Sussex-based boarding school Bede’s School has become a living wage employer after receiving accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation.
The St Bede’s School Trust, which runs a prep school in Eastbourne and senior school in Upper Dicker, currently employs 1,070 members of staff. As part of its commitment, all of its employees aged 23 and above will now be paid £10.90 per hour, which is higher than the £9.50 national minimum wage.
According to the trust, which already pays above the national living wage, its lowest-paid members of staff will receive a pay boost as a result of the accreditation. It is also committed to paying employees salaries that reflect the actual cost of living, rather than the government’s minimum hourly rates.
Peter Goodyer, headmaster and chief executive officer at Bede’s, said: “We are genuinely proud of all our staff and the brilliant work they do and we believe it is only right that they are fairly rewarded. This accreditation by the Living Wage Foundation underpins that commitment.”
Dr Jonathan Northway, bursar at Bede’s, added: “Bede’s has regularly paid more than the national living wage, however, the impact of the current cost-of-living crisis has made it very clear that we needed to do more. Becoming a real living wage employer is a consequence of our firmly held values and a practical demonstration of our appreciation for our committed employees.”
Katherine Chapman, director of the Living Wage Foundation said: “We’re delighted that Bede’s School has joined this movement of responsible employers [that] make sure all their staff earn enough to live on. More than 12,000 employers, including half of the FTSE 100 businesses, have joined the Living Wage campaign. They recognise that paying the real living wage is the mark of a responsible employer and like Bede’s, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”