An updated Burgundy Book was published today the 8th of June. The Burgundy Book is a national agreement between the five teacher unions and the national employers (NEOST), it contains the terms and conditions of service for school teachers in England and Wales and has been updated for the first time in over two decades.
The majority of schools (maintained and academy) choose to incorporate the agreement into their teachers’ contracts of employment. Its main provisions relate to notice periods, sick leave and pay, and maternity leave and pay. The Burgundy Book should be read in conjunction with each employer’s unique terms and conditions in addition to the conditions of employment covered by the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD).
The 2023 edition takes account of the updates in legislation that have occurred since the most recent version was published in 2000. A detailed summary of changes are included in Appendix IX of the new Burgundy Book and reflect developments to the educational landscape such as the establishment of Academy Trusts and updates to legislation such as Data Protection Regulations – with many of the changes to the Maternity & Retirement sections linked to the Equality Act of 2010.
The application of the terms and conditions of employment contained in the Burgundy Book has not been amended in any way. Gender-neutral pronouns have been adopted throughout the updated Burgundy Book, to promote inclusivity.
HR Customers can access the updated version of the Burgundy Book here.
