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This may interest you. It is clarification on the current position which I sought from my CT provider. CONCERN ABOUT THE PROPOSED "FREEZE" ON THE CHARTERED TEACHER PROGRAMME
In recent weeks there has been a lot of uncertainty and rumour around the future of the Chartered Teacher Programme and in particular the enhanced salary that follows each double module award. This is particularly important as teachers fund themselves on the programme in the expectation of that enhanced salary. The salary enhancement was a key feature of the McCrone Agreement as part of the recognition that their study programme and their enhanced status should bring.
The current position is that the EIS is recommending that members approve a two year pay and conditions settlement that includes this clause:
4. Chartered Teacher Scheme
The award of salary increments for teachers commencing modules on an accredited Chartered Teacher Programme, currently set out in the SNCT Handbook, Part 2, Section 1, paragraph 1.25, shall be suspended with immediate effect, with the following exception. Teachers who are already working towards completion of a module or modules, shall receive one salary increment on successful completion of the module or modules. However, until further notice is provided, no additional salary increments shall be awarded for any further modules of study which are completed.
The SNCT will take a decision on the awarding of additional increments for teachers undertaking an accredited Chartered Teacher programme by April 2012.
IMPLICATIONS
Candidates currently on the programme will have concerns thatTeachers who are already working towards completion of a module or modules, shall receive one salary increment on successful completion of the module or modules.This seems very unfair to candidates who are for example working on the Work Based Project which is a 4 module equivalent and which therefore should attract two salary increments on successful completion.It will also affect candidates who are considering starting on Unit 2 Part 1 but who have not yet submitted Unit 1 to the exam board. This would seem to imply that if such candidates submit Unit 1 and Unit 2 Part 1 to the September exam board that they would receive just one salary increment. Again this would seem to be most unfair.WHAT'S TO HAPPEN IN FUTURE?It is important to recognise that the Chartered Teacher Programme itself has not been suspended. Candidates can continue to enrol and progress. A decision on further salary increments will be taken by April 2012. It would again seem grossly unfair if such a decision was not to pay the increments to which teachers are entitled. That would mean that some CTs would be receiving the full salary enhancement and others were not. That would be a difficult decision to justify in the light of employment law.The McCormac Review is examining all aspects of the McCrone Agreement. If its review concludes that there should no longer be any salary enhancement for holders of the CT qualification that would have serious implications for the Chartered Teacher Programme but would also seriously damage any idea of CPD for teachers having value and would make the notion of any aspirations in Scotland to a Master Level profession look ridiculous. Hopefully that will not happen.In the meantime we would encourage those of you enrolled on the programme to continue your progress – you will certainly receive one salary increment even in the worst case scenario of implementation of this proposal.Those of you considering enrolling must consider the implications:
· If you enrol now for Unit 1 you will receive that single increment on completion· If you enrol on Unit 2 you will be able to receive a single increment on completion of a double module equivalentThat is exactly what you are entitled to under current arrangements.· If you enrol now for Unit 3, the work based project, you will only receive one increment instead of two on completion. Completion would be February 2012.The position is under review for April 2012. Hopefully the final increment would then be awarded.We think that you may agree that the position is most unsatisfactory and damages the notion of enhanced skills and standards for the teaching profession in Scotland. However, it is important to emphasise that no decision has yet been made, and that this is only a proposal.It is up to everyone to judge how to respond to these circumstances but we hope that many of you will evaluate the salary increase and the enhanced professional status that progressing through the Chartered Teacher Programme brings and will enroll in the next few weeks for your next stage. I am considering my next move!
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