Staff at the 520-pupil West Kidlington primary, Oxford, reacted with nonchalance to the rises. None thought the increases would do enough to reward senior teachers or attract entrants.

Deputy head, scale point 16 With more than 30 years’ classroom experience Jeff Brown, West Kidlington’s deputy head, is the kind of person David Blunkett wants to tempt into a small school headship. However, the extra money on offer to heads will not be enough. “No way do I want that type of headship,” he says.

“I spent a year as acting head in a small school and earned no more penny for penny than I do now as deputy of a larger school. Why be in the firing line for that?” A point 6 salary of pound;32,814 should rise to pound;33,963 in April.

Classroom teacher, scale point 2 Kate Bysouth is an English graduate who began her teaching career four months ago. Her salary goes up pound;525 to pound;15,537.

Kate lives with her parents and says she couldn’t afford to teach otherwise. “After university I had no choice but to apply for jobs within reach of my family home.

“I take home just over pound;900 a month and pound;400 of that goes straight away. My one big expense is my car, a battered old Renault 5. But I couldn’t get to work without it. A one-bed flat in Oxford would cost me around pound;450 a month. The figures just wouldn’t add up. My family saw me through university and now they are subsidising my career. That can’t be right.”

Eligible for PRP in 20067