A cohort of education unions have sent a joint letter to the secretary of state for education, asking him to make a final decision regarding teachers’ pay
A letter – signed by Association of School and College Leaders, National Association of Head Teachers, National Education Union, ACAC and Voice – has been to secretary of state for education, Damian Hinds. It calls on Hinds to “decide urgently” on his response to the School Teachers’ Review Body report on teachers’ pay for September 2018, and to publish both the report and his response as soon as possible.
The letter is as follows:
Dear secretary of state,
School Teachers’ Review Body – Your pay recommendations
We are writing to ask you to decide urgently on your response to the School Teachers’ Review Body report on teachers’ pay for September 2018 and to publish both the report and your response as soon as possible. The end of term is imminent.
Schools in some areas have already closed for the summer. Headteachers and their teaching staff do not know what is happening with regard to pay. Governing bodies cannot discuss how they will implement the pay increase. No one knows whether your government plans to support the pay increase with additional funding. This situation of uncertainty is wholly unnecessary.
You have had the STRB’s report since early May. A prompt announcement would have allowed head teachers and governing bodies to discuss the situation, consult with staff and decide a position before the end of term. That will not now be possible. The new school year will start in a climate of uncertainty about pay and funding which could have been avoided.
Our organisations jointly asked you to agree to a five per cent pay increase for all teachers and additional funding to ensure its implementation is fully funded. We hope that this will form the basis of your announcement and that additional funding will cover the costs of pay increases both for teachers and for support staff. We also hope that you will continue to press the Chancellor for improved education funding as a priority in his autumn budget and his comprehensive spending review.
We would be delighted if you would join us in drawing up a joint statement on the need for better funding for the whole of the education service, whether in schools, colleges, early years institutions, special educational provision and elsewhere. We look forward to hearing your announcements as soon as possible.
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