Commenting on the Government's
recommendation to the STRB (School Teachers' Review Body) for a
pay offer to teachers of 6.5% over three years, Matt
Wrack, General Secretary of NASUWT – The Teachers'
Union, said:
“This proposal fails to address the thousands of pounds in pay
that teachers have lost over the past decade due to years of
real-terms pay cuts. This proposal fails to set teaching salaries
on a competitive footing compared with other comparable graduate
professions.
“In addition, the Government intends to once again ask schools to
fund part of the pay awards from existing budgets – that means
more cuts in schools.
“These proposals are only likely to exacerbate the current
recruitment and retention crisis in teaching and lead to further
reductions to support, resources and provision for pupils in our
schools.
“We believe pay must increase significantly above RPI inflation
for 2026 to begin restoring the losses of the past decade.
“We are calling on the Government to submit revised
evidence to the STRB which reflects the urgent need to
restore the real-terms value of teacher pay and
provides for fully funded, above-inflation awards in each
year of this Parliament.
“Ministers must recognise that investment in teachers and schools
is essential to delivering the Government's educational, social
and economic priorities.”
