25 September 2025
School support staff pay is a priority – Bridget Phillipson
In an article in Schools Week, Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson writes about the value of school support staff – which includes career development professionals, though she doesn’t mention them specifically – and how they have been badly treated by the previous government.
Citing results from UNISON’s recent survey of school support staff, she says only 6% of school support staff feel valued by government and only 11% feel valued by their employer.
Phillipson raises issues such as the proper calculation of holiday entitlement for term-time only staff, job descriptions not matching actual roles and the fact that the Low Pay Commission classed support staff as officially a ‘low-paying’ sector.
Her statement comes as she looks to reinstate the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB), which had been disbanded by Michael Gove as Education Secretary. The SSSNB brings together school employers and unions to consider employment matters, and agreements would ‘apply to support staff in all state-funded schools, including academies’.
Phillipson says this will remain a priority for her whether she remains Education Secretary or becomes Deputy Leader of the government.
The SSSNB is potentially a great opportunity to address low pay for careers teams in England’s schools, and the CDI have been supporting UNISON who are one of the unions involved in the formation of the SSSNB.
Citing results from UNISON’s recent survey of school support staff, she says only 6% of school support staff feel valued by government and only 11% feel valued by their employer.
Phillipson raises issues such as the proper calculation of holiday entitlement for term-time only staff, job descriptions not matching actual roles and the fact that the Low Pay Commission classed support staff as officially a ‘low-paying’ sector.
Her statement comes as she looks to reinstate the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB), which had been disbanded by Michael Gove as Education Secretary. The SSSNB brings together school employers and unions to consider employment matters, and agreements would ‘apply to support staff in all state-funded schools, including academies’.
Phillipson says this will remain a priority for her whether she remains Education Secretary or becomes Deputy Leader of the government.
The SSSNB is potentially a great opportunity to address low pay for careers teams in England’s schools, and the CDI have been supporting UNISON who are one of the unions involved in the formation of the SSSNB.
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