JNC - Compulsory Transfer Procedures (Promoted Teachers) 03 02 2026
Renfrewshire Council · 3 February 2026
Back to Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff — 3 February 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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PUBLIC Agenda Item .......... Renfrewshire Joint Negotiating Committee for Teachers To: Renfrewshire Joint Negotiating Committee for Teachers On: 3rd February 2026 Report by Joint Secretary (Management Side) Compulsory Transfer Procedures (Promoted Teachers) Interim Version 1. Purpose of Paper 1.1 This paper provides background information, a summary of the new interim Compulsory Transfer Procedures for Promoted Teachers, and key recommendations for consideration by the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC). The full interim policy is attached as Appendix 1. 2. Background and Context 2.1 Drivers for the Interim Policy 2.1.1 For several years, Renfrewshire Council had not undertaken a systematic review of primary school roll projections in relation to promoted post entitlements. The recent review, aligned with Standard Circular 66, identified a number of primary schools where current management structures exceed entitlement based on falling school rolls. 2.1.2 This situation has led to the identification of potential surplus promoted staff—specifically Principal Teachers (PTs) and Depute Head Teachers (DHTs)—necessitating the introduction of an interim compulsory transfer policy to manage staffing implications in a fair, transparent, and legally compliant manner. 2.2 Contractual Position of Promoted Staff 2.2.1 While promoted staff are appointed to specific schools, they are contractually employed by Renfrewshire Council and may therefore be required to transfer to meet service needs. Although this liability exists, the Council aims to minimise compulsory transfers wherever possible and ensure appropriate consultation and support for affected staff.
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PUBLIC 2.3 Consultation and Governance 2.3.1 Final decisions on compulsory transfer will be made by the Head of Education following consultation with individuals and relevant trade union representatives. Staff retain the right to raise concerns through the established Grievance Procedures (JNC15). 3. Summary of the Interim Policy 3.1 Application 3.1.1 The interim policy applies only to compulsory transfers resulting from falling school rolls. Other staffing reorganisations, including school closures or amalgamations, are covered by separate procedures. 3.2 General Principles Key principles include: 3.2.1 Affected staff will be notified at the earliest opportunity once roll projections are confirmed. 3.2.2 Transfers will normally take effect at the start of a new academic session. 3.2.3 Volunteers for transfer will be sought before any compulsory measures are applied. 3.2.4 Where no volunteer emerges, transfer decisions will be based on: Length of service Divergence from entitlement Equalities legislation 3.2.5 Impacted staff will maintain salary and conditions in accordance with the SNCT Handbook, including: 3.2.6 Cash conservation where required 3.2.7 Excess travel allowances 3.2.8 Staff will not normally be subject to compulsory transfer again within two academic years. 3.2.9 A two-year right of return will apply if school rolls subsequently increase and entitlement is restored. 3.2.10 Individual circumstances will be considered through meetings with Children’s Services, HR, and trade union representatives.
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PUBLIC 3.3 Arrangements for DHTs 3.3.1 Surplus DHTs will be offered transfer to another DHT post where available. 3.3.2 Where multiple DHTs require redeployment, posts will be allocated based on length of service and entitlement divergence. 3.3.3 Surplus DHTs may elect transfer to a PT post with salary conservation. 3.4 Arrangements for PTs 3.4.1 Surplus PTs will be offered transfer to equivalent PT vacancies. 3.4.2 If no immediate vacancy exists, PTs will remain in post until one arises. 3.4.3 PTs may opt to relinquish their promoted post with activated salary conservation. 3.4.4 Vacancies will not be advertised until all surplus PTs have been offered redeployment. 3.5 Key Considerations The policy is intended to: 3.5.1 Ensure fair and transparent handling of surplus promoted staff. 3.5.2 Provide a clear pathway for redeployment while adhering to SNCT national conditions. 3.5.3 Balance organisational needs with sensitivity to individual circumstances. 3.5.4 Reduce potential disruption to pupils, staff teams, and school improvement activity. 3.5.5 Given the unusual scale of potential surplus management posts, a consistent interim approach is necessary ahead of any longer-term structural review. 4. Recommendations The JNC is invited to: 4.1 Note the rationale and necessity for the interim policy on Compulsory Transfer of Promoted Teachers. 4.2 Endorse the interim procedures as a proportionate, legally compliant, and equitable approach to managing surplus promoted staff arising from falling rolls.
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PUBLIC 4.3 Support the implementation timeline, including early notification to affected staff. 4.4 Recommend ongoing joint monitoring of the policy’s impact during the 2025– 2026 and 2026–2027 staffing cycles. 4.5 Agree that a full review of promoted post structures may be required following analysis of longer-term demographic trends.
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PUBLIC Appendix 1 Compulsory Transfer Procedures (Promoted Teachers) Interim version
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PUBLIC Contents 1. Introduction - specific context 2. Circumstances necessitating Compulsory Transfer 3. General Principles 4. Arrangements to be Applied
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PUBLIC 1. Context 1.1 For a number of years, no review or consideration of the implication of changing school roll figures in the management capacity of primary schools was conducted within Renfrewshire, other than when increased roll figures resulted in additional management entitlement. Accordingly, a recent review of the Primary Management capacity in line with Standard Circular 66: Structure of promoted posts in primary schools, which outlines the grades of promoted posts applicable to primary schools and the basis for calculating the establishment of such posts, indicated a number of schools where current promoted posts, Principal Teacher or Depute Head Teachers posts, are in excess of entitlement based on current school rolls. Due to the potential number of promoted staff who consequently may be subject to compulsory transfer, it is proposed that this interim policy, taking cognisance of the need to be sensitive to the position of those impacted, will be applied. 1.2 While Head Teachers, Depute Head Teachers (DHTs) and Principal Teachers (PTs) are appointed to specific posts in specific schools, they are all ultimately appointed to the service of Renfrewshire Council. As such there may be circumstances in which such staff will be liable to compulsory transfer from one educational establishment to another. While all promoted staff have this contractual liability to transfer from one educational establishment to another every effort is made to minimise the number of compulsory transfers. 1.3 Where compulsory transfers are deemed necessary, a number of factors require to be considered, including the needs of the schools involved, the wishes of individual post holders and the views of the Council. In the final instance decisions on transfer will be taken, after consultation, by the Head of Education. Staff who remain aggrieved by such decisions shall have access to the normal Grievance Procedures (JNC15).
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PUBLIC 2. Circumstances which may necessitate Compulsory Transfer 2.1 Falling Rolls This interim Policy is intended to deal only with the circumstances of compulsory transfer being necessitated by falling school rolls. Staffing issues in the event of school closures and amalgamations are dealt with in a separate Renfrewshire Council policy. Where the roll of a school (as defined by the projected roll at the time of the staffing exercise each year) falls to a point where the school’s entitlement to promoted posts is reduced, then a surplus or surpluses may be identified and declared and all staff who may potentially be affected will be notified of this position. Notification to staff likely to be affected will occur at the earliest possible opportunity following the annual census data capture date which will confirm accuracy of earlier projected roll figures. There will be no change to the status or salary of identified post holders until the end of the current school year. If that post is vacated within the same establishment during that year the post will be filled on a temporary basis until the staffing exercise is complete in June 2026. 3. General Principles 3.1 Staff will be informed of any transfer prior to the end of the academic session but transfers should only occur at the beginning of the next academic session, subject to workforce changes 3.2 Where there is more than one potential candidate for transfer in any given establishment e.g. DHTs or PTs, it is appropriate to seek volunteers in the first instance. 3.3 Where no volunteer emerges, criteria as outlined in Section 4 will be applied in identifying the appropriate transferee and/or compliance with equalities or other relevant legislation. 3.4 The undernoted will not be regarded as constituting breaks in service and will count as service: periods of parental leave in accordance with the SNCT Handbook, periods of paid and unpaid leave formally agreed under the Teachers’ Sickness Scheme. 3.5 Where the number of promoted staff identified as liable for transfer at any level across the Council – DHT or PT - is greater than the number of emerging suitable promoted post vacancies, promoted staff at that grade whose school rolls are most divergent from entitlement will be considered for transfer in the first instance.
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PUBLIC
Promoted staff who are unable to be accommodated in a post at the grade and level
of their existing substantive post will remain in their current school and post until such
time as a suitable promoted vacancy emerges.
3.6 Promoted posts in schools affected by these arrangements are likely to require to
be re-job sized to take account of changes to management responsibilities and whole
school information.
3.7 Should the member of staff accept a post of the same grade which is job-sized at
a scale point less than their existing salary, cash conservation will apply as set out in
1.63-1.65 of the SNCT Handbook {see Appendix)
3.8 A teacher transferred compulsorily or one who volunteers in a school where a
transfer has to be arranged will be entitled to excess travelling following the date of
transfer and in line with SNCT conditions {see Appendix}
3.9 Promoted post holders who decline a transfer to a suitably identified post in
another school will commence a period of cash conservation for a period of 3 years
in line with SNCT terms and conditions and be offered alternative identified vacant
promoted posts during that time.
3.10 promoted teacher transferred compulsorily will not be liable for transfer again
within two academic years.
3.11 Should an unexpected increase in roll occur in the original base school of a
compulsorily transferred teacher result in re-entitlement of a promoted post then the
displaced promoted teacher will have a right of return within a period of two years.
3.12 In line with Equalities Act 2010, all applicants will be afforded equality of
opportunity and will be treated no less favourably than any other person in relation to
any protected characteristics contained within equalities legislation
3.13 The staffing arrangements outlined in this document seek to establish a protocol
for filling posts in the event of a number of promoted staff being identified as surplus
in their current schools. However, individual circumstances will be taken into account
and any individual will be entitled to discuss their position with representatives from
Children’s Services and HR and to be accompanied by appropriate trade union
representatives (or other appropriate staff representative) at any meeting called to
discuss such arrangements.
3.14 Promoted staff impacted will be advised and strongly encouraged to seek
financial and pensions advice and guidance from relevant sources prior to making key
decisions at each point of the process.Page 10
PUBLIC 4. Arrangements To Be Applied 4.2 Depute Head Teachers 4.2.1 Surplus Depute Head Teachers shall be offered the option of a transfer to an equivalent Depute Head Teacher post. If no vacant position exists, the Depute Head Teacher would remain in their current post until a suitable promoted post becomes available. 4.2.2 Where there is more than one Depute Head Teacher requiring to be redeployed, available posts will be offered on the basis of length of service in the promoted post. Thereafter length of service with Renfrewshire Council and compliance with equalities or other relevant legislation; should there be more than one individual of equal status in regard to these aspects, those in schools most divergent from management entitlement will be considered for redeployment first. 4.2.3 Displaced Depute Head Teachers will be given the option of transfer to the post of Principal Teacher (within or outwith their current school) with conservation of salary in terms of the SNCT Handbook. 4.3 Principal Teachers 4.3.1 Displaced Principal Teachers shall be offered the option of a transfer to an appropriate Principal Teacher post where a vacancy exists. Where an appropriate Principal Teacher post is not immediately available those identified as surplus would be offered a transfer to a similar post with Renfrewshire Council when such a vacancy arises. 4.3.2 Displaced Principal Teachers shall be offered the option to demit their promoted post with conservation of salary in terms of the SNCT Handbook. 4.3.3 Vacant posts will not be released for recruitment until after all displaced Principal Teachers included in the identified surplus promoted staffing exercise have been given one offer of redeployment. Available posts will be offered on the basis of length of service, compliance with equalities or other relevant legislation; should there be more than one individual of equal status in regard to these aspects, those in schools most divergent from management entitlement will be considered for redeployed first.
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PUBLIC Appendix re Travel 1.0 Allowances for Compulsorily Transferred Promoted Teachers 1.1 The following arrangements shall apply to those teachers whose place of employment is changed as a result of the reorganisation of local authority areas, or who are required by the authority to transfer from one locality to another, or by other circumstances, beyond their control. 1.2 The authority shall, in all cases, be satisfied that the expenditure which a teacher incurs in connection with this transfer, and for which allowances may be paid, is necessary expenditure and has been approved in advance. The authority shall ensure that decisions under this paragraph are taken with the minimum of delay. 1.3 Where a teacher incurs additional travelling expenses as a result of the place of employment being changed but is not required to move home, the employing authority shall pay an allowance equal to the difference between the costs of travelling from home to the new place of work, and from home to the old place of work, for a period of 4 years. This allowance shall be based on either - (a) standard class train and/or bus fares, or (b) a mileage allowance in respect of the additional mileage actually involved in the change of place of employment if the teacher is an authorised car user, or where public transport is not available, whichever is actually incurred. Note : This sub-paragraph applies where the difference between the cost of travelling both ways from home to the new place of work and from home to the old place of work is greater than £2 a week, the amount to be refunded being the sum in excess of £2.
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PUBLIC Appendix re pay grade 2.0 Redeployed to a promoted post of a lower pay grade point 2.1 Should a member of staff accept a post which is job-sized at a scale point less than their existing salary, cash conservation will apply as set out in 1.63-1.65 of the SNCT Handbook: ‘The application of cash conservation will commence at the date at which the downgrading of the salary for the post, transfer or cessation of temporary appointment takes effect. 2.2 During the period of cash conservation, the post holder will continue to receive his/her previous salary but will not receive any increase resulting from pay awards (other than in the circumstances outlined in 2.4 below). 2.3 At the end of the period, the cash conservation will end and the post holder will then receive the normal salary for the post she/he holds at that time. 2.4 During any period of conservation, when the normal salary for the post occupied exceeds the conserved salary being paid (for example, through the application of pay awards), the post holder will receive the normal salary for the post with effect from that date. 2.5 Conservation of salary will cease following voluntary application for, and appointment to, a new post.