Gender Pay Gap Commentary, April 2022
The Gender Pay Gap Report is a measure of the difference in pay between the average hourly earnings of male and female staff.
The mean average gender pay gap at Benenden School is 10.7% lower and median average is 36.07% lower for women. This is an improvement to the mean of 1.66% and an improvement to the median of 3.86% compared to 2021.
Benenden School employs 70% female and 30% male staff, the pay gap reflects the composition of staff and their roles across the School.
The lower quartile is dominated by part time, term time and flexible working roles which appeal to those with family caring responsibilities outside of the workplace. In general women are more likely to have caring responsibilities, and this influences our employment and therefore our statistics. Benenden School is committed to supporting staff in achieving a work/life balance which works for them and the School.
In contrast to many schools, Catering and Housekeeping staff, who are at the lower end of the pay scale, along with peripatetic staff, are employed by Benenden School. We believe in all staff being given the same employment rights and competitive benefits.
Benenden School is committed to equal opportunity for all staff, including through fair pay. All staff are paid equally for comparable work throughout the School, but the greater proportion of women in lower paid roles creates the gender pay gap. Our policy is to recruit the best candidate regardless of gender or any other protected characteristic.
Teaching staff are remunerated on an incremental pay scale which rewards them for their professional performance and their level of experience.
Support staff pay is determined via a process of job evaluation which is benchmarked against market rates to ensure that pay correctly reflects the value and complexity of their role.
Bonuses were paid to 19.02% of female staff and 15.97% of male staff, with 4.42% mean and 65% median.
How we address the pay gap
In January 2022, Benenden School committed to following the Living Wage Foundation rate of pay for all staff. This has contributed to the improvement in the Gender Pay Gap from 2021.
The Teachers’ pay scale recognises quality rather than quantity of work and the support staff pay structure recognises the role, both regardless of who holds the role.
Benenden School is committed to continuously reviewing, through the appraisal system and pay structures, opportunities for all staff to progress in their career regardless of gender or any protected characteristic. Additional training opportunities for all staff, both general and specific, have been put in place and are being continuously reviewed to enhance this.
Recruitment processes are competency based. Managers receive training on choosing the right candidate, including training on unconscious bias.
Julie Lerbech
Director of Finance and Operations
