Top class! Biggest pay rise for teachers in 20 years
New starters will take home at least £30,000 a year
‘I want the best talent’
ALL teachers will be paid at least £30,000 a year following a £6,000 pay rise for new starters – the biggest increase in two decades.
The major giveaway is set to make the profession among the most competitive in the graduate jobs market from 2022.
It is hoped the move will attract the very brightest graduates – including those who would normally choose top-paying jobs in consultancy or the civil service.
Many youngsters want to get into teaching, but in the past have been put off by the starting salary of around £24,000. The proposed new salary would put teaching well into the top half of post-university jobs in terms of pay, and will help new teachers get on to the housing ladder much earlier.
Research by employment website Graduate-jobs.com recently found average starting salaries for all graduates were only between £21,000 and £25,000.
Under the plans – announced today by Education Secretary Gavin Williamson – the £30,000 threshold for teachers will apply both to new starters and to those currently working who are earning below that.
It comes amid a shortage of good teachers in some of the most needy schools. Science and maths specialists are particularly hard to recruit, because graduates in these fields can earn enormous salaries working in other sectors such as finance and technology.
Mr Williamson said: ‘Teachers truly are the lifeblood of a school and I have been instantly impressed by the dedication, commitment and hard work that I have seen from those at the front of our classrooms.
‘I want the best talent to be drawn to the teaching profession and for schools to compete with the biggest employers in the labour market and recruit the brightest and best into teaching.
‘Teachers should be in no doubt that this Government fully backs them in every stage of their career, starting with rewarding starting salaries, and giving them the powers they need to deal with bad behaviour and bullying and continue to drive up school standards right across the country.’
Currently, the minimum salary for teachers in England and Wales is £23,720, while for those in inner London it is £29,664.
A London weighting will also be added for the new £30,000 threshold, so those in the capital can expect to earn even more to cover their higher expenses.
Mr Williamson will set out his proposal in a remit letter to the School Teachers’ Review Body. The money will come from the £14billion cash boost for schools that was announced last week, to be spread over three years.
In addition, the Government wants to encourage more flexible working among teachers and will appoint a group of ‘ambassador schools’ to champion it.
This will be part of a drive to improve the retention of staff – many of whom have children – through better working conditions. Mr Williamson added: ‘I want to keep great teachers in the profession, and we know that the lack of flexible working opportunities is often cited as a reason for leaving. Other sectors have embraced flexible working and the benefits it provides – I want to see the same in schools.’
It comes as the employer’s contribution to teacher pensions is set to rise from 16.48 per cent to 23.6 per cent. This money will be provided to schools in addition to the £14billion pot.
There has been a long-standing campaign by teachers to have more money for schools, as they claim budgets are being squeezed by the Government.
Yesterday Geoff Barton, from the headteachers’ union ASCL, said: ‘We welcome the Government’s proposal after years of government-imposed pay austerity, which has eroded the real value of teachers’ pay and made it increasingly uncompetitive in the graduate jobs market.
‘Action to address this situation is long overdue... in terms of tackling the serious teacher recruitment crisis. It is also vital that any increase in salaries is fully funded by the Government and does not fall on school budgets.’