"We welcome the Report of the independent pay Review Body in studying the evidence on the impact of pay on teacher recruitment and retention"

Abject failure of government’s pay policy exposed by School Teachers’ Review Body

Commenting on the publication of the 26th Report of the School Teachers’ Review Body for England and Wales, and  the Government’s acceptance of all its recommendations, Chris Keates General Secretary of the NASUWT the largest teachers’ union in the UK, said

“We welcome the Report of the independent pay Review Body in studying the evidence on the impact of pay on teacher recruitment and retention.

“Its recommendations demonstrate, once again, the value of an independent review body process, particularly when public service workers, including teachers, are facing a hostile Government and unnecessary and unjust pay restraint.

“Had the Review Body not been constrained by the arbitrary pay cap imposed by the Government, there is no doubt that it would have been recommending a pay uplift higher than 1% for teachers.

“It is clear from its Report that the requirements placed upon it by Government have prevented it from making such a recommendation.

“There is also a clear expectation in the Report that all teachers and school leaders should receive an uplift of at least 1%.

“In addition, the attempts by Government to undermine the pay of teachers even further, by the use of more discretionary payments and by enabling schools to reduce the pay of teachers on the Upper Pay Range, have been roundly rejected and soundly defeated.

“The NASUWT welcomes the fact that the Review  Body has also taken note of the NASUWT’s representations on the payment for registration fee for teachers for the Education Workforce Council Wales and has not recommended that this be removed at this time.

“We also welcome the fact  that the Review Body has not only recognised the serious financial pressures on teachers, by supporting a salary advance scheme for housing rental deposits, but has also stated that given current recruitment and retention trends ‘a significant uplift to the pay framework is likely to be required.’

“Whilst the Government has forced a further pay cut for teachers, it clear that the Review Body has once again flexed its muscles of independence and refused to deny the overwhelming evidence that there is a crisis facing the profession.”

ENDS