Teachers in England will receive a 4% pay increase from September 2025, the UK government has confirmed. The uplift follows recommendations from the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) and is intended to support recruitment and retention in the profession, which has seen thousands of teachers leave.
Key points:
- Across-the-board increase: The 4% uplift applies to all pay ranges and allowances, including Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) payments and the leadership scale.
- Extra funding: An additional £615 million will be allocated to help schools meet the cost. However, schools are expected to cover around 1% of the rise through internal efficiencies
- New salary benchmarks: Average classroom teacher salaries are expected to rise above £51,000, while new teachers can expect starting salaries of nearly £33,000
- No backdating: The increase will take effect from the start of the 2025 academic year and will be included in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD)
A quick look back: Recent pay history
- 2023–24: Teachers in England received a 6.5% pay rise following extended strike action and negotiations between unions and the government. This was the largest pay rise in over thirty years and came as part of a deal intended to avoid further industrial action.
- The decade before: Teacher pay had been effectively eroded in real terms. Between 2010 and 2022, salaries failed to keep pace with inflation, amounting to a real-terms pay cut of over 10–12% depending on the scale and role. This decline contributed to ongoing issues in recruitment, especially in key subjects and challenging schools.
What this means for drama teachers
While the pay rise is a positive step, many in the profession are still cautious. Drama teachers – often working long hours, running extra-curricular productions, and managing large mixed-ability groups – have seen their workload rise even as budgets shrink. Whether this increase is enough to ease the pressures remains to be seen. There has been a steady decline in teachers remaining in the profession over the last few years and the remaining teachers are feeling the strain due to increased work load.
Union response
The National Education Union (NEU) welcomed the increase but warned that it may not be enough to reverse the damage done by years of underfunding. They have also expressed concern that, unless fully funded, schools may be forced to make cuts elsewhere to implement the rise.
By National Education Union – https://brandlogo.org/national-education-union-logo/6659/, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=152265760
More information and sources
For teachers, leaders, and schools looking for more detail about the 2025 pay rise and its wider context, here are some useful links:
- Gov.uk – Teacher Pay and Conditions
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-teachers-pay-and-conditions
The official document outlining the pay scales and terms for teachers in England. - Department for Education – Teacher Pay 2025 Announcement
https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2025/05/teacher-pay-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-2025-pay-award
The government breakdown of what the new award includes and how it’s being funded. - National Education Union (NEU) – Response to 2025 Pay Award
https://neu.org.uk/press-releases/teacher-pay-announcement
The NEU’s official statement on the increase and how it affects schools and staff. - TES Magazine – Pay Rise Analysis and Reactions
https://www.tes.com/magazine
Up-to-date coverage, analysis, and opinion pieces about the teacher pay landscape.
UK Teachers Awarded 4% Pay Rise – Have your say
What do you think about the pay rise, and will it solve the recruitment problem? I’d love to know your thoughts and experiences dealing with staff shortages in your department or your school. Are you being asked to cover classes more often? Is your PPA time being protected? Do you feel that your expertise is being valued?
Let me know in the comments below.
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