The Scottish government is coming under fire over its decision to exclude school support staff from the £400 payment going to teachers and lecturers in recognition of the extra work involved in delivering qualifications this year, following the cancellation of the exams.

Secondary headteachers’ organisation School Leaders Scotland and Unison - the union that represents many school support staff - have written separately to the education secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, urging her to “widen the scope of the policy”, arguing that the current arrangement “ignores and disregards the substantial input” of other school staff.

SLS writes: “It is our strongly held view that it is unfair, unreasonable and divisive to exclude school staff who, in the view of their teaching colleagues, have contributed in full to supporting the ACM [Alternative Certification Model].”

Need to know: £400 payment for teacher ‘exam’ workload

Background: Scotland’s 2021 exams cancelled by education secretary

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The controversial Alternative Certification Model was devised following the cancellation of the exams this year and gave teachers and lecturers responsibility for grading students, based on “demonstrated attainment”.

SQA assessment 2021: School support staff ‘have seen substantial increases to workload’

The one-off payment of £400 was offered in recognition of the “additional workload related to the Alternative Certification Model”, which involved assessments being set, marked and moderated by teachers, rather than exam body the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

Very disappointed that support staff colleagues are not included in this payment when so many have been crucial to implementing the ACM. @LeadersScotland campaigning for fairness on this. Hope @ScotGovEdu listens.

- Melvyn Roffe (@roffeme) June 30, 2021

SLS and Unison are arguing that it is not just teachers and lecturers whose workload increased.

In particular, SLS is making the case for including school business managers and bursars, whom it also represents, in the payment. They say they have “experienced substantial increases in their workload to facilitate the effective implementation of the Alternative Certification Model”.

For instance, SLS says many school business managers have “worked late into evenings entering and checking assessment data”.

Unison, meanwhile, says that it is “unfair and unreasonable to exclude certain staff” from the £400 payment. It says the £500 bonus for health and social care staff, announced by the Scottish government in November, was a “one-team approach”, with everyone from porters, to nurses included, and the same approach should be taken when it comes to secondary staff.

The union writes: “For example, pupil support assistants provide continuous assessment data to teachers to inform their summative assessments; other staff support delivery of assessment materials and quality assurance systems. Many support staff have experienced substantial increases in their workload to facilitate this process, not just teachers and lecturers.”

Speaking to Tes Scotland, John Gallacher, Unison’s Scottish organiser, said: “Support staff have experienced substantial increases in their workload to facilitate this process and have gone the extra mile. All education staff deserve this £400 monetary recognition.”

Both SLS and Unison said there was time to change the plans, given the payment is not expected until September. However, the Scottish government is showing no sign of including more staff in the scheme.

Ms Somerville said: “The Scottish government is grateful to everyone working in our schools and colleges through unprecedented circumstances.

“However, the one-off payment has been offered to secondary teachers and college lecturers who have been directly involved in assessment, marking or quality assurance in relation to the awarding of National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses this year.

“The payment is being made in recognition of the additional responsibilities teachers and lecturers have taken on to support the alternative model put place this year to ensure learners receive their national qualifications.”

Mr Gallacher added that the differential treatment was “fuelling the discontent” among support staff who are threatening strike action next term over pay.

Earlier this year, Unison members voted by 88 per cent against a pay offer from council employers made in March.

Teaching unions are also unhappy with the pay offer put forward by local authorities’ umbrella body Cosla.

Councils are now refusing to make teachers a new offer until they meet with Scottish ministers about funding.