Commenting on the remit letter to the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) for the 2025/26 pay round, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the school leaders’ union, the NAHT said:

“This year’s STRB review will play a critical role in how the government overcomes the worst teacher recruitment and retention crisis in living memory. Teachers and leaders pay and conditions require urgent action in order to make teaching an attractive and sustainable career option.

“We welcomed the progress made on this year’s pay award, and it is encouraging that the new government seems more focused on the review body’s wider recommendations.  Clarity on the timings for future pay reviews, aligning pay announcements with the beginning of the financial year, supporting equalities through the pay framework, and reviewing pro-rata payments for TLRs (teaching and learning responsibilities)—are important aspects of delivering more attractive and sustainable professional careers.

“We understand the narrowness of the remit.  However – while recognising the difficult fiscal circumstances facing the new government, NAHT is concerned that the STRB has again been asked to consider the cost pressures facing schools when making its recommendations.  The review body made clear that teachers and leaders pay lags behind roles with comparable size, scope and responsibility and that investment is needed to make teaching roles competitive.  Sustained investment in the profession is required.  Affordability is about political choices, not a matter for the Review Body.

"We look forward to submitting evidence to the STRB, and working more broadly and formatively with government to long-term solutions to the teacher and leader supply crisis."