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10.07.2025

Consultation launched on School Support Staff Negotiating Body

The government has rolled out a consultation to gather views on which roles should fall within the scope of the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB), which is being established through the Employment Rights Bill.  

What is the SSSNB?

The government intends to establish the SSSNB as a statutory mechanism for negotiating pay and terms and conditions, specifically for school support staff in maintained schools and academies in England. The government states that this dedicated body will enable more tailored and appropriate negotiations to ensure support staff are fairly remunerated for their contributions within schools. 

The Secretary of State for Education will have the power to make regulations that incorporate agreements reached through the SSSNB process into employees' contracts of employment. 

In addition to its negotiation function, the SSSNB will make recommendations to inform statutory guidance on training and career progression pathways for the wide range of roles undertaken by support staff. Employers will be required to have regard to any such guidance issued. 

Aim of the consultation

The consultation seeks views and evidence on three key issues: 

1. Defining ‘school support staff

The Employment Rights Bill (the ‘Bill’) currently defines ‘school support staff' broadly as anyone who is not a teacher, is employed by a maintained school or academy in England, and works at one or more of those schools. The Secretary of State will have the power to amend this definition. While the government believes this definition largely captures the right group, it proposes the following refinements: 

  • Exclude staff covered by other negotiating bodies, such as the School Teachers' Review Body and the Joint Negotiating Committee for Youth and Community Workers. These employees would remain under their existing arrangements, which are considered more appropriate for their roles. 
  • Include academy trust support staff who work from locations other than academies. For example, this could include HR officers or administrative staff working from a head office, or staff carrying out work in other locations such as maintained schools. 
  • Exclude executive leaders of academy trusts, such as Chief Executive Officers (CEO), Chief Operating Officers, and Chief Financial Officers, regardless of where they work. Their roles are seen as distinct from those of support staff.  

2. Call for evidence on pay and conditions 

The government is seeking evidence on the current pay and terms and conditions for school support staff. 

The SSSNB will bring together representatives of employers and employees to negotiate these matters. The Bill gives the Secretary of State the power to:

  • Set out factors the SSSNB must consider
  • Approve negotiated agreements by enshrining them in law through regulations, therefore incorporating them into individual employment contracts; and 
  • Introduce changes through regulations if agreement cannot be reached. 

The structure and operation of the SSSNB - including how it sets pay, how this links to support staff roles, and the content of any core terms and conditions - will be determined once the body is established and receives a remit from the Secretary of State. 

This call for evidence is intended to inform the government's understanding of current arrangements and the transition to the new system under the SSSNB. 

3. Inclusion of agency workers 

The consultation also asks whether agency workers should be brought within the scope of the SSSNB in future legislation. 

Currently, agency workers - those employed by an agency but working temporarily for a school - are not covered by the SSSNB. The consultation seeks views on:

  • The nature of current contracts for agency workers in school support roles; and
  • The potential impact of including agency workers on the workers themselves, employment agencies, and schools. 

The government suggests that only agency workers who are contracted by an agency and work exclusively in school settings - similar to directly employed school support staff - might realistically be included in the SSSNB. This proposal is being tested through the consultation. 

Deadline to respond

The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 18 July 2025. The result of the consultation is expected to be published in autumn 2025. 

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