The 19th report of the School Teachers Review Body (STRB) is being published today, covering a range of matters referred to them in October 2009. I am grateful for the careful consideration which the STRB has given to these matters. Copies of the report are available in the Vote Office, the Printed Paper Office, the Libraries of both Houses and at www.teachernet.gov.uk/pay.

The STRB has recommended that revised criteria for payment of allowances to teachers of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) are introduced from September 2010. In addition, it recommends that the two discrete values in use currently should be replaced by a range.

I am grateful to the STRB for these recommendations which will allow teachers of pupils with special educational needs to continue to receive appropriate reward, and subject to consultees' views, I intend to implement new criteria.

The STRB has also made recommendations concerning criteria for appointments to deputy head and assistant head roles as part of a programme of work on which the STRB has previously made recommendations.

I note the STRB's recommendations for criteria for these leadership posts and I agree that this work should be taken into account in developing leadership standards and professional responsibilities for all teachers. I would welcome consultees' views on the criteria.

My detailed response contains further information on these issues.

The following sets out the full set of recommendations from the School Teachers' Review Body and published in the 19th Report (Cm 7836) on 30 March 2010, together with the response from the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. The STRB's recommendations are set out below.

The 19th report of the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) is being published today. It covers the matters referred to the STRB in October 2009. Copies are available in the Vote Office, the Printed Paper Office and in the Libraries of both Houses and at http://www.ome.uk.com/STRB_Reports.aspx.

In making its recommendations, the STRB was required to have regard to items a to f set out in the remit letter of 8 October 2009. This report covers criteria for posts in the leadership group, and for special educational needs payments. I am grateful for the careful and detailed attention the STRB has given to these matters. I am inviting comments on the STRB's report and my response to its recommendations by 29 April 2010.

Special Educational Needs Allowances

The STRB has recommended that:

SEN allowances should continue to be paid to teachers working in specified SEN roles but that the present system of two separate and defined SEN allowances be replaced with spot value allowances that fall within a specified SEN range.

The new SEN range start at £2,001 and the maximum be set at £3,954, to be uprated in line with any general uprating of teachers' pay. Schools and authorities should determine the spot values for individual posts, taking account of local context and specified factors.

SEN allowances be paid to those teaching:

in SEN posts that require a mandatory SEN qualification (all settings); in special schools, and in designated special classes or units in schools and local authorities.

SEN allowances be paid to those teaching in non-designated settings, including PRUs, that are analogous to designated special classes or units where the post:

involves a substantial element of working directly with children with special educational needs; requires the exercise of a teacher's professional skills and judgement in the teaching of children with special educational needs; and has a greater level of involvement in the teaching of children with special educational needs than is the normal requirement of teachers throughout the school or authority.

In other exceptional cases, payment of SEN allowances be at the discretion of the school or local authority.

Schools and local authorities set out clearly in their teachers' pay policies the arrangements for rewarding teachers with SEN responsibilities.

I am grateful to the STRB for its consideration of this issue and agree that the two current allowances should be replaced by a range, and the existing criteria revised. I consider that any new criteria should be linked to teaching and learning in all educational settings, and am not therefore convinced of the need for discretion. Subject to consultees' views, I intend to implement revised criteria and an SEN range from September 2010.

Leadership Group criteria

The STRB has recommended the following:

Subject to review in any future STRB consideration of school leadership issues, the STPCD-the school teachers pay and conditions documents-be revised to include the following, with effect from September 2010:

Before establishing or making an appointment to any deputy head teacher or assistant head teacher post, the relevant body must be satisfied that:

(i) the post carries a substantial element of whole school responsibility that is not required of all classroom teachers or TLR holders, and

(ii) the holder of the post plays a major role, with full accountability, under the overall direction of the head teacher, in-

(a) formulating the aims and objectives of the school;

(b) establishing, developing and implementing the policies through which they are to be achieved;

(c) managing staff and resources to that end;

(d) monitoring progress towards the achievement of the school's aims, objectives and policies; and

(e) undertaking any professional duties delegated by the head teacher, including, for example: duties that impact on the standards of achievement and behaviour of pupils across the school; duties that involve working with external bodies and agencies; or duties that impact on securing pupils' access to their educational entitlements.

That there should be an additional requirement for deputy head teacher posts to carry a level of responsibility exceeding that expected of an assistant head teacher employed in the same school, including, when appropriate, responsibility for discharging the responsibilities of the head teacher in his/her absence.

I am grateful to the STRB for its detailed consideration of this issue and I welcome the recommendations for criteria for deputy and assistant head posts. I believe that this work should be taken into account in developing leadership standards and professional responsibilities for all teachers. I agree that pay arrangements for the leadership group should continue to be taken forward by the STRB in the course of a future remit. I would welcome consultees' views on the criteria which I will consider when developing criteria for implementation in 2010.