Higher pay rise for teachers would lead to cuts elsewhere – minister

Something that has not been promised in England, where schools must cover 1% of the award there.

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Previous awards in Wales have not always been funded in full, leaving schools having to meet them from over-stretched budgets, often leading to cuts.

Teaching unions and headteachers’ representatives said they would now consult their members on the 4% put by the Welsh Government and questioned what “fully funded” meant in reality.

Arguing for the 4.8% rise, the pay review body said teachers’ pay had declined in real terms from 2010 onwards. It said CPI inflation is forecast to rise from 2.5% last year to 3.2% this year and workers in the private sector had received average pay awards of 6.1%, while for the public sector, it was 5.3%.

Laying out its recommendation for a 4.8% rise, the IWPRB said: “We believe that there is a strong argument for an above-inflation pay settlement both to maintain the financial competitiveness of a career in teaching and leadership, and to recognise the multi-faceted pressures and demands created by the wider economic backdrop and other challenges.”

Ms Neagle said she had been clear to the IWPRB about the “challenging financial context faced by the Welsh Government, local authorities and schools”. She had to consider the affordability of the rise as well as providing suitable reward for teachers to ensure “Wales continues to attract high-quality new entrants”.

In a statement responding to the IWPRB's recommendation, the minister added: “In recognition of the importance of providing full and sustainable funding for teachers’ pay, I am therefore consulting on increasing all salaries and allowances by 4% from September 2025.