Glen Allen, newly-qualified music teacher, at White Hart Lane business and enterprise college, Haringey, north London:
“I would be totally happy for the headteacher to choose if I go up the pay spine. A lot of teachers put in a lot of work, and others are lazy. But I think the head of department and the head of year need to add their views, and then the head can make the final decision.”
Emma Fatchett, Year 2 teacher and literacy co-ordinator at Ermine infants, Lincoln:
“I think younger teachers need time to settle in before they are subjected to performance pay.”
Mary Akanro, head of Year 10 at White Hart Lane:
“Relating the pay scale to performance will be divisive. Everyone already wants to know what level you are on because they want to know if you are earning more than them.”
Bill Lynn, English teacher and head of year at Firth Park community arts college, Sheffield:
“Localised pay proposals could become divisive between schools within a local education authority. Also, how long can schools retain teachers for the money. They might be attracted by it, but still end up deciding this isn’t the job for them.”
Emma Jones, reception class teacher at Ermine infants:
“I think localised pay would cause a big shift in teachers and create too much upheaval. They would just go to the schools that paid the most.”
Martyn Johnson, assistant head at White Hart Lane:
“Is the Government going to fund the changes a headteacher wants to see? What happens if we get a school full of excellent teachers? Where’s the funding going to come from if the head decides that all the teachers deserve to move up several levels?”
Lorraine Smith, head of Ermine infants:
“This (the main scale proposal) is essentially performance pay, but if teachers are doing their jobs well they should have nothing to fear. My concern is how heads will be expected to fund the double increments - what if they have a school full of outstanding teachers?”
Kerry Ambler, English teacher at Firth Park community arts college:
“Localised pay would be great for inner-city schools like ours because people can be put off coming here and more pay could make the difference.
But if there is only so much money to go round, then others could lose out, and pay should not be the only motivation for taking a job like this.”
