Improved pay offer for teachers

Most teachers will see their salaries rise by 11.5% in April if a new pay offer is accepted.

The deal – the fifth offered to unions – would mean an overall increase of more than £5,000 over two years for the 70% of classroom teachers who are at the top of their main grade pay scale.

It would amount to a cumulative rise of almost 30% for most teachers since January 2018 and would bring the starting salary for a fully qualified teacher – already the highest in the UK – to £37,719 after probation.

The revised offer, agreed by the Scottish Government and COSLA, is:

2022-23

• 6% for all staff earning up to £80,000 from 1 April 2022
• £4,800 for all those earning in excess of £80,000

2023-24

• 5.5% for all staff earning up to £80,000 from 1 April 2023
• £4,400 for all those earning in excess of £80,000

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said:

“Teachers make an invaluable contribution to the lives of our children and young people. This significant offer, if accepted by unions, would see teacher pay increase by almost 30% since January 2018.

“While union demands for an in-year 10% increase are unaffordable within the Scottish Government’s fixed budget, we have looked for compromise and we have arrived at a deal that is fair, affordable, and sustainable for everyone involved.

“The Scottish Government is supporting this new offer with additional funding of £156 million. This is on top of the £50 million that we have already provided to local authorities in support of an enhanced pay offer for teachers.

“The offer is being made at a time of extraordinary financial pressure on the Scottish Government budget. Difficult decisions will have to be made to free up the required resources. This reflects our commitment to reach a fair agreement and avoid further disruption to children and young people’s education.

“I have written to the unions asking that their members are given the opportunity to consider this new offer, which is the fifth to be tabled. While they do so, I have asked that they suspend any planned industrial action. This would minimise any further disruption to learning, particularly in the run up to the SQA exam diet.”

COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmann said: 

“Given the funding assurances received from the Scottish Government, Leaders have agreed to submit a revised offer to the Trade Unions tonight.

“COSLA Leaders are clear that it is in all of our interests, not least those of children, young people and families, to conclude the teachers’ pay negotiations as quickly as we can to bring back stability and certainty in our schools. 

“We are determined to provide a fair and affordable pay offer to all our employees, including teachers. In that regard, following today’s meeting Leaders agreed to mandate me to take a refreshed offer to the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) and we hope that this is acceptable to them.”

Background

The Scottish Government has committed to funding the increase within the proposed offer for 2022-23, and is committed to a shared contribution with COSLA for 2023-24.

Under this offer, the top of the pay scale for main grade teachers would rise from £42,336 on 1 January 2022 to £47,344 on 1 April 2023. Those at the top of the main grade scale represent around 70% of main grade teachers.

For teachers earning over £80,000, there will be a flat cap increase and, as a result, the net effect will be slightly lower as salary increases. For example, those on the top salary point of £99,609 will receive an increase of 9.2% by April 2023, taking their earnings to around £108,809.

Teacher pay scales and approximate uplifts under the proposed offer: