Pay still matters in the staffroom, unions say

The NASUWT and ATL say they have a total of 326,000 members - most of the teachers in England and Wales.

In their joint evidence to the independent pay review body, they say salary levels remain crucial to the recruitment and retention of teachers.

It would be a mistake for the government to think the priority had become the reduction of workload.

Effect on morale

"The joint evidence makes a powerful case for safeguarding the right for all teachers, who continue to meet the competencies standards, to move up the upper pay scale," they say.

"To restrict the number of eligible teachers to a quota will have a devastating effect on morale and motivation."

"The joint evidence makes a powerful case for safeguarding the right for all teachers, who continue to meet the competencies standards, to move up the upper pay scale.

"To restrict the number of eligible teachers to a quota will have a devastating effect on morale and motivation."

The government says that "passing the threshold" onto the different pay scale is only a starting point.

But the criteria for moving up that scale should be developed by the school - there are no national criteria.

"Any decision to advance a teacher through the upper pay scale should be made by the governing body, advised by the head.

"In all but the most exceptional circumstances the government would expect two years to elapse before any movement takes place."

'Severe problems'

When the new performance-related pay system was being introduced, education ministers raised expectations by stressing how much good, experienced classroom teachers could ultimately earn - currently �33,150 outside London.

They did not say this would only be after many years, and subject to local arrangements - not least whether or not a school could afford the extra pay.

Meanwhile, the Secondary Heads Association (SHA) has said secondary schools face severe finance and staffing problems for years to come.

They say this year's cash crisis has forced them to raid their book and equipment budgets to pay the cost of implementing the agreement aimed at cutting teachers' workload.

A week ago the Education Secretary, Charles Clarke, apologised to school leaders for the mistakes that had led to the funding crisis this year.

In response to the SHA comments, the Department for Education and Skills said on Monday: "We have set out a school funding framework for the next two years to restore confidence and stability.

"In addition to record investment in education we are putting in an extra �400m to reverse planned cuts in each of the next two years.

"We are determined to give head teachers more stability and predictability in planning their budgets and are working hard with their and local education authority representatives on arrangements for 2004/05."

The association's general secretary, John Dunford, said the government's promise that all schools would get a minimum increase in their funding per pupil was "extremely welcome".

But he added: "It has to be accompanied by adequate additional transitional funding for those schools that were particularly badly hit this year."

He added: "Schools that have done particularly badly in 2003-4 need to be brought up a level, otherwise they will simply replicate next year what has happened this year."