Teacher salary comment | “Salary boost alone will not solve the crisis”

“Whilst this is a positive move and one that the sector will welcome, it’s important to recognise that salary is not the only issue when it comes to teacher retention. Excessive workloads, intense pressures and a lack of classroom support are all adding to the crisis. It’s not uncommon for teachers to work 70-hour weeks, for example, with accountability skyrocketing due to a singular focus on assessment, exam results and Ofsted rankings. A salary boost is unlikely to solve all of these underlying problems. Instead, we need to equip teachers with tools to make their working days more efficient and give them time back to do what they do best – teach.”