New independent research commissioned by the National Education Union and carried out by Incomes Data Research (IDR) supports the NEU's call for urgent reform of the teacher pay structure in England. The research underlines the unfairness and problems caused by performance-related pay (PRP), blocks to teacher pay progression and the dismantling of the national teacher pay structure. It highlights the clear link between the failure of teacher pay to compete with other graduate professions and the teacher shortages we see.
Key conclusions from the research illustrate the un-competitiveness of teacher pay and the damage done by the current pay structure.
- Teacher pay is generally below market rates for jobs of a comparable size and other graduate professions.
- PRP has operated mainly to slow teachers' career development and has adversely affected motivation and retention.
- Teachers take considerably longer to reach the rate for the job than employees in many other graduate professions, with gender differences evident in progression.
- The current teacher pay structure does not properly support career development and undermines fairness and equality.
- Other approaches to pay and progression should be considered, with much faster progression to the rate for the job and all pay points mandatory and genuinely portable when teachers move schools or return to the profession from career breaks.
Commenting on the research, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said:
"This research highlights the problems the current pay structure causes. It shows that alongside significantly improved pay levels, urgent pay structure reforms are essential to properly value, recruit and retain teachers. The Government must engage with the evidence and the real lived experience of teachers. It must drop PRP and work with the unions to implement a fair and transparent pay structure, mandatory for all schools and academies.”