Minutes:
NB updated Forum members on the IRP’s recommendation for teachers’ pay increases, with 6.5% proposed by the Government; the minimum national starting salary for new teachers would be £30k, representing a 7.1% on the M1 salary. NB confirmed that this still needs agreement nationally from the Unions. There is an increase in funding of £525 million nationally to cover the 7 months from September 2023 to March 2024;, but the methodology for distribution to schools hasn’t yet been stated. The full year effect of this is £900 million. This funding has to be distributed as an additional grant because the schools block funding was confirmed in January and we will get the provisional settlement in the next few days – normally this comes in just before the Christmas holidays.
JC thanked NB and agreed we won’t be able to formally confirm the pay settlement until school teachers pay and conditions document comes out. JC asked whether the additional money is actually genuinely “additional funds” coming in – was this in addition to the “ Jeremy Hunt £2 billion”. NB confirmed that as far as he was aware, this was additional funding. NB continued by advising that there is a Government web link that you can put in the salary grades and will show the new potential salaries from September. (Link posted in to the chat by NB). JC asked if colleagues had any questions.
JoRo ask about the two letters received from Gillian Keegan, with a spreadsheet showing the additional money coming to schools - what period this was for? Was it September to March? JoRo confirmed that all the Slough schools are listed on this spreadsheet. NB asked if we could share this spreadsheet in the chat and he would look in to it.
MW asked whether DfE will be re-prioritising in order to release this as ‘new money’ to schools? JC confirmed that this was currently unclear.
NB wanted to ask about the Early year’s supplementary grant. Back in the Spring, the Chancellor announced that there would be an increase in rates from September 2023 and also an extension of eligibility for early years providers. This doesn't impact on every school, but the headlines are that the two-year-old funding is going up by 3.2% and 6.3% for 3 and 4 year olds. NB confirmed that the LA was still waiting for the rates for individual local authorities, but these would be shared as soon as possible with early years providers. The increases would be effective from 1st September. NB also confirmed an increase to the maintained nursery Schools lump sum, equivalent of around £10k pounds per for each of the 5 maintained Nursery Schools in in additional funding.
There were no further questions and JC thanked NB for the update.