The Soulbury Committee
Inspectors, organisers and advisory officers of Local Authorities
15 June 2022
To: chief executives of county councils and metropolitan districts and unitary authorities in England;
chief executives of London boroughs;
chief executives of county councils and county borough councils in Wales;
directors of children’s services/directors of education of county councils metropolitan districts and unitary authorities in England;
directors of children’s services/directors of education of London Boroughs;
directors of children’s services/directors of education of county councils and county borough
councils in Wales;
Members of the Soulbury Committee
Subscribers
Dear Sir/Madam
Joint education services circular no. 223
Trainee Educational Psychologists: contractual and statutory entitlements
This circular sets out advice about the contractual and statutory entitlements and pay and conditions of Trainee Educational Psychologists during their training scheme.
It should be read in conjunction with JESC 173 (Feb, 2010), JESC 186 (Feb, 2013), and paragraphs 4.14 to 4.18 of the Soulbury Report which sets out the terms of the Soulbury Committee’s agreement on pay and conditions for Trainee Educational Psychologists in full.
Trainee Educational Psychologists in year one of the training period are students and do not have the status of “employees”. During this period they are not entitled to membership of an occupational pension scheme, benefits under occupational sickness or maternity schemes, annual leave or any other contractual or statutory rights available to employees.
The agreement on pay and conditions for Trainee Educational Psychologists in years two and three are that instead of receipt of a Bursary, these trainees should be employed under contracts of employment. Where this is the case, trainees will have access to membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme and should be employed on terms not less favourable than those for other local government employees of the authority. This will mean that they will be entitled to annual leave, benefits under occupational sickness and maternity schemes and other contractual or statutory rights available to such employees, such as comparable car user status and allowances.
If you require any clarification or information on this please refer to the contact details below.
Yours sincerely
David Algie, Employers Side Secretariat
Sarah Ward, Employers’ Side Secretary:
Local Government House, Smith Square, London SW1P 3HZ
Tel 020 7187 7373 Fax 020 7664 3030
David Powell, Officers’ Side Secretary
Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1 9BD
Tel: 020 7388 6191 Fax 020 7387 8458