Fudging the Figures on Teachers' Pay

 Education Secretary Gillian Keegan claimed on BBC Breakfast that "almost every newly experienced teacher and 40% of experienced teachers will actually get pay rises up to 15.9%".

But "newly experienced teachers", is not an official category applied to staff.

The pay band for qualified teachers in England with the least experience is M1. They will see their pay go up 15.9% as they move up to the next band M2 in 2022-23 (outside London) which you would expect to happen to almost all of them after the first year. This figure combines the STRB's pay rise and also pay progression components.

This specific group of teachers who made up around 5% of teachers in England in 2022-23.

The education secretary went on to talk about experienced teachers. She said 40% of them would be getting "up to 15.9%", but in fact, none of them will be getting that much - they will be getting 9% or 10% if they move up a pay band this year.

Previously to justify government assertions that teachers are well-paid, Keegan said "My cousin's just started teaching and she's on £28,000. She lives in Knowsley… it's a good career, it's probably in the top 10% of earners in some parts of the country."

To be in the top 10% of earners across the country, a full-time employee would have to earn a monthly salary of at least £5,090. This would be more than £61,000 a year. It means that 90% of full-time employees across the country earn less than this amount. 

The starting salary mentioned in the interview - £28,000 - is roughly half of that figure. The average classroom teacher salary of about £39,000 would also be a long way short of the top 10%.

There is no area in England in which the minimum salary to get you into the top 10% of earners is less than £53,840. The salary that would get you into the top 10% in Knowsley is not known. But figures show that you needed to earn £43,050 to even get into the top 20% in Knowsley in 2022.

Will some teachers receive a 15.9% pay rise? - BBC News

Are teachers in the top 10% of earners in some areas? - BBC News