Teachers across the country will benefit from pay increases of between 5% and 8.9% from September, as the government has on 19 July fully accepted pay recommendations from the independent School Teachers’ Review Body for the next academic year.
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The starting salary for teachers outside London will rise by 8.9%, with salaries reaching £28,000 in the 2022/23 academic year. This means that the Government is making good progress towards meeting its manifesto commitment for new teacher pay to rise to £30,000 and from September a new teacher will receive over £2,000 more than this year.
Those in the early stages of their careers will also benefit from significant increases, ranging from 5% to 8% depending on experience.
Pay for experienced teachers who have been in the profession for more than five years will rise by 5% in the next academic year – an increase on the Government’s initial proposal of 3%, in recognition of the broader economic context and the STRB’s recommendations.
The rise is equivalent to an increase of almost £2,100 on the average salary of £42,400 this year.
The government is targeting early career teacher pay with the highest percentage uplifts as this is where salaries can most effectively support recruitment and retention. Those in the first five years of their careers will see pay rises of between 5% and 8.9%, supporting teachers on the lowest incomes where the cost of living pressures are felt most.
Pay awards this year strike a careful balance between recognising the vital importance of public sector workers, whilst delivering value for the taxpayer and managing the broader economic context.
The 5% pay rise for experienced teachers is intended as a responsible solution to both supporting teachers with the cost of living and the sound management of schools’ budgets. By contrast, double digit pay awards for public sector workers would lead to sustained higher levels of inflation.
This would have a far bigger impact on people’s real incomes in the long run than the proportionate and balanced pay increases recommended by the independent Pay Review Bodies now.
The Government has decided it is appropriate to confirm teachers’ salaries for the next academic year only, rather than the two years initially proposed, and return to the usual timeframe for the pay setting process for 2023/24.
Academies, as usual, have the freedom to set their own pay policies.
The pay uplifts come alongside provisional school funding figures released today for the 2023/24 financial year, in which the core schools budget is set to receive a £1.5 billion boost.
This extra money builds on this year’s increase of £4 billion, which schools are already benefitting from. It means that in the 2023-24 financial year, primary school pupils will attract £5,023 on average and secondary school pupils will attract £6,473 on average.
Taken together with the funding increases seen this year, funding through the schools NFF will be 7.9% higher per pupil in 2023-24, compared to 2021-22. ■
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