Commenting on the Conservative Party’s criticism of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said:
"We fully support having all teachers covered by the same pay and conditions framework. Such a move away from the fragmented arrangements created by the Conservatives’ disastrous and costly academies policy is essential to improve fairness in pay and enable teacher mobility across the school system. We want the Government to also implement mandatory national pay scales for all teachers. Those pay levels need to reflect the significant pay correction and urgent pay increases for all teachers that are needed and for which the NEU campaigns. In the meantime, any transitional arrangements must ensure that no teacher suffers a detriment in pay.
"It is somewhat rich of the Conservative Party to make any claims on its recent legacy. It simply isn't true to say that academisation by definition leads to high standards. It is widely acknowledged that some multi-academy trusts are misusing their freedoms and this is leading to underperformance. Teacher retention problems are at their worst in large multi-academy trusts, and parents know that the turnover of staff - which affects all schools - is related to pay. Things cannot go on as they are, and the Secretary of State is right to focus on collaboration and find ways to stem the critical loss of both new and experienced teachers.
"The Conservatives made a mess of pay arrangements in academies, and it is for the current Government to clean it up."