1. Principals using performance-related pay will reward what they like in a teacher, however relevant that may or may not be to students’ learning. Schools won’t get more funding, so some teachers must be paid less in order to pay others more.

2. Principals will need lots of information: more scrutiny, monitoring and high-stakes lesson observations. Time that should be spent leading learning will be squandered.

3. Performance-related pay is divisive. A school is a community - operating on business lines will erode trust and altruism.

4. It doesn’t improve student outcomes. If it doesn’t improve learning, don’t do it. Discussion over.

5. Payment by results doesn’t work. Performance is results. If you aren’t improving results as a leader, what exactly are you for?

6. Teachers are not motivated by money. We work hard for the students, knowing that we are rewarded for low pay with a guaranteed pay rise every year, and a decent pension when exhaustion claims us.

Dominic Salles, Assistant principal, Swindon, Wiltshire.