NGA responds to the announcement of the teachers’ pay award for 2022/23
The School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) report, published on the 19th July, recommends an 8.9% uplift to teacher starting salaries and uplifts of between 5% and 8% along the rest of the main pay range (including advisory points). This means teachers early in their career will receive rises of between 5% and 8.9% per cent. The STRB has also recommended a 5% pay award for experienced teachers and leaders in 2022/23, as well as for other pay and allowance ranges.
In our response to the STRB in March, we stated that all teachers should be entitled to a cost of living rise as a minimum. This should be considered as a separate issue to performance related pay progression, or any other conditions as set out in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD).
Whilst we welcome the higher award for those on starting salaries and support the government’s commitment to introduce a 30k starting salary, we also recognise that inflation means the commitment is worth much less then when it was first made. Starting salaries in teaching must rise further if the profession is to attract high-quality graduates and career-changers.
The 5% increase the majority of teachers will receive amounts to a real terms pay cut and is deeply concerning. It will serve only to increase the difficulties schools are experiencing in recruiting and retaining teachers.
At the same time, we are hearing that support staff not included in this pay award are leaving the sector in significant numbers due to their low level of pay and the impact of the cost of living crisis. This situation cannot be allowed to escalate and must be addressed.
Despite recent funding improvements, rising costs and the continuing squeeze on school budgets will make pay awards unaffordable to many governing boards unless savings are found elsewhere which will impact on children’s education. We therefore call on the government to provide more financial support to our schools to reduce the impact.