We round up the latest employment news.
New rates and limits in effect in April
Every April, the government increases a number of statutory rates relating to employment.
- The national minimum wage
- The statutory rates for SSP and family-related pay
- A week’s pay
- The compensatory award for unfair dismissal
- Injury to feelings awards.
Here's how much the following payments have gone up.
£302 million to upgrade further education colleges
The UK government has announced a £302 million investment to repair and upgrade dilapidated further education college buildings. Colleges will be able to decide how to use the funds to address their most urgent needs.
Additionally, £20 million will be allocated to colleges in Greater Manchester and Leeds to increase capacity for 16 to 19-year-olds.
Unfilled primary school places increase
Government data reveals a 6% rise in unfilled primary school places in England, with 611,330 places vacant in 2023-24 – up from 577,647 the previous year. This represents 12.3% of all primary school places, compared to 11.7% the year before.
Key points:
- 84% of primary schools have one or more unfilled places
- 76% of secondary schools have one or more unfilled places, with 452,186 vacant places last year – down from 465,262 the previous year; and
- Inner London boroughs like Lambeth and Westminster have over 30% of primary places unfilled, while Coventry has just 1.5%.
Teachers' pay lags behind other professions
Recent analysis by the National Education Union (NEU) reveals significant disparities between teachers' pay and that of other professional groups. The report highlights the following key issues:
- Teachers' earnings consistently rank lower than those of most other professional groups, with primary teachers particularly affected
- Pay rises for teachers have been smaller than those of other professions
- Starting salaries for teachers are ahead of the median for the wider graduate market, but fall behind after five years; and
- Teachers in England earn less than their counterparts in Scotland.
The NEU has asked the government to take urgent action to address these pay gaps to improve recruitment and retention in the teaching profession.
Government invests £600 million to train construction workers
The UK government has announced a £600 million investment to train up to 60,000 new construction workers by 2029 to its plans to build new homes.
Key measures include:
- Establishing 10 new Technical Excellence Colleges with £100 million in funding
- Expanding Skills Bootcamps with an additional £100 million
- Providing £165 million to colleges to provide more construction courses; and
- Launching new foundation apprenticeships with £40 million in funding.
20% less pension for a 10% pay rise?
A recent survey by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) found that 15% of teachers would prefer a 10% pay rise even if it meant reducing their pension by 20%.
That was particularly true for teachers in their twenties where 20% said they sacrifice some of their pension in favour of higher pay. Some organisations are already doing this. United Learning, a large multi-academy trust, has said that it plans to offer a less generous pension scheme with higher starting salaries.
Teachers contribute between 7.4% and 11.7% of their salary to the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), while employers contribute 28.6%.
The EPI recommends the government explore flexible pension options to attract and retain teachers, though unions caution against sacrificing long-term financial security for short-term gains.
10,000 new SEND school places
The UK government has announced a £740 million investment to create 10,000 new school places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). At the moment one-in-ten mainstream schools have units or specialist facilities to support pupils with SEND. This funding aims to expand specialist units in mainstream schools and build new places in special schools, so more children can learn close to home.
Government spending review crucial to meeting 6,500 new teacher target
The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) has highlighted the urgent need for the upcoming government Spending Review to address the severe teacher shortage in England. Unfilled teacher vacancies have reached a record high, with six vacancies per thousand teachers in 2023/24. This was double the pre-pandemic rate and six times higher than in 2010/11.
Key findings:
- There’s been no improvement since before the pandemic, with more working-age teachers leaving
- There has also been persistently low levels of recruitment into initial teacher training; and
- Schools with higher proportions of disadvantaged pupils are most affected.
NFER argue that the Spending Review is a "now or never" opportunity for the government to meet its target of recruiting 6,500 new teachers and ensure the quality of education is maintained.
Online safety concerns despite mobile phone restrictions in schools
A new survey by the Children's Commissioner for England reveals that the vast majority of schools have policies restricting mobile phone use during school hours. Specifically, 90% of secondary schools and 99.8% of primary schools enforce such policies. Despite these measures, online safety remains a significant concern for headteachers.
Key findings from the survey include:
- 25% of children aged 8 to 15 spend two to three hours daily on internet-enabled devices
- 23% of children spend more than four hours daily on such devices; and
- One-in-five primary schools (21%) completely ban students from bringing mobiles to school, in comparison only 3.5% of secondary schools
Increasing use of Pupil Premium to cover budget shortfalls
A recent survey conducted by the Sutton Trust, utilising research from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), has highlighted a concerning trend among school leaders. The survey, which included responses from 1,208 teachers, reveals that 45% of school leaders are using the Pupil Premium to fill gaps in their budgets. This figure represents a significant increase from last year.
Teacher stress and work-life balance issues
A recent survey by the National Education Union (NEU) has revealed alarming levels of stress among teachers in English state schools.
The findings show that nearly two-thirds (62%) of teachers experience stress more than 60% of the time, with female teachers and those working in primary schools and nurseries reporting higher stress levels. Younger teachers, particularly those in their twenties and thirties, are most affected, with 65% feeling stressed at work more than 60% of the time.
The survey also indicates that three-quarters (75%) of teachers struggle to switch off from work-related thoughts and tasks when at home, with 41% stating this is always the case. Many teachers work evenings (62%), weekends (55%), and frequently cancel plans with family and friends to manage their workload.
Read more – April 2025
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