Teacher pay directly impacts how many people are attracted to the profession, a report has warned, as salaries in England are found to have fallen in real terms since 2015.
A report published today by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has concluded secondary school teachers’ pay in England dropped by 3 per cent in real terms between 2015 and 2022.
It said competitive salaries are “crucial” to retaining and attracting teachers as many countries face shortages.
The OECD’s report, Education at a Glance, examines education around the world. It found that in many of them, teaching is “not a financially attractive career choice”.
The report says: “Teachers’ salaries are an important determinant of the attractiveness of the teaching profession, but they also represent the single largest expenditure category in formal education.
“In most OECD countries, the salaries of teachers in public educational institutions increase with the level of education they teach, and also with experience.
“On average, annual statutory salaries for upper secondary teachers in general programmes with the most prevalent qualification and 15 years of experience are 53,456 US dollars across the OECD.
“In England, the corresponding salary adjusted for purchasing power is 55,726 dollars, which is equivalent to £42,820. In Scotland, the corresponding salary adjusted for purchasing power is 55,096 dollars, which is equivalent to £42,336.”
In Scotland, teachers in upper secondary saw their salaries increase in real terms by 6 per cent between 2015 and 2022.
A pay dispute this year saw the NEU teaching union strike for eight days. They voted to end the strikes in July after accepting a 6.5 per cent pay rise.
In England, secondary school teachers earn on average 6 per cent less than other tertiary-educated workers. Primary and pre-primary teachers tend to have salaries that are 15 per cent lower than the same group.
School heads do much better though, making 2.17 times the average salary of tertiary-educated workers.
The report adds: “Countries that are looking to increase the supply of teachers, especially those with an ageing teacher workforce or a growing school-age population, might consider offering more attractive starting wages and career prospects.
“However, to ensure a well-qualified teaching workforce, efforts must be made not only to recruit and select the most competent and best-qualified teachers, but also to retain them.
“Weak financial incentives may make it more difficult to retain teachers as they approach the peak of their earnings. However, there may be some benefits to compressed pay scales.”
The UK has a slightly higher than average student-to-staff ratio in secondaries than other OECD countries, at 16 students per staff member, compared with 14 for other countries on average.
The UK also has a much lower proportion of teachers aged 50 or over than the OECD average - 18 per cent compared with 39 per cent.
The DfE has been contacted for comment.
