A gruelling day of interviewing has come to an end, and now you await the call. When it comes, it’s good news: you’ve got the job!

It’s only when you hang up that you realise, in your rush to accept, you didn’t discuss pay.

If this scenario sounds familiar, you’re not alone. In a recent Teacher Tapp poll, 78 per cent of teachers did not negotiate pay and conditions when they accepted their current job offer.

But of those who didn’t try to negotiate, one in 10 wished they had.

What is holding teachers back from trying to negotiate a better package?

The most common reason given was that teachers thought that pay wouldn’t be up for negotiation. This is not true - the school teachers’ pay and conditions guidance sets out the salary ranges and gives a degree of flexibility to headteachers.

Another common reason cited by teachers is that they were worried about creating a bad impression. But when we checked with leaders, the majority said it either didn’t change their opinion of a candidate or it improved it.

How to negotiate a teacher salary

So, if you’re going to negotiate pay, what’s the best way to do it?

We put that question to Teacher Tapp survey participants who had successfully negotiated higher pay, and these are their best suggestions.

1. Ask clearly, early and without apology

If you want to avoid the situation of rushing an acceptance before you’ve had a chance to thrash out the details, then one way to ensure that never happens is to raise pay expectations at the interview, rather than after the offer call.

“During the interview, you should state what you want plainly, give your reasons, then stop talking,” says one teacher.

This advice came up more than once. The consensus seems to be that saying less will get you more. As one participant puts it: “Silence after making the ask is itself a powerful tool.”

2. ‘Know your worth’

Before you go to the interview or negotiate pay, it makes sense to look up comparable roles and pay in other local schools by checking job adverts. This is particularly worthwhile if you’re applying for a role with a Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) attached, or in a shortage subject.

“Before I negotiated my pay, I went through old job adverts and checked what the three closest schools were offering [for] roles that were similar to the one I interviewed for,” one teacher explains. “Then, when I brought up salary, I had hard examples they couldn’t argue with.”

However, what you don’t want to do is to go in with reasons why you want to be paid more, as this can complicate matters. “It is never about why you want extra money,” cautions one participant. “Instead, know your worth and sell what you can offer.”

A good way to do this, she says, is to build a case around how you see yourself “adding value to the school”.

3. It’s not just about pay

Although higher pay is a priority for some teachers, others will find changes to their conditions just as valuable.

“Consider other things you’d be willing to negotiate instead, for example, flexible working or no tutor group,” suggests one teacher.

A headteacher who might find it difficult to find more money for a higher salary may still be willing to make the offer more attractive by making different tweaks to your contract.

4. Be prepared to walk away… and mean it

More than anything else, participants said they advised other teachers to “be genuinely willing to decline” based on salary.

Why? For starters, having what one teacher described as a “credible alternative” will always “strengthen your hand”.

“Whether it’s having another offer, another interview lined up, or simply being settled where you are, having a credible alternative puts you in a stronger negotiating position,” she says.

Before you discuss pay, be clear in your own mind where your red line is - and don’t forget you can always ask for time to consider before you accept or decline an offer.

5. If you’re part-time with a TLR, ask about 100% TLR

Several teachers raised the issue of TLRs being paid at 80 per cent when on part-time contracts, despite being expected to deliver 100 per cent of the responsibilities.

“I explained that I was doing all of a job while working part-time and only getting the partial TLR,” explained one teacher. “I re-negotiated, and now I am paid more fairly.”

6. Finally, never assume pay is off the table

Some people might assume that teachers new to the classroom won’t be able to negotiate. But this isn’t necessarily true.

Participants told us that even when they were relatively new teachers, they were able to negotiate better pay by making a strong case for why they deserved a higher salary.

“I was joining as a first-year early career teacher but had previous experience as a cover supervisor,” explains one teacher. “I negotiated higher than M1 to start, by being clear as to [what this additional experience was worth].”

Negotiating on pay can feel nerve-racking, but whatever stage you are at in your career, bravery can pay off.

Gráinne Hallahan is head of community at Teacher Tapp

Teacher Tapp is a daily survey app for teachers. More than 10,000 teachers answer questions about their daily life in the classroom and share their experiences to improve education for all. You can join by downloading the free app onelink.to/teachertapp