Remuneration — Teaching Service

Annual progression

Within the teaching service classifications salary progression is available on 1 May of each year up to the maximum salary of the appropriate salary range. Progression is not automatic and is based on the annual assessment of the employee’s performance and may include the use of relevant data.

The salary progression cycle is common to all employees in the teaching service commencing on 1 May each year and concluding on 30 April in the following year. A performance review will be undertaken at the end of each school year. If an employee is absent on leave at the time of the review, alternative arrangements for the review can be agreed.

The Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022 provides that the number of eligible employees who progress through their respective salary scales will be determined solely on the basis of their performance and development assessment and the employer will not impose a quota on the number of employees who can progress in any year. With the exception of clause 13(3)(g), no lump sum payment will be made to any employee as a result of the performance and development assessment.

Eligible service

An employee with 6 or more months’ eligible service at or above a particular subdivision in any particular progression cycle is eligible for progression. Eligible service includes all periods of:

• duty including any period(s) the employee is in receipt of a higher duties allowance,
• paid leave,
• unpaid leave that have been approved to count as service,
• for classroom teachers approved teaching experience (as set out above) undertaken during a period of leave without pay subject to the provision of a statement of service

An employee promoted within the 6 month period prior to 1 May is not eligible for progression in that year. However, where the employee had been in receipt of higher duties at or above the promotion level within that year’s performance cycle that higher duties period will be included as eligible service.

Notification of non-progression

An employee progressing through their salary range who is assessed as not meeting the requirements for progression will not progress in that year. Provided that the employee (other than an executive or principal class employee) has been notified in writing before 1 March of:

• the standards of performance that are expected,
• the areas of the employee’s performance that do not meet the required standards, and
• the consequences of continued or repeated failure to meet these standards, and

given the opportunity to enable improvement in performance to the required standard.

Where the performance of an employee commencing a period of extended leave or changing schools is not considered satisfactory the principal should provide that employee with the notice set out above prior to the commencement of leave or movement to the other school.

An employee who is the subject of unsatisfactory performance procedures is not eligible for salary or remuneration progression provided that employee (other than an executive or principal class employee) is provided with the notice set out above before 1 March.

Progression for all eligible employees is processed centrally on the payroll except for those employees who have been provided with notice as set out above and are assessed as not meeting the requirements for progression.

Higher duties

An employee acting in a higher position may be paid higher duties to the next subdivision of the higher position (in addition to progression at their substantive level if not at the maximum) on 1 May provided the employee has at least 6 months’ eligible service at or above the salary level of that higher position and a satisfactory performance assessment at the higher level.

First year teachers

Teachers who commence their first employment at subdivision 1–1 after 1 November in any performance cycle are not eligible for progression in that cycle and will be paid a lump sum on progression to subdivision 1–2 in the following cycle in accordance with clause 13(3)(g) of the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022.