The Education (School Teachers' Pay and Conditions)(No. 4) Order 2000

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document 2000 (“the Document”), to which the Education (School Teachers' Pay and Conditions) (No. 3) Order 2000 (S.I.2000/2321) gave effect with modifications on 1st September 2000.

New paragraph 19 of the Document contains an upper pay scale for “post-threshold teachers” who are classroom teachers who have passed the threshold, some teachers previously employed as head teachers, deputy head teachers and assistant head teachers, and some others. Paragraph 19 also sets out the deadlines for making applications for threshold assessment, and makes provision about progress beyond the minimum of the upper pay scale.

New paragraph 19A of the Document provides for arrangements to be made for the allocation of assessors to schools and local education authorities for the purpose of making threshold assessments, and makes other provision about assessors.

New paragraph 19B of the Document sets out the procedures for the assessment of classroom teachers against the performance threshold standards which are set out in new Annex 1. To pass the threshold a teacher must have met each of the performance threshold standards for a period of between two and three years. The initial assessment will be carried out by the head teacher. All the applications and assessments for teachers at the school are then sent to the assessor allocated to the school, who will consider, and if so minded, approve the assessments made by the head teacher. Provision is also made for the determination of threshold assessment applications where the assessor does not approve the head teacher’s assessments. New paragraph 19C modifies the threshold assessment procedures for applications from unattached teachers.

Under new paragraph 19D of the Document, teachers who are assessed as not passing the threshold have a right to have the decision reviewed by a different assessor.

The grounds for seeking a review are set out in paragraph 19D.2.

The Order amends the professional duties' section of the Document to introduce professional duties for head teachers and others in relation to carrying out threshold assessments.

The Order also makes amendments to the Document consequential on the introduction of threshold assessment arrangements and the upper pay scale for post-threshold teachers.

The Document is published by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and is obtainable from book shops of the Stationery Office Limited and through booksellers.