Teachers in England and Wales are to receive a pay rise of 3.5% this year.

Teachers' pay in England and Wales

3.5% general rise �25,746 for most �17,628 start new pay scale top salary after five years more flexibility for heads' salaries

That would put classroom teachers on the top of their grade - excluding performance-related pay - on �25,746.

The pay recommendation - made by the independent School Teachers Review Body - has been accepted by the Education Secretary, Estelle Morris.

The current rate of inflation is just 0.7% if mortgage costs are included, with an underlying rate of 1.9%.

The five organisations representing teachers in England and Wales had called for a rise of 12.5%.

Click here for the pay scales.

The starting salary for a newly-qualified teacher with a good degree will be �17,628 - up from the current �17,001. Inner London weighting takes it to �20,733.

The Liberal Democrats' spokesman, Phil Willis, said: "After tax, new teachers will get an extra �8 a week - hardly enough to attract people into the profession."

Changes

There are also proposals to shorten the pay "ladder" from nine points down to six from September.

This would mean most teachers reaching the top after five years not seven.

This means good teachers will be able to apply to "cross the threshold" onto the new, higher pay scale - with a boost of �2,148 - after five years.

The government continues to undervalue teachers

Doug McAvoy, National Union of Teachers

The head of the National Union of Teachers, Doug McAvoy, said this was "particularly welcome".

"This will help narrow the gap between salaries for teachers and for graduates in other occupations," he said.

But the main rise was below the growth in average earnings.

"The government has failed to appreciate the damage this will do to teacher recruitment, retention and morale," he said.

"The government continues to undervalue teachers."

Standards

Ms Morris said: "This investment in teachers' salaries is driven by expectations of improved standards.

"Parents expect and demand the highest quality of teaching for their children.

"That's why we are determined to re-model the teaching profession with improvements that will not be met by money alone.

"We are determined to tackle workload issues and ensure all pupils benefit from the increases in education spending from this government."

Affordability questions

The 3.5% rise, which technically is subject to a consultation process, is due to take effect from 1 April.

But teachers are paid by local education authorities and by schools, not the government.

Local education authorities had expected the 3.5% rise - which in practice costs them 4%.

The education chairman of the Local Government Association, Graham Lane, said their funding allowed for only a 2.5% increase, so the rest would have to come either from other services or go onto the council tax bill.

The shadow education secretary, Damian Green, said: "When you include extra associated costs, today's announcement means that local authorities will have to find around �250m extra to fund these increases.

"Will this be paid for out of cuts in the education budget or in the budget for other services?"

The table below shows the current and proposed salaries for teachers in England and Wales.

The new rates are from 1 April. The revised main scale is from 1 September.

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