Pay committee: approving the headteacher's pay

How do you know the pay recommendation is right, when you're usually reviewing it with only limited information? Here's what to look for, and what to do if you have concerns.

Last reviewed on 21 July 2022
School types: All · School phases: All
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Contents
  1. What usually happens
  2. Appraisal outcomes and confidentiality
  3. Define the remits of both committees
  4. Quality assurance is built into the appraisal system
  5. If the pay recommendation isn't what you were expecting

Our associate experts Jacqueline Baker, Keith Clover and Harry James helped us with this article.

What usually happens

As a member of the pay committee, you receive a recommendation for the headteacher's pay at the end of their annual appraisal (for more on the full process, read our step-by-step guide to headteacher appraisal). 

You review the recommendation and, usually, approve it – it's generally pretty straightforward, as this isn't the point where you'd expect surprises.

But if the recommendation from the headteacher appraisal committee doesn't jell with your expectations, there are steps you can take to ensure your own due diligence. We look at these a bit later on.

Appraisal outcomes and confidentiality

The Department for Education (DfE) has no official guidance on who should have access to the

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