Teachers in England have voted in favor of accepting a 5.5% pay rise, which is a positive step forward. However, there are still concerns about the competitiveness of teacher pay and the ongoing issue of teacher shortages. The National Education Union conducted a snap poll, with 95% of respondents voting to accept the offer for the 2024-25 academic year. This decision will result in schools receiving an additional £1.2bn to cover the pay increase.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has wasted no time and has already initiated the next pay round for 2025-26 by reaching out to the School Teachers’ Review Body for their recommendations. She emphasized the importance of returning to a more timely annual pay process to help school leaders with budget planning. Additionally, Phillipson highlighted the government’s desire to announce pay awards closer to the start of the financial year in April.
In her letter to the STRB, Phillipson also addressed the need for a more flexible pay framework to improve teacher recruitment and retention. She recognized the importance of providing more detailed equality, diversity, and inclusion data at a national level and committed to publishing pay and progression data based on protected characteristics.
Despite facing significant financial pressures, Phillipson reassured that progress will be made to raise the status of the teaching profession and enhance recruitment and retention efforts. NEU General Secretary Daniel Kebede commended the government for prioritizing teacher pay and addressing the need to improve the profession’s status. However, he also stressed the importance of further adjustments to ensure that teacher pay remains competitive and that teacher shortages are effectively addressed.
Pepe Di’Iasio, the General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the need for adequate funding to address teacher shortages through recruitment and retention efforts. It is crucial for the government to allocate sufficient funding in the upcoming autumn budget to support both school and college staff.
Overall, while the approval of the pay rise offer is a positive development, there is still work to be done to ensure that teacher pay remains competitive, teacher shortages are addressed, and the teaching profession’s status is elevated. By addressing these issues, the government can make significant strides in improving recruitment and retention within the education sector.
