Anna Brychan MS, Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Before the end of term, I would like to update members and our education workforce on the pay award for teachers and post 16 practitioners in colleges.
When schools return in September, I will consult on a 3.5% pay award for teachers and school leaders. In light of concerns raised by partners outside the pay review process, I will also consult on a 5% increase for unqualified teachers.
I will provide additional funding to local authorities and schools for this pay award. I will also provide additional funding to Medr to maintain pay parity for post-16 practitioners in schools and colleges.
I am also publishing the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body’s (IWPRB) report today. I have carefully considered the IWPRB recommendation that all salaries and allowances be increased by 4.25% from September 2026. I have also received representations that any pay award should be fully funded.
I am mindful of the difficult financial circumstances affecting schools and colleges and the implications that unfunded pay awards would have on budgets and staff numbers. The IWPRB recommendation is not affordable within existing budgets. In coming to my decision, I have had to balance the available budget and recognising and rewarding our workforce.
The report also sets out other recommendations which I will continue to consider over the summer. In the meantime, I am pleased to be able to confirm today that I will also consult on implementing two of the IWPRB’s previous recommendations.
A single pay scale for classroom teachers so that they will progress up the pay scale and see their pay increase accordingly, every year.
Changes to the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions (Wales) Document to ensure leaders’ holiday periods and weekends are protected.
In the future I intend to start the process for considering pay awards earlier so that they can be agreed and communicated more promptly.
I will also commit funding to support doubling the current period for which teachers’ get full pay during maternity leave, should local authorities and unions agree to make this change through teachers’ contracts of employment.
