Employee Benefits
At Spencer Academies Trust, we recognise that our colleagues cannot be there for our children and young people if we are not there for them first. We work hard to provide a supportive, warm working culture designed to uplift our employees, so we have created a comprehensive suite of employee benefits to support your professional, physical, and social-emotional wellbeing.
Financial
- Competitive Salaries and Terms: We offer competitive salaries based on role, experience, and market conditions. Terms align with or exceed the School Teacher’s Pay and Conditions document, Burgundy Book, and NJC Green Book. We have introduced model staffing and grading structures to eliminate TUPE variations.
- Pay Progression and Cost of Living: Automatic pay progression is available for eligible employees (all employees on the NJC Scale and Teachers Main pay scale), alongside annual cost-of-living adjustments, subject to government policy.
- Pensions and Life Insurance: Employees are enrolled in either the Teacher’s Pension Scheme (TPS) or the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), offering employer contributions, life cover, lower tax, and survivor benefits.
- Continuous Service: Previous service in education counts towards continuous service benefits, including leave, sick pay, and redundancy entitlements.
- Family Leave: Occupational pay is available for maternity, adoption, shared parental, and paternity leave, alongside statutory payments. Additional unpaid family leave can be requested.
Physical & Mental Wellbeing
- Discretionary Leave: Employees can request discretionary leave as outlined in our Annual Leave and Leave of Absence Policy.
- Occupational Sick Pay: Occupational sick pay is provided based on national terms and conditions, including the Green Book for Educational Support Professionals and the Burgundy Book for teachers.
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP): In partnership with Health Assured, we provide a confidential EAP offering 24/7 support for personal or professional issues. Services include:
- Telephone and face-to-face counselling
- Legal and bereavement support
- Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Medical information
- Health and wellbeing app
- Exclusive retailer discounts via Bright Exchange
- Employee Support Guides
- Occupational Health: We work with occupational health providers to ensure workplace safety and wellbeing, supporting applications for ill-health retirement under the LGPS and TPS when criteria are met.
- Physical Activities: Employees can participate in social events, sports teams, fitness classes, and activities like the Duke of Edinburgh award or school trips.
- Eye Care: Reimbursement is available for eye tests and basic lenses required for Display Screen Equipment use.
- Flu Jabs: Annual flu jabs are provided free of charge.
Workplace Support
- Flexible Working: Flexible options, including part-time and job share roles, are available. Educational Support Professionals work a notional 37-hour week, while teachers work 32.5 hours.
- Holidays: Educational Support Professionals receive at least 25 holiday days annually, plus bank holidays, increasing with service length. Holidays for other roles coincide with academy closure periods.
- Long Service Award: Employees with 25 years of service receive a £100 award.
- Employee Voice: We gather feedback through tools like exit interviews to enhance our employee offer and create a fulfilling work environment.
- Refreshments: On-site catering services and complimentary tea and coffee facilities are available. Refreshments are often provided during workplace events.
- Free Parking and Cycle Storage: Free parking and secure bicycle storage are available at all sites. For Nottingham city employees, we pay the city council levy for free parking.
Comprehensive information about all our employee benefits can be found in our policy below...