It all starts at the interview: why are NQTs still told it is unacceptable to ask how much we’ll be paid? We have bills to pay just like everyone else. It’s a job, not the be-all and end-all of my life. I see so many ads asking for bright, highly qualified, experienced, hard-working yet young and fresh applicants, able to bring to the job what no one has before, not forgetting the aptitude to work for free (after-school societies, anyone?). And we can’t even ask how much we’ll be bringing in at the end of the day.

sirap, www.tes.co.ukpay2010.