teachers on the main pay range".
Deputy G.P. Southern of St. Helier 's vote of censure is based on the claim that level 3 of the Jersey pay scale should only be compared with level 3 of the UK pay scales. This would be wrong and gives an inaccurate comparison. The MTFP saving was based on the actual salary that an NQT entering the profession would receive. In Jersey this is at level 3 and for the UK it is level 1.
Level 3 in Jersey is the first year of teaching. Level 3 in the UK is the third year of teaching. This means it is not appropriate to make a direct comparison between them because the teachers are at different stages of their careers.
It remains the case that the NQT starting salary in Jersey is £16,052 higher (72%) than in England and Wales and £10,477 higher (38%) than in inner London.
While there may be some confusion because the Jersey and UK pay scales are different, there has been no attempt to mislead the Assembly. The information provided during debates and questions has been based on factual information and current recruitment practices. The table on the next page explains in greater detail.
1 Source – NUT NQT Guide 2016–17, Pay, Pensions & Conditions
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Qualified Teachers' Pay Scales: comparisons across jurisdictions in the British Isles (Academic Year 2015–16)
Starting point for new teachers without additional qualifying experience
Qualified Teachers' Pay Scales | Jersey | England and Wales | Guernsey | Isle of Man | Scotland | Northern Ireland | ||||
England and Wales | Fringe London | Outer London | Inner London | |||||||
| 0 |
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| £22,416[1] |
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| 1 | £33,900 | £22,244 | £23,313 | £25,880 | £27,819 | £29,247 | £22,244 | £26,895 | £22,022 |
2 | £36,097 | £24,002 | £25,070 | £27,484 | £29,270 | £31,443 | £24,002 | £28,491 | £23,763 | |
3 | £38,296 | £25,932 | £26,999 | £29,185 | £30,795 | £33,799 | £25,932 | £30,111 | £25,674 | |
4 | £39,418 | £27,927 | £29,001 | £30,992 | £32,400 | £36,339 | £27,927 | £31,860 | £27,649 | |
5 | £40,546 | £30,128 | £31,196 | £33,620 | £34,893 | £39,064 | £30,128 | £33,876 | £29,828 | |
6 | £41,675 | £32,831 | £33,909 | £36,540 | £37,862 | £41,996 | £32,509 | £35,763 | £32,187 | |
7 | £42,802 |
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8 | £43,926 |
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9 | £45,055 |
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The Threshold | ||||||||||
| 1 | £46,165 | £35,218 | £36,287 | £38,739 | £42,756 | £44,353 | £35,218 | £36,8703 | £34,868 |
2 | £47,130 | £36,523 | £37,590 | £40,173 | £44,857 | £45,986 | £36,523 | £38,115 | £36,159 | |
3 | £48,089 | £37,871 | £38,941 | £41,660 | £46,365 | £47,175 | £37,871 | £38,991 | £37,495 | |
4 | £49,055 |
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| £40,602 |
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5 | £50,017 |
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| £42,225 |
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| 6 |
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| £43,845 |
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Comparison of teachers' salaries in Jersey, England and Wales and Inner London
Main Point Scale (MPS) | Jersey | England and Wales | Inner London |
1 | £33,900 | 34% less | 18% less |
2 | £36,097 | 34% less | 19% less |
3 | £38,296 | 32% less | 20% less |
4 | £39,418 | 29% less | 18% less |
5 | £40,546 | 26% less | 14% less |
6 | £41,675 | 21% less | 9% less |
If the starting salary for most new entrants to teaching in Jersey is aligned to MPS1 in future, the starting salary would be £33,900. This will be 52% higher than the starting salary of £22,244 for most new entrants to teaching in England and Wales, and 22% higher than the starting salary of £27,819 for new teachers in Inner London.
The picture in England and Wales is complex. Different school governing bodies can set their NQTs' starting salary in accordance with their own school's pay policy. A teacher's starting salary must be within the minimum and maximum pay points, but a UK school's governing body has the opportunity to offer financial incentives to teachers of certain subjects where recruitment is more difficult so that they join the school.
The NUT guide also states –
"Academies are able to set their own pay arrangements. Although there is no obligation upon them to do so, most academies do follow the same provisions as local authority schools."
Advice in the Times Educational Supplement (TES) about qualified teachers' pay scales further clarifies the position –
"Newly qualified teachers usually start on point M1, although other teaching experience may push you higher up the scale".2
This is the exact position Jersey wishes to achieve in order to ensure that NQTs are paid a fair and substantial salary. As for some schools in the UK, additional funds will then be available for the Education Department to incentivise teachers of shortage subjects, particularly at secondary level, to work in Jersey.
There is also a need to provide a greater financial incentive within the Jersey pay scale to encourage teachers to take on more responsibilities. The current high starting salary means there is a relatively small pay increase for taking on extra responsibilities, and staff have been reluctant to seek promotion as a result. A greater differential across the salary range will make progression more attractive.
There is no plan to reduce Jersey NQT starting salaries to the England and Wales level. The extent of the change has been misrepresented in the media. The proposed adjustment in the starting wage would bring the Jersey more in line with inner London, but still retain a premium for coming to the Island.
2 Source – Times Educational Supplement (online) – Qualified Teachers' pay scales,
11th January 2017
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