Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had recent discussions with the National Education Union on offering teachers an above inflation pay rise.

The Government and the education trade unions, the Association of School and College Leaders, National Association of Head Teachers, NASUWT and the National Education Union (NEU), took part in a period of intensive talks between 17 March and 23 March 2023, when an in principle offer was made by the Government. This offer comprised a package of pay and non-pay related measures.

The offer included an average consolidated pay increase over this year and next year that is over 10%, with 5.4% this year compounded by the 4.5% offered for next, as well as a non-consolidated additional £1,000 for this year. The pay offer was above the Office for Budget Responsibility forecast for inflation at the end of this calendar year, which is 2.9%, with inflation forecast to fall further in 2024. The Government also committed to increasing the starting salary for new teachers by 7.1% to £30,000.

It is disappointing that the education trade unions have rejected this offer, which was fully funded. The issue of teacher pay will now revert to the independent pay review body, the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB), who will put forward its recommendation for what teachers’ pay for next year should be. It is hoped that the independent process will break the deadlock and lead to a resolution as soon as possible. As usual, it will not look at any changes to the pay award for this year, 2022/23.

The Department will continue to engage regularly with teaching and leadership unions on policy developments as usual.

NEU has also announced further strikes on 27 April and 2 May. These strikes will only cause further disruption for students and parents, at a crucial period in the school calendar when many students will be preparing for important exams which will affect their long-term prospects.