Independent pay review body recommends 6.5% pay rise for teachers

[noblegiraffe]

In recognition of the terrible state of teacher recruitment and retention, and against the government input that suggested teachers should get 3%, the teachers' independent pay review body has recommended a 6.5% pay rise for teachers from September.

This is far higher than the 4.5% offered to teachers by the government as a result of recent strikes, and which was rejected by all teaching unions.

After that offer was rejected, Gillian Keegan said that the matter now rested with the independent pay review body.

Now that they have made a far higher recommendation, will the government accept it? The Treasury will be absolutely furious if they are asked to shell out more money for schools, and they have argued that a higher pay offer would fuel inflation - teachers getting 6.5% would also bolster strike action in other public sector jobs.

If the government do accept it then given that they made a lot of fuss about the 4.5% offer being funded although only 0.5% was new money, they would be hard pressed to argue that they shouldn't at least fund the extra 2% with new money.

All four teaching unions are currently balloting for strike action in an argument about whether the 4.5% offer was affordable to schools (even the government admitted that many schools couldn't afford it), so will strikes continue if the government accept the 6.5% recommendation but only fund 2.5% with new money?

And would teachers accept 6.5% next year but nothing extra for this year?

Cat among the pigeons.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/75a3316c-f735-11ed-8aec-1014d109ef78?shareToken=b7505a1ee17a27ba5362b0c1f5a12f89

Or......sending the kids home. 🤔

Is this recommendation for the pay review 'round' that is currently in discussion or are we already looking at the following year without this year being agreed?

I only ask as it feels like the strikes have been going on a long time but as I don't have school aged children I may be getting teacher strikes mixed in with rail and NHS strikes.

I vaguely recall an independent pay review body getting involved for midwives, which the government ignored so don't hold your breath.

That too.
Chuck it all in two afternoons and close school before lunch for everyone.
Win win.

No, I’m in the midlands. I was surprised at how few there were when I glanced the other week, but it might have just been a one-off. Or schools trying to save money!

I suppose we won’t get a pay rise and more PPA … nice to dream though!

This is for next year. You are correct that the dispute and strikes were about this year and that has not been resolved.

The government offer that was rejected was 4.5% for next year and £1000 for this year, so I reckon if they accept the 6.5% for next year there'll be no way they'll get any money to sort out this year.

North East here- still only 1 applied for a Science job. At least we got one though.

It is schools saving money. Subjects being axed. Class sizes going up, curriculum time reduced = fewer teachers required, especially if the rest of us pick up the slack.

I must have imagined my DS having cover lessons 2-3 periods a day last week (out of a timetabled 5 periods a day).

You disagreed with me saying we need more teachers???.........okay.........kind of thought this was the whole point.

More teachers needed.........means convincing more people to become teachers.

Seems you want more teachers but also want to argue that more teachers won't happen as the job is shit

But more pay will help

Even though no one wants to do a shit job no matter the money is also your argument

You, as usual, sound like your right hand doesn't know what your left hand is doing.

No one is saying you have imagined it @queenofthewild . I’m not disputing anything that’s been said, but equally, CSs cover sickness and planned absence, not just ‘we can’t recruit.’ Schools really shouldn’t use them in that way, although I have heard of some who do.

It’s all so linked - pay and workload.

We had a teacher from a humanities subject leave at Easter and have no replacement, despite looking every day. There is no supply in our area. This has left a large chunk of our KS3 teachers with no specialist teacher. They are being covered by a series of random staff, or being put in a large space with up to four other classes and supervised. The remaining teachers in the department have taken on all the KS4&5 classes AND are having to set cover for these KS3 classes. Workload massively increasing for all involved.

We have no idea how we will mark their end of year exams/books etc… one suggestion is to pay some
sixth formers to do it. It’s not acceptable. We can’t recruit.

We don’t have enough teachers for September for the first time - and in at least three subjects. It’s horrific.

Lack of pay means less teachers train or stay in the profession. Lack of teachers means more workload for those left. It’s a vicious circle that is now at crisis point.

The peak time for new jobs will be after half term. That is when resignations have to be in by if you want to start a new job in September. I have interviews next week and really that is my last chance as I can't afford to put my resignation in without a job to go to but many people do.

You disagreed with me saying we need more teachers???

No.

Seems you want more teachers but also want to argue that more teachers won't happen as the job is shit

So you know I want more teachers?

Your post said that your friend was arguing that convincing her A-Level students that teaching is a worthwhile career and not as awful as Twitter and the media would have you believe is the issue.

My point was that perhaps trying to convince students that teaching is not as awful as twitter and the media "would have you believe" is going to be a problem because there's a lot of data that backs that up. Wage comparisons with other graduate sectors. Data on working hours - despite the government trying to suppress the report. Data on pay erosion. Data on how quickly people who train to be teachers quit the job. Data on stress.

The problem isn't "twitter and the media" talking down the profession, as I said. The problem is the genuine issues with the profession that are being reported accurately. And if people go into the profession, they will quickly find out for themselves that it is not all like the "Get into teaching" ads.

The number of ECTs for September is dire. The number of trainees for September is catastrophic. We are well beyond trying to lie to people to get them into teaching. Something actually has to happen about the job.

You, as usual, sound like your right hand doesn't know what your left hand is doing.

Now that's an attack. Do you see the difference?

Head teacher here desperate to recruit staff in STEM subjects. The thread says it all about recruitment, training and retention.
https://twitter.com/Framheadteacher/status/1659598090326646784?t=pe3enEb4Xh_nxNa7DF0_3Q&s=03

There is a real crisis here in teaching. And yet many people don't see it.

I certainly would guide my children not to teach, and any I come across considering it.

The future is pretty grim. They are also losing experienced imaginative teachers and older teachers who taught pre powerpoint-by-numvers. I'm worried the future of education is soulless, self quizzing of key facts, teach by numbers from a PowerPoint and lots of testing. It also won't work.

I’ve never been convinced that the independent review bodies are truly independent so this is quite interesting as it certainly shows a difference of opinion to the government, what will actually happen in response remains to be seen, refuse to honour it and the government sends a clear message that the review bodies are only independent if they agree with government’s opinion

People on this thread might have some questions for Gillian Keegan who is doing a MN webchat: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/mumsnet_live_events/4811568-got-a-question-for-the-secretary-of-state-for-education-gillian-keegan-mp

IF its true, and thats a big IF, the Govt wont agree to it in full, it'll be spread over 2 years plus, making it Labours problem to deal with... again IF they win.

Tories win and you can bet the review bodies will be watered down/scrapped.

If they reject it, there are 4 teaching unions currently balloting for strike action in the Autumn.

If they accept it, every other public sector union will be looking for a similar deal.

Yes and the Tories have shown utter contempt for the Unions and their workers in Rail, Health and Education.

They tend not to use any of these services, so really don't care if they fail or not, their supporters will suck up the "We will not be held to ransom by the leftie unions...and highly paid workers on 27k...."

I do feel that a big problem is that teaching as a profession is not respected as it once was. The criticism teachers have faced through the pandemic and now we are striking is sometimes extreme and that is what sticks in your head. My husband works in IT and he knows he is very unlikely to wake up and read about his profession in a negative way in the press and with derisory comments from the public. My niece looked into joining me as a teacher but said she couldn't do it because 'everyone hates teachers' so she is now training to be a nursery nurse because 'people don't notice them.'

This is not a woe is me message just an honest one. I am sticking with teaching as I know it is a job I do well and I make a difference. My parents of the children I teach told me they knew striking must be important or I wouldn't be doing it. I am holding out for change. It will be interesting to see if doctors get the same treatment now they have voted for more strikes.

There has been increasingly negative press regarding them over the pandemic and now with GP services questioned. Will they as a profession see a reduction in people wanting to join? What professions are actually respected now? Sociologically it is very interesting. Who wins if the public turns against public services and professions?

You had a pay rise after Covid, and as usual teachers striking again for more money. Get on with your job and stop holding the country to ransom. Bloody sick of teachers moaning.

Problem with the ‘do you want your kids to have a teacher’ argument is it’s only really secondary maths and some science subjects

Have a look at TES at vacancies. Science and maths lead the way but they are not alone. It is anecdotal but two schools local to me have not been able to recruit MFL teachers for September (I know their HODs personally). One had no applications and has advertised 3 times since January. I will also add that both those schools are as desirable as it gets - middle class catchments, good results, good reputations. We're not talking sink schools.

I have said it many times on here - when you are recruiting around 30 - 40% of the trainees you actually need, you will have trainees with their pick of schools. None of them need to work anywhere but in the independent sector and the best state schools. It is a shit show and 60 to a class means many more will walk and fewer still will sign up.

Most people expect an annual payrise you know. Do you think we got a special Covid payrise?