Responding to the Welsh Government's announcement that teachers and school leaders will get a 5.5% pay award for 2024/25, Laura Doel, national secretary of school leaders’ union, NAHT Cymru, said:

“The promised pay uplift for teachers in Wales is certainly welcome news - however we are unclear at this stage whether the funding announced will be sufficient to cover the cost of the uplift across all 22 local authorities without shortfalls that schools would be expected to bridge.

"We urge the Welsh Government and local authorities to provide assurances that schools won’t be left in a position where meeting this pay increase leads to cuts in essential resources or staffing.

“Head teachers will also have unanswered questions about how the recommendations to improve the pay, terms and conditions for ALNcos (Additional learning needs coordinators) will be financed. It’s essential that any gains for ALNcos do not result in additional pressures or sacrifices for schools. Therefore, we have asked for discussions with the Welsh Government and local authorities to ensure that this positive step forward for ALNcos does not inadvertently place schools in financial difficulty.”