THE gender pay gap between Welsh secondary headteachers increased tenfold in just a year, union analysis has shown.

NAHT Cymru found that male heads were paid £4,507 on average more than their female counterparts in secondary schools in 2024/25. The gap was £447 in 2023/24.

The school leaders’ union also found the latest gap among primary heads stood at £739 in favour of men, while among special school heads it was £846. 

NAHT Cymru national secretary Laura Doel said: “It cannot be fair or right that women who progress into senior leadership roles are paid less on average than men.

“While it is possible the enormous gap this year among secondary heads has been skewed by a small number of outliers, it remains clear that this is a really significant issue for all types of school. 

“It is grossly unfair for the women affected. A small gap can accumulate to become a really big difference in overall earnings over the course of a career, with major implications for salaries and pension rights and entitlements.”

The gap for other leadership roles, including acting, deputy, and assistant headteacher, rose from £1,633 to £1,771 in secondary schools, and to six-year highs of £516 in primaries and £3,785 in special schools.  

The pay gap in senior roles emerges despite the existence of a national pay framework. 

The findings were based on workforce data the union used to analyse the gender pay gap for the first time.

NAHT Cymru has called on the Welsh government to review the equality implications of the current pay system and provide central support to help women into leadership through mentoring, coaching, and leadership development.