The countries that pay their teachers the least (look away now, teachers in the UK)

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) say the continued depression of teachers’ wages will harm the quality of British schooling.

Andreas Schleicher, the head of education at the OECD, said that the UK should “keep teaching attractive”, and that “the quality of education can never exceed the quality of teaching.”

Figures in the new Education at a Glance report show England and Scotland were among only five nations where salaries fell by more than five per cent between 2008 and 2013.

Only Greece and Hungary cut salaries more among OECD nations, which on average saw a slight real-terms rise overall.

A further squeeze on teachers’ pay would make it “difficult to recruit top candidates” according to Mr Schleicher.

The Department for Education said:

Headteachers now have the freedom to be able to pay good teachers more. This is in contrast to the old system, which awarded teachers pay rises simply for time served, regardless of whether they were doing a good job.

Chancellor George Osborne today reveals the Autumn Statement and Spending Review, and is expected to outline forthcoming plans to address differences in school funding across the UK.

The Guardian reports that a new funding formula is expected to set a national rate per pupil, with additional funding for pupils with additional needs.

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