3% Pay offer for September

[Postapocalypticcowgirl]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-64725008

The government are offering 3% for teachers in September (I believe RPI is still going to be ~10%). There's nothing so far about funding.

The DfE want a starting salary of £30,000 for teachers- which just shows they don't value experience.

Personally, I don't actually think flattening the pay scale helps anyone- part of the reason schools recruit ECTs is because they are cheap, right? And the ECT program places a much larger burden on mentors than the previous NQT program, and lasts two years, and costs most schools more to run.

At some point, ECTs get expensive enough that a teacher on M3-M6, which won't be soooo much higher, may look like a better deal for schools and ECTs will struggle to find jobs- particularly over those who've just got through the program.

And obviously it shows the DfE don't value retention- but the teacher shortage is largely caused by retention. AND the number of ITT spaces is set to fall in 2024 anyway... bit of a lack of joined up thinking, surely?

Gillian Keegan wants "formal talks" (not sure what the other talks were, then?) but only if the NEU call off next week's strikes. Personally, I think she has to put something serious on the table- even if it's only a funding guarantee- before any strikes get called off.

Surely the time for formal talks was weeks ago?

schoolsweek.co.uk/keegan-pledges-formal-talks-if-neu-calls-off-next-weeks-strike/

Caveat- Of course I don't want to be on strike, I care about my students etc etc. However, threads on mumsnet and discussions with people in the union locally have made me realise the teacher shortage is a lot broader and deeper than I previously realised (and I always thought it was bad).

I genuinely value education and I believe education is hugely important, and I don't believe we can offer good quality education without teachers.

Agree with everything you've said. Retention has been an issue for much longer than recruitment. We need experienced teachers to stay in the job for all sorts of reasons.

There's going to be no teachers left by the time my kids make it through secondary at the current rate, or they'll be ECTs? Nqts with no experience that'll be gone after a year or two to be replaced by a new sucker

There's nothing so far about funding.

Pretty sure it’s meant to come out of the already announced increase in funding for schools next year (which was supposed to pay for increased energy costs, I think they said that lowered energy prices would mean headteachers would have spare cash).

But it's okay, there will be a never-ending flow of new teachers lured in by the 30k, officially sanctioned by the DfE without needing degree level qualifications let alone QTS. Doesn't matter if they all burn out within 5 years as long as the flow can continue. Who needs experienced staff anyway?

Sigh.

Places like Finland generally state as one of the reasons for their success that teachers are very highly qualified and well trained and therefore well respected, well paid and trusted to get on with the job by government and public.

What does the UK take from that? "Let's do the opposite."

Agree totally OP

and
Places like Finland generally state as one of the reasons for their success that teachers are very highly qualified and well trained and therefore well respected, well paid and trusted to get on with the job by government and public.

This ^ is 100% the issue for all teachers I know, and has been for the last 20 - 25 years, far more than pay (I realise pay has decreased a lot over the last 13 years of so, in terms of "what I can buy with the money I earn").

I also realise the huge rise in dc with really, really significant needs being stuffed into classrooms as one or more likely 4 of 30 pupils is also an issue in Early Years and Primary phases too now.