YOU are wrong to say that ministers have recommended a pay increase for teachers of 3 per cent (“Pay rise insult”, TES, December 8). We have not recommended any specific figure. I am sorry that you did not check this with my department.
It is for the independent School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) to make pay recommendations. As usual we have written to them to ask that they take account of inflation and affordability as well as workload, recruitment and retention. We have sent details of the November 27 local government finance sttlement to the STRB to give them the full picture on the pressures on authorities so that they can gauge the impact of their recommendations.
This Government has put in place the most far-reaching teachers’ pay reforms ever, with substantial pay increases of pound;2,000 and access to a new upper pay scale for good teachers, and a new leadership group pay structure, as well as the annual pay increase. We want to continue to make teaching an attractive profession.
Estelle Morris School standards minister DFEE London SW1
