The Department for Education has offered a 6.5% teacher pay rise nationally with ASCL, NEU, NASUWT and NAHT recommending to members that they accept the pay award with ballots being set up for the last weeks of July.
Funding
The pay increases are set to come into effect from September 2023 with the Department for Education providing 3% of extra funding to cover the higher costs with schools expected to cover the remaining 3.5% through their existing budgets. In its report published today, the STRB said it estimated the recommendations would increase the pay bill by approximately £1.6 billion for mainstream schools. The funding also comes with an assurance that the extra money which will be found in Department for Education budgets will not come from any frontline services.
In the Schools North East ‘State of the Region’ survey 75.5% of respondents said increased energy and staffing costs would push their school into a deficit with 30.6% saying that this deficit would occur in the 2023/24 academic year. Additionally, 66.7% of respondents said that their school would use reserves to fund increases in costs. It is important that the offered 3% of extra funding for the pay increase does not put any unnecessary pressures on the already tight budgets of North East schools. The full ‘State of the Region’ survey report is available to view here.
Department for Education response
In a joint statement released on 13th July 2023 The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, the Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, the General Secretaries of the four education unions – Mary Bousted, Kevin Courtney, Geoff Barton, Paul Whiteman and Patrick Roach – and General Secretary Elect of NEU, Daniel Kebede, said:
“This is the largest ever recommendation from the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB). A 6.5% increase for teachers and school leaders recognises the vital role that teachers play in our country and ensures that teaching will continue to be an attractive profession. The Government has accepted the STRB’s recommendation and has agreed to bring forward wider reforms to reduce teacher and leader workload in partnership with all four unions.
Importantly, the Government’s offer is properly funded for schools. The Government has committed that all schools will receive additional funding above what was proposed in March – building on the additional £2 billion given to schools in the Autumn Statement. The Government will also provide a hardship fund of up to £40 million to support those schools facing the greatest financial challenges.
ASCL, NAHT, NASUWT and NEU will now put this deal to members, with a recommendation to accept the STRB recommendation. This deal will allow teachers and school leaders to call off strike action and resume normal relations with the government.”
Schools North East response
Director of Schools North East, Chris Zarraga said: “About time. Now we need to fund a proper recovery plan, especially for areas like the North East that were hit the hardest by the effects and ongoing impact of the pandemic.”
The Schools North East ‘Manifesto for North East Education’ calls on policymakers to take a ‘long term view’ of education with stable and sufficient funding to enable our schools to sufficiently deal with the post pandemic environment. This is available to read here.
