Teachers Pay Report: education recruiter responds

The School Teachers Pay Review Body (STRB) this week reported recommendations on teacher pay for 2017-18. The Government has since accepted the guidance that there should be a 1% increase across all pay ranges, while those on the minimum and maximum of the main pay scale - typically teachers in the first few years of their career - will get an increase of up to 2%.

Commenting on the decision, Baljinder Kuller, who has over 15 years’ experience in education recruitment, and is now Managing Director of online supply teacher portal, The Supply Register, said:

“Despite the fact that STRB’s report noted that there is a "real risk that schools will not be able to recruit and retain a workforce of high quality teachers to support pupil achievement" and warned that schools are "working under increasing financial constraints", it still didn’t recommend any meaningful uplift in teacher pay."

"Since I entered education recruitment 15 years’ ago I have witnessed a systematic erosion of recognition for the valuable role that teachers and support staff play in our society. Teacher pay has now essentially been frozen in real terms since 2010."

"Schools are already facing substantial pressures around recruitment and retention, including the target for initial teacher training contracts being missed in 2016-17 for the fifth successive year."

"We support the position of Chris Keates, the NASUWT’s general secretary, who has said, “There is already a recruitment and retention crisis in the Education Service. The stark differences in graduate pay highlighted in our research will unfortunately mean this crisis will worsen”."

"However, while school leaders will continue to have little room for manoeuvre around pay for permanent staff, it is recommended that they revaluate agency staff and supply teacher providers to ensure that teachers are getting a fair deal.”

- Ends

Carly Smith
BlueSky PR
T: +44 (0)1582 790 708
E: carly@bluesky-pr.com
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