This year we examine a profession facing generationally-unprecedented rises in the cost of living and another huge real-terms pay cut, having already endured over a decade of real-terms pay cuts. The pay cuts and a pay system widely perceived to be unfair contribute to teachers feeling undervalued by the Government and add to recruitment and retention problems. On most of the measures we examine, from the numbers saying they have considered leaving the profession to the numbers being denied pay progression, there is little or no improvement on the bleak picture painted last year.
Key findings
Teachers’ feelings about their pay
Among all respondents:
- Four-fifths of respondents (78%) have considered leaving teaching because of low pay or concerns about unfairness in pay progression;
- A large majority (85%) of teachers feel that they are underpaid given their job role, responsibilities and workload.
Pay progression
Among teachers eligible to be considered for pay progression (45% of the total response):
- 79% received progression;
- 8% were denied progression;
- the remaining 13% still did not know their employer’s decision when completing the survey;
- overall, 10% of those who knew the outcome of their pay progression decision were denied.
Teachers were more likely to be denied progression if they were:
- Aged 40 or older.
- Working part-time.
- Working in primary schools.
- On the UPR.
- From Black, Asian or mixed ethnic groups.
Among those turned down for progression:
- 17% said that they had been explicitly told that the decision was due to funding or budgetary constraints;
- 94% had been given no indication during the year that they were failing to meet the required standards;
- 87% felt that the decision was unfair but the vast majority (87% ) had chosen not to appeal the decision.
Pay increases
Among all respondents:
- 75% said they had received a pay increase in line with the national increase (5% for most teachers)..
- 3% said they had received a pay increase but that it was less than the national average.
- 5% said their school was waiting for the outcome of the dispute before uprating pay.
- 6% said no decision had yet been taken.
- The remaining 12% did not know whether or not they had received an increase.
Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) payments
Among all respondents:
- 36% currently receive a TLR payment.
- 64% do not currently receive a TLR payment .
Of those in receipt of a TLR payment:
- 32% said the payment was about what they would expect, given the responsibility.
- 67% said the payment was lower than they would expect, given the responsibility.
Of those not currently in receipt of a TLR payment:
- 43% said their current responsibilities should qualify them for a TLR.
- Among the examples given, subject lead status was particularly common among members who thought their responsibilities ought to merit a TLR.
Teachers were more likely to receive a TLR payment if they were:
- Male.
- Working full-time.
- Working in London.
- Teaching in secondary schools.
- Not disabled .
Working time
Among all respondents:
- 82% have kept the same contracted hours as last year.
- 5% have reduced their contracted hours in the past year due to excessive workload and its impact on life.
- 3% have increased their contracted hours in the past year due to concerns over rising living costs.
- 4% have changed their contracted hours in the past year for a different reason.
Among part-time teachers:
- 53% have kept the same contracted hours as last year.
- 25% have reduced their contracted hours in the past year due to excessive workload and its impact on life.
- 6% have increased their contracted hours in the past year due to concerns over rising living costs.
- 14% have changed their contracted hours in the past year for a different reason.
Pay structures
Among all respondents:
- 89% say their school retains a six-point scale for the Main Pay Range (MPR) and a three-point scale for the Upper Pay Range (UPR).
- 3% say their school does not use a structure with six points on the MPR and three points on the UPR.
- 9% do not know.
Among those who said their school retains a six-point MPR and three-point UPR structure:
- 78% say they are in line with the advisory scale points set out in the STPCD and union guidance.
- 4% say they are lower at some or all points.
- 1% say they are higher at some or all points.
- 17% do not know.