SL(6)758 – The School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions (Wales) Order 2026
Background and Purpose
This Order makes provision for the determination of the remuneration of school teachers in Wales and other conditions of their employment which relate to their professional duties or working time.
The purpose of the Order is to move ALN Coordinators to the leadership group pay scale following a recommendation in the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body’s (IWPRB) fifth report. This Order makes these changes by giving effect to:
(a) section 2 of the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions (Wales) Document 2025/26 and guidance on school teachers’ pay and conditions (revised) – February 2026 (“the STPC(W)D 2025 (revised) February 2026”) from the period beginning with 1 September 2025 and ending 7 March 2026; and
(b) section 2 of the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions (Wales) Document 2025/26 and guidance on school teachers’ pay and conditions (revised) – March 2026 (“STPC(W)D 2025 (revised) March 2026”) from 8 March 2026.
The changes made by the STPC(W)D 2025 (revised) February 2026 will ensure that uplifts to ALN Coordinators pay will have effect from 1 September 2025. Section 123(3) of the Education Act 2002 expressly permits these provisions to have retrospective effect.
Procedure
Senedd annulment procedure.
These Order were made by the Welsh Ministers before they were laid before the Senedd. The Senedd can annul the Order within 40 days (excluding any days when the Senedd is: (i) dissolved, or (ii) in recess for more than four days) of the date they were laid before the Senedd.
Technical Scrutiny
No points are identified for reporting under Standing Order 21.2 in respect of this instrument.
Merits Scrutiny
The following point is identified for reporting under Standing Order 21.3 in respect of this instrument.
1. Standing Order 21.3(ii) – that it is of political or legal importance or gives rise to issues of public policy likely to be of interest to the Senedd.
The Regulatory Impact Assessment within the Explanatory Memorandum (EM) refers to costs and how the Welsh Government propose to mitigate any impact:
“Moving ALN Coordinators to the leadership group pay scale equates to an estimated increase to the overall pay bill of £2.345m for 7 months of 2025-26 and £4.019m for the full academic year (2026-27 Financial Year impact). However, to mitigate the impact of these costs on school and local authority budgets, which have already been set for 2025-26, the Welsh Government will provide additional in-year grant funding via the Local Authority Education Grant, to support local authorities and schools with these changes”.
The EM refers to a four-week written consultation with key stakeholders which ran from 4 November to 2 December 2025. Responses from consultees were described as a mix of positive and negative comments. The EM provides that:
“It has been established practice for an order determining teachers’ pay to be made annually with the new pay proposals within the document having effect from 1 September every year. It is the Welsh Ministers’ intention to continue this practice. With this in mind, this proposal was included in the consultation in June 2025. It was clear from the feedback that our partners want this change to happen as soon as possible but also want to ensure it is carefully planned to avoid unintended consequences. Due to the additional time required to undertake further work with partners, it was not possible to lay the Order earlier.”
Welsh Government response
A Welsh Government response is not required.
Legal Advisers
Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
16 February 2026.