The Institute for Fiscal Studies has on Wednesday released the findings of new analysis of teacher pay.
They say that most teachers are likely to see a five per cent real-terms fall in salaries this school year, which comes on top of past real-terms falls dating back to 2010 and the start of ‘austerity’.
Real-terms pay for experienced teachers has declined by 13 per cent since 2010
Peter Shreeve, the Assistant District Secretary of the National Education Union, told News OnTheWight,
“The IFS says that real-terms pay for experienced teachers has declined by 13 per cent since 2010, and that over the same period average pay in the whole economy has increased by two per cent in real terms. This adds up to a relative decline in teacher pay of -15 per cent.
“If the higher inflation calculation of RPI rather than the lower CPI were used, pay would decline even further. RPI shows teachers have lost 23 per cent in real-terms since 2010 and support staff 27 per cent.”
Problems recruiting and retaining staff
Pupils and parents have an expectation that there is a qualified teacher and subject specialist in the classroom, but Mr Shreeve says this is not the case when recruitment targets have been missed for years.
He continues,
“Hardly a surprise that these pay cuts over more than a decade is one of the reasons why we do not have enough teachers.
“Indeed, looking at Department for Education (DfE) data published in December, the report highlights new entrants to postgraduate initial teacher training were almost all below target with new secondary school trainees a long way behind – only 59 per cent of target met. Some subjects like physics, computing and foreign languages find less than half the teachers, schools actually need.
“Particularly in the secondary system a sustained government inability to recruit and retain staff. Too often too many young people are likely being taught some subjects without qualified subject specialist teachers in the classroom.”
Shreeve: Government has not been listening
Calling for change, Mr Shreeve says,
“It’s time for a change. Staff do not want to strike, but government has not been listening. We want the Government to make a real-terms correction for the pay of educators. We want funding to follow into schools.
“We want to protect the education of young people. We want a qualified teacher and subject specialist in every classroom. We want a qualified and experienced classroom assistant supporting. Let government provide the means to fulfil this expectation.”
See the IFS Website for more details of the analysis.
Article edit
10am 13th Jan 2023 – Reference to when report came out amended from Thurs to Wed
Image: taylor flowe under CC BY 2.0
