School leaders in the island have voted to accept a new pay offer to end their long-standing dispute.

Members of school leaders’ union NAHT responded to a consultation ballot with 97.5% saying they were prepared to accept the pay offer.

The deal, which follows weeks of negotiations between teaching unions and the Department of Education, Sport and Culture, includes a one-off lump sum of £2,850 for senior leaders and £1,850 for those on the upper pay range.

This will be funded by £1.5m of new money.

The deal also includes a commitment to review pay talks in any year in light of local conditions, discontinue appraisals, postpone external validations until August 2021 and to have union involvement in the Education Bill.

Rob Kelsall, NAHT national secretary, said: ’NAHT members throughout the Isle of Man have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a deal which will bring this dispute to an end.

’It’s now time for DESC to deliver on the terms of the agreement and crucially for this to mark the beginning of the end to our long-running dispute and the start of a new relationship with DESC.

’School leaders and teachers should never be forced into a corner where taking industrial action is the only option left open to us.

’Our members continue to go above and beyond in delivering education in these unprecedented times.

’The agreement goes some way in providing a framework to ensure that we have an education system which is fit for purpose and continues to deliver for children and young people on the Isle of Man.’

The NAHT, which has some 121 members in schools across the island, is one of a number of teaching unions.

In the ballot, 79 voted to accept the deal and just two voted against. Turnout was 66.9%.

Education professionals took industrial action earlier this year in the long-standing dispute over pay.

A damning independent review of DESC at the end of September revealed cultural issues were the root cause of the fractured relationship between the department and schools.

Mr Kelsall added: ’The proposal not only goes some way in redressing the injustice of the 2018/19 pay award but crucially addresses a range of issues not linked to pay which we believe will help to re-set the relationship between the department and schools.

’School leaders have been striving to ensure the best quality of education for children and young people on the Isle of Man. We welcome the new approach of the Interim chief executive and his team and believe this bodes well for the future.’