Responding to the Institute for Fiscal Studies’ report on the
real-terms cut to teacher pay since 2010,Geoff Barton, General
Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:
“The IFS is a highly respected, independent body and its findings
are clear: teachers have suffered a significant real-terms fall
in their pay over the past 12 years while average earnings have
risen across the rest of the economy. This is one of the main
reasons why schools and colleges are dealing with a recruitment
and retention crisis which is making it increasingly difficult to
put teachers in front of classes, and which is putting
educational standards at risk.
“The government has missed targets for recruiting trainee
teachers for many years and only 59% of the target number of
secondary teachers were recruited during the last academic year.
The latest figures, which include the startling statistic that
only 17% of the target number of trainee physics teachers were
recruited, are nothing short of catastrophic. Furthermore, nearly
a third of teachers then leave the profession within five years
of qualifying. This desperate situation is a direct result of the
way in which the government has eroded the pay and conditions of
teachers and devalued the profession.
“Teacher shortages mean schools and colleges have to rely on
non-specialist teachers and supply staff to plug gaps. While
these staff work hard and do their best, this situation is
obviously not the best thing for children. This report should
serve as a much-needed wake-up call for the government to provide
teachers with the meaningful and fully-funded pay award they
deserve and which will help to address this ongoing crisis.”
