Concerns raised over how Portsmouth schools will cope with teachers' pay rises

Whilst welcoming any increase in pay above the previous one percent the concern is that salary increases will need to be funded from already diminished education budgets.

National Education Union Vice President Amanda Martin said: '˜There is no funding from the Treasury. They have simply asked the Department for Education to take it out of their existing budget at a time when we know there is already a funding crisis.'

Portsmouth's Cabinet Member for Education, Suzy Horton, believes already overstretched schools will ultimately end up suffering.

'˜If the DFE are having to fund it without additional investment then you're taking money out of an already under resourced pot. This money will have to be cut from elsewhere in the education budget which will inevitably have ramifications for other aspects of school funding.' 

At a time when Portsmouth schools are struggling with budgetary constraints, headteachers, whilst universally supportive of a teaching pay rise, are adamant of the need for it to be Treasury funded.

One headteacher claimed without such measures the unions' request of a five percent increase would '˜cripple' schools.

With a reported 60 percent of teachers ineligible for the 3.5 percent rise Ms Horton believes the proposal is divisive and will fail to alleviate the regions recruitment crisis.

'˜They have awarded 3.5 percent to some teachers and then said '˜by the way pay for it from your own budget,' explained Ms Horton.'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹