While most schools will open their doors to Cambridge Education Associates teams in the next academic year, 150 schools will receive assessors before the end of the summer term.

Beauchamp College in Leicester was the first to go through the procedure last week. Headteacher Maureen Cruickshank’s decision to award the pound;2,000 rise to all 28 teachers who applied was agreed after a one-and-a-half day visit from an external assessor.

Ms Cruickshank, who trained as an assessor, said: “The teachers can now enjoy the summer holiday without this hanging over their heads.”

In Bradford, 131 schools will undergo early assessment visits because of a reorganisation of the failing authority’s three-tier system, which will result in 76 middle schools closing.

Peter Sumpter, secretary of the Bradford Middle Schools’ Association, said:

“Because of the eorganisation, those transferring wouldn’t have been in their new schools long enough for the assessors to collate reliable evidence to assess the applications.”

Burley middle, Bradford, which is closing at the end of term, welcomed assessors for a day this week. Headteacher Angus MacIntosh’s approval of all seven of teachers who applied was upheld. He said: “The whole procedure was positive, thorough and efficient. I would advise other schools not to worry about it at all.”

Meanwhile, it emerged almost 2,000 teachers dealing with some of the country’s most challenging pupils are being denied the chance to go for the pay rise.

Councils and teachers have protested to ministers that teachers working in care homes run by social services have been excluded from the scheme.

Their anger was compounded by the Government’s decision to allow teachers in privately-run special schools to apply, and to extend the applications deadline to July 14.