School support staff offered 3.2% pay rise

School support staff in England have been offered a pay rise of 3.2 per cent, raising the prospect of further pressure on budgets next year.

Pay for council-employed school support staff is negotiated between local authorities – referred to as the “national employers” – and unions.

The resulting rises apply to LA-maintained schools, but many academy trusts also mirror the deals reached.

This week the national employers said their offer would mean the pay of the lowest-paid workers – those earning £23,656 – has risen by more than £6,000, or 33 per cent, since April 2021.

They have also offered to delete the bottom pay point from the national pay spine from next April.

However, 3.2 per cent is lower than the predicted growth in wages across the wider economy. The Office for Budget Responsibility this year revised up its prediction to 3.7 per cent.

The rise is higher, however, than what is proposed for teachers. In its evidence to the School Teachers’ Review Body last year, the Department for Education said a 2.8 per cent pay rise “would be appropriate” for 2025-26.

The government has said it expects extra funding of £1.3 billion allocated last year to cover some of next year’s pay rises, with the rest coming from “efficiencies”.

The proposed pay rise will also put further pressure on schools. The government’s own analysis states schools will only be able to afford pay rises of about 1.3 per cent from their existing headroom, with the rest of the cost having to be met by cuts.

‘Fair to employees’

James Lewis, the leader of Leeds council and chair of the national employers said they were “acutely aware of the additional pressure” the offer would place on finances.

“However, they believe their offer is fair to employees, given the wider economic backdrop.”

Unions had called for an increase of at least £3,000 across all pay points, along with a “clear plan to reach a minimum pay rate of £15 an hour”.

They also demanded one extra day of annual leave for all staff, a reduction in the working week by two hours, with no loss of pay and the ability for school staff to take at least one day of their annual leave during term time.

Unison’s head of local government Mike Short said: “With household bills still rising, council and school staff need a decent pay award after years of below-inflation deals and deep cuts to local government services.

“It’s vital central government also plays its part through sustained investment in local authorities.

“Unison will meet to discuss the offer in early May before deciding next steps.”

Kevin Brandstatter, GMB national officer, said local government workers “deserve a proper pay rise after years of real terms wage cuts. GMB will now meet with members to discuss next steps.”

Fears over school funding

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the ASCL leaders’ union, said support staff “play a vital role in the running of schools and colleges and deserve to be paid fairly for the work that they do.

“However, we are deeply concerned about the increasing financial pressure that schools and colleges are facing.

“The education select committee has previously called for support staff pay rises to be factored into school budgets, and until this happens any pay awards will continue to further stretch school finances. It is just not sustainable to continue in this manner.”

Paul Whiteman, leader of the NAHT union, said: “All staff working in schools, from our own members to their valued support staff, deserve to be paid fairly.

“It’s important school leaders receive the funding needed to cover any pay uplift, with budgets already severely stretched in many cases.

“NAHT represents school business leaders whose salaries are governed by this award, and we believe that their pay and conditions should be aligned with a revised leadership pay range.”