TEACHING unions have welcomed the government’s commitment to increase pay by 5.5 per cent this year.

ASCL, NAHT, NASUWT, NEU and Community warned this must only be a first step towards reversing pay erosion since 2010 and address the sector’s recruitment and retention crisis.

They said teacher pay and workload must be made competitive with other graduate jobs in a joint response to the recommendations of the School Teachers’ Review Body report, presented by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson.

The unions also called for ministers to work with them to implement a fair and transparent national pay structure to replace “unfair” performance-related pay and fragmented pay arrangements.  

NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede said the government’s election on a “mandate for change” must include “the significant additional investment to secure a major correction in teacher and school leader pay, and effective action to tackle sky-high workload.”

NASUWT general secretary Patrick Roach said: “We now need to see progress in securing a national workforce plan and a national commission on teachers’ pay to fix the foundations and restore the status of the teaching profession.” 

NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman said addressing the workload crisis is just as crucial as increasing pay and called for a “fair, transparent pay structure that works for all teachers, regardless of subject, phase, or location.” 

Association of School and College Leaders general secretary Pepe Di’Iasio called for a pay structure “which is competitive when set against similar graduate professions that can offer greater flexibility, and reasonably recognises the value of all teachers and school leaders.”   

Community’s operations director Helen Osgood said: “Reducing workload, increasing planning, preparation and assessment time and improving flexible working must also be at the heart of a better deal for teachers.”