FE teachers will be eligible for a “levelling up premium” payment of up to £6,000 from this autumn however in a controversial twist, staff in independent training providers have been excluded. Ministers are extending the scheme, launched for school teachers, to those in further education as part of their efforts to improve teacher recruitment and retention in the sector. It targets seven subjects linked to “critical skills priorities” and with the highest unfilled vacancy rates in the “statutory” FE sector, including maths, engineering and construction as well as early years. However, teachers in independent training providers won’t receive the payments. It will only be open to workers in general FE colleges, sixth-form colleges, designated institutions, and 16-to-19-only academies and free schools. The Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) labelled the move as “grossly unfair and a kick in the teeth for those learning outside the college or school system” however defending the decision, the DfE said it is “necessary to focus the levelling up premium where it has the most impact on 16 to 19 teaching for key STEM and technical shortage subjects”. Click here for more.
