David Hart predicts a revolt in the education system

David Hart, general secretary of the NAHT union, said the problem was the government's move to limit the numbers being rewarded for good work.

Head teachers welcomed the predictability of a 29-month, inflation-only pay settlement.

But without more money for performance pay "we will have to actively say no" to operating the scheme, he said.

Urgent talks

The Education Secretary, Charles Clarke, has said he wants to limit to about 30% the number of teachers meriting a further pay rise in a year's time who actually get one, to curb the pay bill.

The independent pay review body has asked him to have urgent talks with the unions on changing the system by next January.

All the main education unions have expressed alarm.

But David Hart has now gone further.

'No'

He said the chance of agreement in six weeks was remote. The 30% figure was "ludicrously small".

"Mr Clarke will have to provide the cash so that a substantial majority go through next September," he said.

If this did not happen, not only would head teachers be unable to operate the system, "we will have to actively say 'no'," he said.

The Secondary Heads Association complained that "on the basis of a few general guidelines" from the review body report, it was now expected to help the government to design a new system by January, when schools were already into this year's performance review cycle.

"Performance pay for teachers was brought in impatiently by David Blunkett and has staggered along one step at a time, without any clear view of the overall system," said the association's general secretary, John Dunford.

"Unless the whole of the upper pay spine is satisfactorily settled quickly, without the disastrous 30% quota proposed by the secretary of state, this performance pay system will demotivate more good teachers than it motivates."