Balls confirms teachers to get 2.3% pay rise
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Teachers will get a 2.3% pay rise this year and next, Schools
Secretary Ed Balls confirmed today.
In a written statement to Parliament, Mr Balls confirmed the rises
which were first recommended as part of a three-year deal last
January.
Despite constraints on public finances, Mr Balls said he intended
to accept the salary recommendations of the School Teachers' Review
Body (STRB) in full and the pay rise would come into effect from
September this year.
The STRB report also recommended new financial incentives to
improve the quality and number of maths teachers.
Mr Balls said: "Whilst there is some evidence that the measures we
have taken to increase recruitment in shortage subjects such as
mathematics and science are working, I would prefer to return to
this recommendation once I have further evidence of their
impact."
He said he would accept the STRB's recommendation to increase the
minimum starting salary for inner London teachers by £1,000
to £26,000 from September 2009 and £27,000 in 2010.
The STRB also recommended reviewing equal pay and diversity
within the profession.
Mr Balls said he agreed that regular data collection and analysis
should be carried out to monitor the situation.
A new School Workforce Census was being developed by the Department
for Children, Schools and Families "which will provide data on an
annual basis about the individual characteristics, contract details
and pay of school teachers," he said.
A consultation process, open until August 5, will be carried out on
the STRB report's recommendations.
Other measures proposed in the document include using "existing
recruitment and retention flexibilities" to tackle shortages of
staff in priority subjects such as maths.
Mr Ball said: "Following an earlier consultation on how best to
encourage increased use of existing pay flexibilities, there was no
appetite for any action plans or guidance or other
communications."
But, he added, the 2008 model pay policy stated that schools should
consider using pay flexibilities to help recruit teachers of
shortage subjects.
"I would like to invite consultees' view on whether other
strategies might usefully be adopted," he told MPs.
Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of
Teachers and Lecturers welcomed the announcement.
She said: "We are glad that common sense has prevailed and Ed Balls
has accepted the STRB's view that teachers should get a 2.3% pay
rise in 2009 and in 2010, as initially recommended in January
2008.
"We are pleased Ed Balls has honoured the pay commitment he made to
ATL members at our annual conference in April, and not bowed to
pressure to use teachers' pay as a political football.
"ATL will continue to fight for teachers to be rewarded fairly, not
only during a recession but also when the economy picks up and
graduates have a far greater choice of careers."
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