ASCL comment on reported teacher pay award recommendation

20/07/2024
Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on a report in The Times that the independent pay review body has recommended a teachers’ pay award of 5.5 per cent.
 
If the report is correct we are pleased with the recognition that teacher pay must be improved to support recruitment and retention as many schools are experiencing severe staff shortages. We would be surprised if the government did not agree to the recommendation from the independent pay review body. 

“However, this is only one part of the equation.

“We also need assurance that the government will fund this pay award as school budgets are already under immense pressure and cannot bear this additional cost. We await clarification from the government regarding the recommendation and its funding plans. While we understand the government is dealing with the fallout from the previous administration's neglect of the education system, the only viable solution is to fully honour and fund the pay recommendation
.”