Responding after a formal agreement on teachers’ and leaders' pay for 2021, 2022 and 2023 was reached with the give main education unions in Northern Ireland, Dr Graham Gault, national secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT in Northern Ireland, said:

“We hope that the close of this challenging period of industrial unrest will bring about improved industrial relations – as well as a firm commitment from all sides to work meaningfully together to ensure that the workforce in Northern Ireland is supported, cared for and equipped to deliver for all children across our schools.

“We are very pleased to have reached this point, and appreciate the hard work from the Department and employing authorities. But we do not see this as the end of our campaign for improved working conditions. It is very important for us that the next step sees serious and tangible improvements for school leaders, who continue to struggle with excessive and damaging workload expectations.”