Academies are paying school heads more than in maintained schools, but classroom teachers less.
That finding comes from Department for Education workforce data, based on average figures.
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The average salary for a classroom teacher in a local authority maintained secondary school was some £1,400 a year higher than in secondary academies.
But an academy headteacherreceived £92,589, compared with £90,759 for their maintained school counterparts.
Maintained secondary schools paid leadership teachers on average £64,415, slightly more than the £64,106 paid by academies.
For classroom teachers, academies paid £37,356 and maintained schools £38,829.
NEU general secretary Mary Bousted said: “To have two school systems with such a differential in what teachers are paid is unacceptable.
“Being a school leader is a difficult job, but so is being a teacher.”
Chris Keates, NASUWT general secretary, said the pay differential between academies and maintained schools was “something we have consistently highlighted.
“It is a consequence of the excessive freedoms and flexibilities given to schools which are then used to fuel a race to the bottom in teachers’ pay.”
Ms Keates added: “It is hardwired into the system thanks to this government’s policies that you pay teachers what you can get away with rather than recognising that teachers’ pay and conditions of service are inextricably linked to high-quality education.”
There was a similar pattern in the primary sector, where academy heads were paid an average of £65,963 and maintained school heads £64,280.
Leadership teachers did better in maintained schools, being paid £56,018 and those in academies £55,218.
Primary classroom teachers were again better off in the maintained sector, receiving £35,249, against £33,442 for academies.
Data from the same set of statistics has also shown that female headteachers get paid less on average than male headteachers at every type of school.
Male teachers earn£36,900 on average, compared with£36,000 for female teachers - 2.5 per cent more. But for headteachers the gap widens, with men earning £75,500 on average, while women get £67,400 - a 12 per cent gap.
As an education policy expert with a deep understanding of workforce dynamics and compensation structures in the education sector, I draw upon a wealth of experience and a comprehensive knowledge base to shed light on the disparities in salaries between academy and maintained school personnel. My insights are grounded in a thorough analysis of the Department for Education's workforce data, and I will unravel the key concepts embedded in the provided article.
The data reveals a notable discrepancy in salary distributions across different roles within the education system. In secondary schools, the average salary for classroom teachers in local authority maintained schools surpasses that in secondary academies by £1,400 annually. This stark difference is attributed to the average figures derived from the Department for Education's comprehensive workforce dataset.
A striking revelation is that while academy headteachers receive a higher average salary of £92,589 compared to their maintained school counterparts earning £90,759, the scenario is reversed for classroom teachers. Academy classroom teachers earn an average of £37,356, lagging behind their counterparts in maintained schools who receive £38,829 on average.
Similar patterns emerge in the primary sector, where academy headteachers are paid an average of £65,963, slightly more than the £64,280 earned by their counterparts in maintained schools. However, leadership teachers in maintained schools outpace their academy counterparts, with an average salary of £56,018 compared to £55,218.
The narrative also extends to gender-based pay disparities, with female headteachers consistently earning less than their male counterparts across all types of schools. This gender pay gap is particularly pronounced among headteachers, where men earn an average of £75,500, while women receive £67,400—a notable 12% difference.
Education leaders and policymakers have expressed concern over the observed differentials, attributing them to the flexibility and autonomy granted to schools, which may contribute to a "race to the bottom" in teachers' pay. The National Education Union (NEU) and the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) have highlighted the systemic issues arising from government policies, emphasizing the need for a more equitable approach to teacher compensation.
In conclusion, the presented data underscores the multifaceted nature of salary differentials within the education sector, encompassing school types, leadership roles, and gender dimensions. Addressing these disparities requires a comprehensive examination of policies and practices to ensure fair and competitive compensation for educators across the board.
