The TES canvassed teachers’ views on Government plans to limit the number of experienced teachers who get performance-related pay rises.
Mark Ridings, Year 3 teacher
Blacklands primary, East Sussex
Current salary: pound;29,730 (U2)
New salary: pound;30,474
“Performance-related pay is a con. The Government should let everyone work their way up, regardless of performance.”
Annette Clarke, head of music
Padgate high, Warrington
Current salary: pound;35,418 (U2 plus 3 mgt points)
New salary: pound;36,303
“Ministers should give themselves a smaller rise every year and that money should be directed towards education.”
Leo Smith, Year 5 and 6 teacher
Alpington and Bergh Apton CoE primary, Norfolk
Current salary: pound;29,730 (U2)
New salary: pound;30,474
“Performance pay is supposed to inspire and motivate us, and cutting back funding will have the opposite effect. The solution is easy: provide enough funding for the scheme. But it needs to be fresh money, not at the cost of other areas of education.”
Sian Marks, Year 2 teacher
Bushmead primary, Luton
Current salary: pound;35,418 (U2 plus 3 mgt points)
New salary: pound;36,303
“It’s typical. The Government brings in new measures, says it will fund them, and then withdraws the money, leaving schools worse off. Everyone who passes the criteria should get the money.”
Keith Willey, head of humanities
Westborough high, Kirklees
Current salary: pound;37,563 (U2 plus 4 mgt points)
New salary: pound;38,502
“The Government can’t expect teachers to be anything but cynical, as long as it plays games with us. The upper pay spine should be fully funded, and every teacher who passes the threshold should get the cash for doing so.”
