Pay gaps and workload pressures straining workforce

A new report has revealed widening pay gaps, uneven career prospects and ongoing workload pressures across England’s education workforce, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of staffing in schools, colleges and early years settings.

The study, published by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) and funded by the Nuffield Foundation, brings together findings from a four-part research programme examining early years staff, support staff, school teachers and further education (FE) teachers.

One of the report’s most striking findings is the growing pay gap between FE teachers and their school-based counterparts. FE teacher salaries have fallen sharply in real terms since 2011 - by nearly 20 per cent - and now sit around a fifth lower than school teacher pay, marking the widest gap in over a decade.

Although school teachers remain better paid overall, their earnings have also declined in real terms compared with wider labour market growth, contributing to persistent recruitment and retention challenges.

Early years staff, meanwhile, continue to receive relatively low pay. While there has been slight improvement compared with the broader labour market, the report warns that tight funding and limited incentives for gaining qualifications could undermine the sector’s long-term stability.

The report finds that school teachers are working fewer hours than in previous years and perceptions of workload have improved. However, they still work longer hours than similarly qualified graduates, and many say they would like to reduce their workload further.

FE teachers typically work similar hours to comparable professionals but are significantly more likely to undertake unpaid overtime. Early years staff generally report working hours in line with similar roles, while school support staff tend to work fewer hours overall. Notably, 15 per cent of support staff say they would prefer more paid hours, suggesting unmet demand for additional work.

Opportunities for career progression vary widely across the sector. School teachers are more likely than other graduates to feel they have good prospects for advancement. In contrast, limited progression opportunities remain a significant issue for FE teachers, support staff and highly qualified early years practitioners.

Researchers are urging the government to adopt a more tailored approach to workforce policy, reflecting the distinct challenges faced by different groups.

Key recommendations include increased funding to enable FE providers to raise teacher pay, improved funding rates for early years providers to offer competitive wages, and reforms to create clearer career pathways - particularly in early years settings. The report also calls for higher bursaries to boost recruitment in subjects such as languages and the arts, where training targets are not being met.