School governors have called for a long-term plan for pay and incentives for all staff to address a decline in salaries.
The National Governance Association (NGA) has published a manifesto for education policy in response to concerns raised by governors across the country.
The manifesto calls for incentives and pay improvements to fix recruitment and retention problems in the long term, more funding for fixing school buildings and early safeguarding intervention, a review of Ofsted’s school inspections and better mental health support in schools.
These are the key things that NGA is calling for.
1. Long-term plan for school staff pay and incentives
The NGA says the 6.5 per cent pay rise for teachers needs to be integrated into a longer-term, broader strategy that addresses declines in salary of all school staff.
It calls for this strategy to include incentives beyond pay that attract people to a career working in schools.
It adds that the government must work to address inequalities in recruitment, retention and development, from teacher training up to leadership, in order to have “a diverse and representative workforce” that is “fairly rewarded”.
2. Increased capital funding for school buildings
“The government should establish a long-term programme for removing hazardous materials from schools, establishing clear and open lines of communication with governors and trustees as the responsible body,” the manifesto says.
To achieve this, the NGA calls for increased capital funding for school buildings, as well as funding and leadership capacity for improving the environmental impact of buildings and preparing pupils to deal with environmental challenges.
The recommendation comes amid union calls for the government to ensure that asbestos is removed from the school estate within 40 years and the ongoing controversy over reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in schools.
3. Restore council funding to safeguard children
Research by the National Children’s Bureau in 2021 found that councils had to halve spending on children’s early intervention services over the previous decade.
The NGA says crisis intervention spending in schools has “soared” as a result, and the pressure on schools is “unsustainable”. The manifesto calls for funding for local authorities to be brought back up to 2010 levels so councils can focus on early intervention in safeguarding children.
4. An independent review of Ofsted inspections
Echoing concerns about the impact of Ofsted inspections on leaders and teachers, the NGA has called for an independent review of school inspections and how they can contribute to school improvement “without creating the indisputably pervasive culture of fear”.
It asks that a review consider replacing the current grading system with “something more constructive” and any review considers the impact of inspections on schools in disadvantaged communities.
“Greater recognition also needs to be given to the role and responsibilities of governing boards in the inspection process, and Ofsted’s capacity and expertise needs to be developed so it can inspect multi-academy trusts as a single organisation,” the manifesto says.
5. Mental health support for pupils in all schools
A Department for Education report earlier this year said that there has been “inconsistent recovery of children and young people’s mental and physical health towards pre-pandemic levels”.
Data from NHS Integrated Care Boards this summer suggested that just 53.5 per cent of secondary schools and 26.6 per cent of primary schools will be served by mental health support teams (MHSTs) by the end of 2024.
The NGA calls for mental health support for pupils to be available in all schools, and for the government to make access to specialist services a priority.
6. Equal access to edtech resources
The NGA says the current funding formula is disproportionately benefiting less disadvantaged populations of pupils, and also called for pupils from low-income households and rural areas to have equal access to edtech resources.
The manifesto adds that the DfE must make sure it safeguards schools against artificial intelligence (AI) misuse and consults teachers in developing AI tools.
