Commenting on the Government’s recommendation to the STRB (School Teachers’ Review Body) for a pay offer to teachers of 6.5% over three years, Matt Wrack, General Secretary of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, said:

“This proposal fails to address the thousands of pounds in pay that teachers have lost over the past decade due to years of real-terms pay cuts. This proposal fails to set teaching salaries on a competitive footing compared with other comparable graduate professions.

“In addition, the Government intends to once again ask schools to fund part of the pay awards from existing budgets – that means more cuts in schools.

“These proposals are only likely to exacerbate the current recruitment and retention crisis in teaching and lead to further reductions to support, resources and provision for pupils in our schools.

“We believe pay must increase significantly above RPI inflation for 2026 to begin restoring the losses of the past decade.

“We are calling on the Government to submit revised evidence to the STRB which reflects the urgent need to restore the real-terms value of teacher pay and provides for fully funded, above-inflation awards in each year of this Parliament.

“Ministers must recognise that investment in teachers and schools is essential to delivering the Government’s educational, social and economic priorities.”