Education Secretary response to teachers rejecting pay offer

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has responded to the National Education Union’s announcement that 98% of teachers voted to reject the pay offer the government proposed. She said: 

“After costing children almost a week of time in the classroom and with exams fast approaching, it is extremely disappointing that the NEU have called more strike action.

“Following a week negotiating in good faith, the Government offered teachers a £1,000 payment on top of this year's pay rise, a commitment to significantly cut workload, and a headline pay increase of 4.5% for next year – above both inflation and average earnings growth.

“The offer was funded, including major new investment of over half a billion pounds, in addition to the record funding already planned for school budgets.

“The NEU's decision to reject it will simply result in more disruption for children and less money for teachers today. Pay will now be decided by the independent pay review body which will recommend pay rises for next year.”