School leaders respond to DfE pay review body submission

Commenting on the Department for Education's delayed submission to the School Teacher's Review Body, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“The Department for Education’s evidence, stating that next year’s teacher pay award must be “more sustainable” will be deeply concerning for professionals. For over a decade, teachers and leaders have grappled with real terms pay cuts in the face of a cost-of-living crisis, and sky-high inflation.  The consequences of this are now being felt through a full-blown recruitment and retention crisis.

“The point made about a predicted slowdown in inflation shows how out of touch ministers are. They must wake up and realise that last year’s award is not anywhere close to the ‘correction’ needed – teachers and leaders need a series of competitive pay awards that restore over a decade of lost pay.

“School leaders will rightly be angry that once again, the government has decided to abuse and undermine confidence in the statutory pay process with a late submission.”

"We hope government will at least show investment in the next generation in the budget."