The Government must significantly improve pay and conditions to tackle the continuing recruitment and retention crisis. The huge real terms cuts against inflation to teacher and school leader pay since 2010, much greater than pay cuts in other professions, have damaged the competitive position of teaching. Teachers and school leaders also face excessive workload and work intensity. Pay is too low and workload is too high. This drives teacher and school leader shortages across the school system. Unfair pay arrangements including performance-related pay add to the problems.
The unions are clear that the Government must make the investment needed to reverse the real terms pay cuts.
The Government must also address excessive workload, enhance work/life balance, and increase flexible working opportunities. Without such action, the recruitment and retention crisis will continue and intensify. The education system is inadequately funded, and sufficient investment is urgently needed to support the vital work of schools.
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “We need an urgent Government response to the clear evidence on teacher pay and workload. Following the announcement of 16 September that the pay award will be fully funded at a national level, the Government must provide the investment needed to reverse the huge pay cuts against inflation since 2010 and tackle the critical workload issues.”
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “School leaders are optimists by nature, but the current reality is bleak. Many schools still face significant budget shortfalls despite the recent funding announcement and will have to make further cutbacks. Workloads are routinely excessive and over the next few years they are being asked to deliver many reforms, including a complete overhaul of the SEND system. Expecting people to do ever more with ever less is a recipe for professional burnout and policy failure.”
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said: “Teachers and school leaders are the people who make the greatest difference to children's education, yet too many are being driven from the profession by relentless workload, damaging inspection pressures, and pay that has been eroded over many years. If government is serious about recruiting and retaining the talented professionals our schools need, it must tackle those pressures and commit to a long-term, multi-year approach to pay that restores teaching's competitiveness as a rewarding lifetime career. Investing in the education workforce is investing in children's futures.”
Community’s Director of Operations and National Officer for Education & Early Years, Helen Osgood, said: “The STRB agrees teacher pay must increase to stabilise the workforce and retain experienced teachers, but we do not feel that 3.5% is enough to do this. It is urgent for pay, workload and flexible working arrangements to be properly addressed so that the recruitment and retention crisis does not fall into a downward spiral. Our teachers deserve better!”