ITEM EX7 - ANNEX 2
EXECUTIVE – 6 FEBRUARY 2002NEW PAY AND CAREER STRUCTURE FOR LEARNING SUPPORT ASSISTANTS AND EARLY YEARS SUPPORT WORKERSA BETTER DEAL FOR LEARNING SUPPORT ASSISTANTS (LSAs) AND EARLY YEARS SUPPORT WORKERS
Briefing/consultation paper
Background In 1998, the County Council asked officers to explore the possibilities for creating a new pay and conditions structure for Nursery Nurses and Learning Support Assistants. An officer working group was established with close involvement from UNISON. Within a year, a set of far-reaching proposals had been produced. The proposals were eventually put to the County Council and were approved in February 2001. The Council voted additional budget provision in 2001/02 and in subsequent years to finance the proposals. In approving the proposals, the Council was conscious of the need to:
In September 2001, the first stage of the new pay and conditions package – that which affects nursery nurses – came into effect. Across the County, Nursery Nurses now have new conditions of service which are modelled on those of Learning Support Assistants and other school support staff. Their standard full-time contract requires them to work for 32.5 hours a week and for 38 weeks a year. In addition to this "clarification" of their working time, their pay scales have been increased and they are paid extra sums for any hours they work in addition to their standard working week/year. In April 2002, the second stage of the new pay and conditions package – that affecting LSAs – is due to take effect. The new LSA package affects pay only. The working conditions of LSAs will not be affected. New pay proposals for LSAs These contain the following key elements:
In addition, the new proposals contain a further measure which is aimed specifically at primary, secondary and special schools: from April 2002, the LEA is intending to reimburse schools for the cost of holiday pay of those LSAs who support special needs pupils and whose posts are funded from the LEA’s statementing budget. Funding the new proposals At its budget setting meeting in February 2001, the County Council voted additional sums to enable schools and central support services to implement the new pay proposals. These sums total £252k in 2002/03, and rise to £494k in 2003/04 and subsequent years. The above sums have been calculated on the assumption that some 50% of the extra costs of implementing the proposals are to be met from schools’ delegated budgets. However, the cost of meeting the proposals in full is now estimated at £760k in 2002/03 rising to a maximum of £1115k in future years. Councillors have been asked to consider making provision for this higher figure in their medium term budget strategy. From April 2002, the additional sums available will either be distributed on a formula basis through the delegated budgets of primary, secondary and special schools, or they will be paid directly into the budgets of nursery schools and central teaching services. The additional sums are intended to compensate schools/services for the extra costs of implementing the new pay package for LSAs. Scope of the proposals Although the proposals apply principally to Learning Support Assistants, they will also apply more generally to all Scale One posts in schools, including for example secretarial assistants in nursery schools and laboratory technicians in secondary schools. As a result, all these staff will be entitled to progress to the maximum point of Scale 2. Qualifications allowance The County Council is keen to reward LSAs for obtaining further professional qualifications that will assist them in their work. In principle, the extra allowance will be payable to all those who have either already completed or who, during the course of their employment, succeed in completing:
The qualifications which attract this extra payment will be specified in due course. They are expected to be at NVQ Level 3 and above. The allowance payable for recognised qualifications will be £504 per annum for LSAs in "full-time" posts (i.e. 32.5 hours per week/38 weeks a year) or pro-rata for staff whose posts involve a shorter working week/year. Implementing the new proposals in schools From April 2002, all schools will have to adopt the new County Council pay rates for LSAs and other Scale 1 staff working in schools. Schools will not be able to pay below these rates. However, they may exceed them if they wish, provided they are prepared to meet the additional costs from their delegated budgets. Schools may also employ LSAs for longer than 32.5 hours a week/38 weeks a year and pay them for the extra hours/weeks worked. New career structure for "Early Years Support Workers" To accompany the introduction of the new pay and conditions proposals for nursery nurses and LSAs, the County Council is intending to establish a new career structure for non-teaching staff working within the early years sector. This will involve the establishment of a new generic job title of early years support worker (EYSW) to replace the terms "learning support assistant" and "nursery nurse". In the new EYSW career structure, there will be three grades of posts as follows:
The new career structure will take effect in September 2002. The new "Grade 3" post will be gradually introduced by schools and other settings within existing institutional and service budgets. There will be no automatic progression for staff from Grade 2 to Grade 3. Grade 3 posts will need to be specifically created and applied for in the proper way. Return to TOP
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