NEOST is the statutory recognised national employer representative body for school teachers. The LGA provides the Secretariat to NEOST, which represents education authorities and other employers of school teachers in maintained schools in England and Wales.
Membership
NEOST draws its members from the:
- LGA
- National Society (Church of England and Church in Wales) for the promotion of Education
- Catholic Education Service
- Confederation of School Trusts
- Welsh Local Government Association.
Role of NEOST
School pay decisions are delegated to individual schools in regulations under the Education Act 2002. Nevertheless, local authorities are the employers of teachers in community and voluntary controlled schools. This affords them certain advisory rights in relation to school employment decisions and creates liabilities under general employment law.
NEOST has a clear and strategic role in the pay, recruitment and retention of school leaders and teachers. NEOST members know their local schools best and are uniquely placed to offer up to date local knowledge to key stakeholders and decision makers.
The main aim of NEOST is to support the maintenance and development of fair and affordable pay and employment conditions for school leaders and teachers. It supports the continued attraction, retention, development and management of the best talent available for employing school leaders and teachers in schools.
Core functions
- NEOST acts as the single statutorily recognised national employer body when submitting evidence to the STRB for England.
- NEOST also represents the employer side for the national collective agreement on conditions outside of the STPCD, commonly known as the Burgundy Book.
- Welsh Local Government Association remains a member of NEOST, although it is no longer directly included in the English STRB consultation process. However, the Burgundy Book agreement continues to apply in Wales.