Teachers across the United Kingdom are grappling with ongoing salary disputes, resulting in widespread disruptions and strike actions. The Institute for Fiscal Studies has highlighted a "long period of real-terms reductions in teacher salaries dating back to 2010," which has become a focal point of contention. The pay rise announced in September 2024 excluded teachers at sixth form colleges not part of academies, prompting unrest and culminating in strikes that disrupted tens of thousands of students in England during December 2024 and January 2025. The situation was further complicated by the new Labour government's repeal of the minimum service level law, previously labeled "undemocratic" by unions.
The process of determining teacher salaries involves multiple stakeholders. Each year, the independent School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) reviews submissions from various parties and makes recommendations to the government, which ultimately decides on pay awards. Recent developments saw Northern Ireland's primary teaching unions voting overwhelmingly for strike action over pay in December. This followed a previous pay deal accepted in March 2024, which was backdated to cover 2021 through 2024.
In an attempt to address salary grievances, the government offered a pay increase, raising starting salaries to £30,000 and providing a cumulative total rise of 10.4%, alongside a £1,000 boost to other teachers and leadership scales. However, this offer failed to quell discontent, particularly among sixth form college educators who were not included in the September 2024 pay rise.
The Department for Education (DfE) maintains that they are responsible for setting their own pay standards, while employers contribute a significant 28.6% to teacher pensions. Despite these contributions, the average head teacher salary in England remains at £75,300, with other senior leaders earning an average of £60,500.
In Scotland, teaching unions reached an agreement in September 2024, unanimously accepting a pay offer of 4.27%. However, this did not resolve all disputes as the Education Institute of Scotland (EIS) recently submitted a claim requesting a 6.5% pay rise to the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers.
The National Education Union (NEU), the largest teaching union in England, is currently deliberating whether to accept or reject the government's proposed pay increase of 2.8% for the 2025-26 academic year. This decision carries significant weight as it could influence future negotiations and strike actions.
The STRB is expected to present a formal pay offer later this year, which will be crucial in determining whether tensions between teachers and the government can be alleviated. The outcome will have lasting implications on the education sector, as well as on students whose learning experiences are continually disrupted by industrial actions.
