THE Tory government does not understand “the value of school leadership,” TUC general secretary Paul Nowak will claim today.

Mr Nowak will say the job of school leaders has been made “far harder” by the current government.

Addressing the annual conference of the NAHT school leaders’ union, Mr Nowak will call for a government that “respects” head teachers.

In a speech to hundreds of school leaders in Newport in Wales, the TUC general secretary will say: “Every child deserves a good education.

“This takes leadership, and we are all grateful to head teachers, assistants, deputies and school business leaders for the incredible job they have done leading schools through difficult times.

“But their job has been made far harder by this Conservative government. School buildings are falling apart, pay has been driven down and teachers are being driven out.”

He will add: “The Tories just don’t understand the value of school leadership.

“Since 2010, pay for head teachers has been slashed by 20 per cent, and that is pushing good leaders out of the profession."

NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman said: “We’ve been clear in calling for a series of restorative pay rises for school leaders after more than a decade of real-terms pay cuts.

“We have evidenced beyond doubt that a real recruitment and retention crisis exists. Teacher pay is too low and workload too high.”

Mr Whiteman is also due to give a speech at the union’s conference on Friday afternoon.

Delegates are set to debate motions on issues facing schools, including funding and recruitment and retention, over the two-day conference.

A Department for Education spokesperson said head teachers are among the highest 10 per cent of earners in the country, with some secondary school heads receiving well over £130,000.