School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document: Pay Progression 2023 to 2026
John Cook
1 September 2023
STPCD provision and key wording
Position on pay progression
Key change
Paragraph 19.1 required annual consideration of whether to increase salary. Paragraph 19.2(a): “the decision whether or not to award pay progression must be related to the teacher’s performance”. Paragraph 19.2(g) permitted a decision not to award progression whether or not the teacher was subject to capability proceedings.
Annual consideration, but progression was performance-related. Progression was not automatic simply because the teacher had completed another year.
Performance-related pay was mandatory. Paragraph 19 was expressly headed “Pay progression linked to performance”.
1 September 2024
STPCD provision and key wording
Position on pay progression
Key change
Paragraphs 19.1–19.3. Paragraph 19.1 retained annual consideration. Paragraph 19.2 provided that “pay progression must be awarded”, subject to the specified exceptions. A school retaining PRP could withhold progression for poor performance; otherwise progression could only be withheld if the teacher was in capability proceedings.
Annual progression became the default across the relevant pay ranges, including the Main and Upper Pay Ranges, subject to the permitted exceptions.
Fundamental change: PRP ceased to be compulsory and the STPCD moved to annual pay progression as the default.
1 September 2025
STPCD provision and key wording
Position on pay progression
Key change
Paragraphs 19.1–19.3 continued the 2024 approach. Paragraph 19.2 continued to say that “pay progression must be awarded”, subject to the PRP/poor-performance exception or, where PRP was not retained, the teacher being in capability proceedings.
Annual progression remained the default across the relevant pay ranges, including the Main and Upper Pay Ranges.
The annual progression model introduced in 2024 was maintained.
1 September 2026
STPCD provision and key wording
Position on pay progression
Key change
Paragraph 19.2(2) introduces the important UPR provision: “While the appraisal process should be carried out annually, for teachers on the upper pay range, pay progression must be determined at least every two years.” Paragraph 19.2(3) retains the rule that “pay progression must be awarded”, subject to the specified exceptions.
Specific change for the Upper Pay Range. Appraisal remains annual, but UPR pay progression must now be determined at least every two years.
Key 2026 change: the UPR is expressly placed on an “at least every two years” progression-determination cycle, modifying the previous annual progression framework.
Key point:
The 2024 and 2025 STPCDs established annual pay progression as the default across the relevant pay ranges. From 1 September 2026, the STPCD introduced a specific rule for teachers on the Upper Pay Range: appraisal remains annual, but pay progression must be determined at least every two years.
Source: Department for Education, School teachers’ pay and conditions documents for 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026, published on GOV.UK. Paragraph references are to paragraph 19 of each annual STPCD.
John Cook
I am a qualified Solicitor with over 30 years’ experience running a business, managing a team, appearing in the Employment Tribunal and advising on almost every conceivable employment law and HR issue. Clients appreciate my down to earth and straight forward approach that allows them to achieve results and manage their organisation more effectively. I take the worry out of employment law and HR issues with a proactive and robust approach.
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