Jack Worth, NFER School Workforce Lead, responds to government teacher pay announcement

Commenting on the announcement earlier today from the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson MP, confirming a 5.5% teacher pay increase for the 2024/25 academic year, NFER School Workforce Lead Jack Worth, said:

"We welcome the funded teacher pay award of 5.5% as a necessary first step in addressing the chronic issues with recruitment and retention that are affecting schools and risk damaging the quality of pupils' education. Crucially, the Secretary of State has confirmed this will be a fully funded pay award.

We support and echo the STRB's conclusions that the deterioration in teachers' pay competitiveness compared to other professions needs addressing, that this pay award represents good value for money for taxpayers and that the DfE should begin work on a strategic and transparent workforce plan for the teaching profession immediately."