NFER responds to Spring Statement

Commenting on the Government's Spring Statement, the National Foundation for Educational Research's (NFER) School Workforce Lead, Jack Worth, said:

"Teacher recruitment and retention remains in a critical state and without urgent action, achievement of the Government's pledge to recruit 6,500 teachers will be in peril. Following the Government's Spring Statement, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has increased its forecast of average earnings growth for 2025/26 from 3.0 per cent to 3.7 per cent. In light of this, it seems unimaginable that the Department for Education's (DfE) teacher pay proposal of 2.8 per cent for the next academic year could remain unchanged. The School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) should consider recommending an increase of least 3.7 per cent in order to continue improving the competitiveness of teacher pay, supporting recruitment and retention efforts."