At the end of July, the government and teaching unions agreed and announced a 6.5% pay rise for teachers. The proposed deal, finally struck by the Department for Education and the four main teaching unions, is an attempt to end the long and sometimes bitter stand-off between the government and the teaching unions, which has seen large-scale strikes by teachers over the past few months.
This, however, leads to the immediate questions of a) how is this going to be implemented, b) how much will this increase be costing schools, c) will this increase hold for all teaching roles, and d) how does this affect ECTs?
What pay rise has the government awarded to teachers?
The School Teachers Review Body (STRB) has been put forward by the government stating that teachers will see an increase of 6.5% for all teachers across England from September (2023).
The government has accepted the STRB recommendation which is an increase on the 3.5% salary rise first proposed by the Department for Education starting February this year, but falls short of the demand pay claim by the unions to match inflation and go above it.
The STRB award will mean that in England, teachers will see an increase of 6.5% across the board for teachers’ salaries working on around £30K, not just for those in the first few years of teaching, but also for experienced, post-threshold and educational leaders across England.
Will all teachers in England definitely see this pay rise?
The parties fully accept the recommendations of the independent School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) on teachers' pay, in order to respond to the STRB's call for a funded, above-inflation and a more ambitious pay award for teachers.
This means that teachers and leaders will be paid at least 3.5% more from September and this will rise faster for the many teachers who are not already at the top of their pay ranges: for teachers at the minimum of their ranges in the main pay range (Q1) this is a 6.7% rise, and for teachers at the minimum of their ranges in the upper pay range (Q3) this is a 9.5% rise.
Next year: All pay scales and allowances will increase by 2% as part of the final year fully funded teacher pay settlement.
Are the pay rises fully funded?
In terms of fully funding the proposed salary increases, the government has clarified that 3% of the raise will be accounted for by additional financial support, meaning schools will have to meet the rest of the 3.5% hike from within their existing budgets.
The School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) has published a report predicting that these salary adjustments will add around £1.6 billion to the overall pay bill for mainstream schools.
Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has indicated that government will not be borrowing to pay for any extra in this year’s pay award. Instead, he said that the DfE will need to find savings / efficiencies within the existing budgetary framework to fund the increases.
School leaders and teaching unions have been reassured that the budget allocated to the pay increases this year will not affect resource funding to frontline services such as SEND provision or schools capital funding.
The DfE had proposed a four-year pay package to the four main teaching unions, which included a one-off, non-consolidated payment of £1,000 for 2022-23 and an average 4.5% pay increase for 2023-24.
However, the unions were advised that only a very low share of next year’s pay increase, along with the one-off payment for this year, would be funded by new monies.
This offer was ultimately rejected by the NASUWT and other education unions in April, with a large majority of members indicating their unwillingness to accept the offer.
How many schools will be able to afford these salary increases?
The public sector pay proposal for teachers is adequately funded for the nation’s educational establishments, as announced by key figures including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, and the general secretaries of the four biggest education unions.
This is a commitment to extra funding from the amounts originally proposed in March, as outlined in an autumn statement, which assigned a further £2bn for schools.
The government has also promised a fund of £40 million to help schools facing the most severe financial difficulties.
Keegan has acknowledged that this additional funding is a step forward. But there might still be problems for some schools.
Various headmasters believe this financial adjustment is manageable within their anticipated budgeting for salary increases ranging between 3% and 5% for the forthcoming year.
And despite being partially funded, many believe the provided resources will be sufficient for numerous schools to adapt.
Nevertheless, concerns persist among educational leaders regarding the potential budgetary strain this pay raise could introduce. Many wonder if the increases could put tight strains on budgets, especially for primary and smaller schools or those with a high number of early career teachers.
Questions have also been raised about how these pay raises can be covered by schools without additional financial support. There are also concerns about the effects higher salaries will have on recruitment and professional development.
As a first step towards a more attractive teaching profession, many heads will welcome the announcement of pay increases. However, they are regarded as nothing more than an initial reaction to the STRB report.
A properly designed coherent strategy is needed to raise pay above the wider economic rate of wage increase and tackle workload, flexible working, and access to high-quality professional development.
The STRB’s latest report demonstrates only too well the variability of financial circumstances across different schools and the need for more tailored support to ensure all schools can afford even these small rises. Many schools are nevertheless feeling the pinch of an ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Will budget cuts be necessary to fund the new pay structure?
Regarding whether implementing the new pay structure for teachers will necessitate budget cuts, union leaders have recently shared updates from their discussions with the government.
They relayed reassurances that financing the 3% increase from the government's contribution will not infringe upon frontline educational budgets.
This specifically includes funding allocated for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and school capital projects, which are essential for maintaining the quality and infrastructure of education.
This commitment is crucial, as it aims to safeguard the integrity of frontline educational services while still recognising the need for a fair compensation structure for teachers.
The preservation of funding for SEND and capital projects ensures that schools can continue to provide comprehensive support to all students, including those with additional needs, and maintain, upgrade, or expand their facilities as necessary.
However, with the government covering only a portion of the proposed pay rise, schools may still need help finding the remaining funds within their existing budgets. This situation raises questions about the financial management strategies schools will need to employ.
They may need to explore efficiency savings, reallocate resources, or make difficult decisions regarding other areas of expenditure.
The exact impact will likely vary from one institution to another, depending on their financial health, size, location, and the demographic needs of their student population.
Moreover, the announcement has prompted a broader discussion within the educational sector about the sustainability of funding models and the need for a comprehensive approach to financing education.
It highlights the importance of balancing fair pay for educators with the need to invest in educational resources, technology, and support services that directly contribute to student learning and well-being.
As the educational landscape continues to evolve, it will be imperative for both the government and schools to engage in ongoing dialogue and collaboration with union leaders.
This collaborative approach is essential to ensure that the implementation of the new pay structure is managed to support the long-term interests of teachers, students, and the wider educational community.
Where is the extra money coming from?
Prime Minister Sunak elaborated on the fact that the necessary financial resources for the recommended pay raises for the public sector including teachers, would be taken from the existing department budgets and not via extra borrowing.
This will maintain fiscal responsibility while addressing the pay concerns of public sector workers during a time the UK is scrambling to get back on its feet and re-establish itself as a primary player in the global economy.
In a subsequent interview with Sky News, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said, "I’m very pleased the Treasury has allowed us to have some flexibility, having a provision of underspend if you like, and we’re able to move some of the budget around to pay for the support of the teacher pay at 2.75%."
It is normal procedure when the government asks a department to allocate more spending to a particular area they will then underspend accordingly, which is why there was an underspend for the teacher pay.
Normally the money would go back into the Treasury once it is identified as surplus but this time it will stay to support the teacher pay increase, so this is proactively giving SAHT permission to reallocate funds which essentially already sit within budget.
Keegan explained that the DfE’s meticulous process in respect of the identification of potential savings, indicated a thorough review of the budget.
She also advised that this had involved a detailed scrutiny of every budget line in order identify whether the spending forecasts were likely to be fully met. Any identified underspends were then to be used to contribute to additional spending in schools, specifically, to support the forthcoming teacher pay rises.
Final Thoughts On Teacher Salary Increases and What This Means For ECTs
For current Early Career Teachers (ECTs) starting their teaching journey in Lambeth, the recent pay and workload developments are well worth exploring. For all of us, the government's 6.5% pay increase starting September 2023 is most welcome.
This adjustment in our salaries will be most beneficial to all current teachers in Lambeth. And will also help to bring many new teachers into our profession who might otherwise be concerned about our pay.
There will, of course, be a continuing discussion as to whether or not funding is sufficient, especially for schools with unique financial challenges, and special support is being given to special schools to make sure they have the assistance they need to manage these financial challenges.
Additionally, both the government and the Department for Education (DfE) have been taking action over teachers’ workload — a huge concern for the profession — by launching initiatives such as creating a workload reduction task force in a bid to reduce bureaucratic burdens and make teaching a more sustainable career.
However, campaigners have responded to the announcement stating that the pay increase is “totally out of touch” with the rising concern over recruitment and retention in the profession.
Instead, campaigners have been calling for pay scales to be increased - something they argue would go a long way towards solving the recruitment and retention crisis that the sector is now facing.
Unsurprisingly, this latest intervention from the DfE has done little to quell the ongoing unrest felt by many in the profession over the issue.
If you're new to Lambeth, the developments are encouraging as they suggest we are starting to address some key issues in the teaching profession.
I'd suggest understanding these issues and how they impact on being a successful teacher in our borough. It will be useful as you get started in your career in Lambeth.