“There are a number of worthwhile changes being explored here. We welcome the focus around extending flexibilities on pay for leaders, levelling the paying field with a pay floor for academy teachers, and amending the 195-day provision to better allow for flexible working patterns.
“Flexibility is a key theme of this remit letter. However, while the removal of pay ceilings are good in theory, in reality many schools are not in a position financially where they will be able to take advantage of that. Equally, while it is great that schools have advanced knowledge that next year’s pay settlement will be 3%, they also need the assurance that it will be fully funded by the government and they won’t end up footing a bill they can’t afford. So while these changes are positive, they will only be effective within a broader strategy that puts schools on a more sustainable footing going forward.”