Burgundy Book updated for the first time in over two decades

Summary

On 8 June 2023, an updated version of the Burgundy Book was published to reflect changes in legislation and developments within the education landscape, such as Academy Trusts, which have occurred since it was previously updated over two decades ago in 2000. The Burgundy Book is a national agreement setting out the conditions of service for teachers in England and Wales, with its main provisions relating to notice periods, sickness, and maternity schemes. Many schools, including academies and trusts, choose to incorporate the national agreement into teachers’ contracts. However, the Burgundy Book should be read in conjunction with any other terms and conditions determined by the employer, as set out in the contract of employment, including the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) for schools and academies that pay their teachers in accordance with that document.

What are the changes?

There are no changes to the application of any employment terms and conditions; it is a technical update intended to clarify language and update legislation, such as the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Equality Act 2010. Changes include (this list is not exhaustive):

The introduction has been updated to align with current legislation that requires a written statement of employment particulars to be provided no later than the start of employment.
Clarity has been provided to Section 3 in respect of notice periods and termination of contract to confirm the notice provisions do apply to dismissals for ill health and redundancy.
Gender-neutral pronouns have been adopted throughout to promote inclusivity and includes an update to Section 5, the Maternity Scheme, to confirm this applies to pregnant women, trans men, and nonbinary teachers.
Changes have been made within the retirement and maternity sections to align with the Equality Act 2010. This includes a footnote at the beginning of the Maternity Scheme to clarify that a ‘maternity equality clause’ is included. This relates to the calculation of pay to ensure an individual is not paid less because of their maternity leave and is a clause that is implied into the Last amended: June 2023 contract by the Equality Act. It means any pay increase a teacher receives (or would have received had the teacher not been on maternity leave) must be included when calculating their maternity pay. A teacher’s pay on return to work following maternity leave must also include any pay increase they would have received had they not been on maternity leave.
Section 4, the Sick Pay Scheme, has been updated to reflect the use of Fit Notes.
Minor changes to update references to titles eg Local Authority, have been made throughout.

A full detailed summary of changes is included in Appendix IX of the new Burgundy Book.