Minutes:
The Forum was reminded that, as per the resolution of Minute 28 - Schools Budget Update, it was agreed that a letter would be drafted on behalf of Schools Forum noting the specific issues being experienced by schools across Staffordshire, and sent on to the Secretary of State. The Chair informed the members that, under his delegated powers, the Vice Chair had been asked to Lobby his local MP on a recent visit to Parliament as a representative of ASCL.
The Forum was informed that the Vice Chair met with Lichfield MP, Sir Michael Fabricant, to discuss the issue of school funding within Staffordshire, and asked that some questions be tabled with the Secretary of State. These questions were:
1. To ask the Secretary of State to publish as soon as possible the report of the school teachers’ review body, to accept its recommendations, and to urge the Treasury to fund in full those recommendations.
2. To ask the Secretary of State to reopen dialogue with the teacher and school leader unions.
3. To ask the Secretary of State to confirm that, following the checks currently being carried out on reinforced autoclave aerated concrete (RAAC), all necessary remedial action will be fully funded so as to ensure a safe environment for all those (both adults and children) working in schools.
These three questions had been condensed into two and the following responses were received:
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to provide schools with funding to cover the full cost of (a) repairing and (b) replacing autoclave aerated concrete. (191998). Tabled on: 03 July 2023.
Answer: Nick Gibb:
The safety of pupils and teachers is paramount. The Department has allocated over £15 billion since 2015 for keeping school buildings safe and in good working order, including £1.8 billion committed for 2023/24. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme will transform buildings at 500 schools, prioritising poor condition and potential safety issues.
The Department have asked all responsible bodies, such as Local Authorities, academy trusts and voluntary aided school bodies, to inform the Department of the possible presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in their buildings and how they are managing it. The Department continues to urge all responsible bodies to contact us immediately if they have any serious concerns about their school buildings.
The Department is commissioning assessments of cases of suspected RAAC to confirm whether it is present and ensure appropriate and rapid action is taken to address any immediate risk, based on the advice of structural engineers. This can include funding support for capital works to remove any immediate risk and, where absolutely necessary, the provision of temporary buildings.
Longer term remediation of RAAC is supported by annual capital funding provided to the sector and the Department’s rebuilding programme. The Department provides additional support on a case by case basis where there is a serious safety issue with a school building that cannot be managed independently by Local Authorities, academy trusts, and voluntary aided school bodies.
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will hold discussions with teacher and school leader unions on teachers’ pay. (191997)
Tabled on: 03 July 2023
This question was grouped with the following question(s) for answer:
1. To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with education unions on industrial action by their members. (192175). Tabled on: 03 July 2023.
Answer: Nick Gibb:
The Government and the education trade unions, the ASCL, NAHT, NASUWT and NEU, took part in a period of intensive talks between 17 March and 23 March 2023, with over 200 hours of Ministers’ and officials’ time spent on these talks, after which an in principle offer was made by the Government. This offer comprised a package of pay and non-pay related measures. Unfortunately, the four trade unions rejected this fair and funded offer.
Following the unions’ rejection of the Government’s March pay offer, teacher pay for next year will go through an independent pay review process as usual. The School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) makes recommendations on the pay of teachers in England and reports to the Secretary of State for Education and the Prime Minister.
As part of the normal process, the STRB has now submitted its recommendations to the Government on teacher pay for 2023/24. The Department will be considering the recommendations and will publish its response in the usual way.
The Department will continue to engage regularly with teaching and leadership unions on policy developments as usual.
Resolved: That the update provided by the Vice Chair be noted.