Pay cap is causing teacher recruitment crisis, union warns

A crisis in the number of new teachers is largely the result of the Government's pay policy, according to the country's largest teaching union.

A 1% cap enforced on teachers' pay over the last five years is putting off newcomers to the profession, the NASUWT warned.

And measures that allow flexibility over teachers' pay risk creating a situation akin to the "wild west'" across an education system riven by "chaos, confusion, unfairness and discrimination", the union said.

Over three-quarters of teachers have "seriously considered leaving the profession" in the last year as increased workloads affect their health and wellbeing, it claimed.

The staffing crisis threatens to hit teaching standards across the country, the union told Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, who it accused of being "in denial" of the problems facing teacher supply.

It also alleged the Department for Education had used "misinformation" about vacancy levels to justify proposals.

The NASUWT said it had carried out a "forensic analysis" of the Government's submission on teachers' pay to the School Teachers' Review Body for England and Wales, concluding it had relied on "a series of anecdotes and assertions".

General Secretary Chris Keates said: "The Review Body cannot ignore the NASUWT's detailed evidence which demonstrates clearly that Government policies on teachers' pay are a major contributory factor to the current crisis in teacher recruitment and retention.

"A report by Incomes Data Research, commissioned by the NASUWT, confirms that teaching 'appears relatively unattractive in terms of earnings when compared to other graduate occupations'.

"The NASUWT's prediction that the introduction by the Government of more and more flexibility and discretion at school level over teachers' pay would lead to a situation akin to the 'wild west' across schools, has proved to be correct.

"Confusion, discrimination and unfairness are now rife. Well over three-quarters of teachers report they have seriously considered leaving the profession in the last twelve months."

Ms Keates added: "Teachers' pay and conditions of service are inextricably linked to the provision of high quality education.

"Failure to ensure that teachers are recognised and rewarded as highly skilled professionals, coupled with year-on-year pay cuts has fuelled the teacher supply crisis.

"Children and young people are now facing the consequences of policies which are driving teachers out of, and deterring them from entering, the profession."