Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make a comparative assessment of the level of wages for a (a) school teacher and (b) college teacher.

The government’s role in relation to pay and conditions across schools and colleges differs.

The statutory requirements for teachers' pay and conditions within maintained schools in England are set out in the school teachers’ pay and conditions document. This is updated each year, based on recommendations from the independent School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB).

This year, the department announced a 4% pay award to school teachers and leaders, accepting in full the STRB’s pay recommendation. Combined with last year’s 5.5% award, this above-inflation pay award means school teachers will see an increase in their pay of almost 10% over two years.

In 2023/24, the median full-time equivalent (FTE) average salary for teaching staff on permanent or fixed term contracts in secondary schools was £48,773.

The further education (FE) sector does not have a pay review body and government does not set or recommend pay and this remains the sole responsibility of providers themselves.

Alongside the 2025/26 school teacher pay award, we have announced an investment of £160 million in the 2025/26 financial year, to support colleges and other 16-19 providers with key priorities, including recruitment and retention.

Additional funding of over £30 million will also be provided for 16-19 provision in schools. This funding comes from within the overall funding envelope of £615 million for 2025/26 announced alongside the 2025/26 school teachers’ pay award.

In 2023/24, the median FTE average salary for teaching staff on permanent or fixed term contracts in general FE colleges was £36,300 and £47,100 in sixth form colleges.

The school and FE pay figures are sourced from different datasets and recorded differently which may make it difficult to make direct comparisons.