Pressures on heads have increased, unions argue

Both the National Association of Head Teachers and now the Secondary Heads' Association want a differential rise.

Their submissions go to the independent pay body for England and Wales, which makes recommendations to ministers.

Heads are also said to be vulnerable to losing their jobs as a result of their school's performance.

'Right calibre'

The Secondary Heads Association (SHA) said this may be after an adverse Ofsted inspection, "or even in anticipation of a potentially adverse inspection".

The School Teachers' Review Body is considering pay changes to take effect after the current two-year agreement ends in September 2006. It is due to report in the autumn.

The SHA's general secretary, John Dunford, said evidence indicated that the recruitment of heads, deputies and assistant heads in sufficient numbers and of the right calibre was still difficult.

"SHA is therefore firmly of the opinion that it is time once again - after a gap of several years - for school leaders to be awarded a differentially higher percentage increase than that applying to the majority of classroom teachers."

He declined to put a figure on this.

Salary range

But in the speech he prepared for his union's annual conference, in March, he said salaries of �150,000 should be commonplace for heads of the most challenging schools and �120,000 should not be exceptional in the larger extended and community schools.

Pay differentials between school leaders and the rest of the teaching profession have been shot to pieces David Hart National Association of Head Teachers

The current pay scale has eight salary ranges for head teachers, depending mainly on the size of the school.

The top range is from �64,581 to �93,297 from next September across most of England and Wales.

The National Association of Head Teachers, in its submission last month, also argued that there was a strong case for a differential pay award between school leaders - heads, deputy heads and assistant heads - and classroom teachers.

Its general secretary, David Hart, indicated it would be seeking 10% more spread over another two-year agreement.

"Pay differentials between school leaders and the rest of the teaching profession have been shot to pieces," Mr Hart said.

"Their salaries no longer reflect the very significant responsibilities they carry.

"The vast majority of classroom teachers have benefited from performance related salary movements. Our members are in grave danger of falling behind."