Not many professions are held in such high regard as teaching. People, by and large, recognise that few jobs are so demanding and offer so relatively little in financial reward. All the more surprise, therefore, that a Herald-Digipoll survey this week revealed that a clear majority are now happy to
Editorial: Reward good teachers and education wins
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Britain has already gone a short way down this path. Under a scheme introduced by the previous Labour Government, teachers at the top of the existing nine-point salary scale can increase their pay with merit-based rises. Research at Bristol University found this had improved pupil results significantly, enough for the select committee to recommend a far more comprehensive system that would reward fine young teachers.
There is no doubt that agreement on measures of excellence presents an obstacle to pay on merit, probably an insuperable one for national negotiations. But it would provide little difficulty if left to school principals and their boards. The boards become well acquainted with the work of individual teachers, while principals must know which of their teachers are doing the most to improve the achievements of their pupils. As much as been confirmed by American research that found principal evaluations, in tandem with exam gains, were a reliable guide for identifying high and low-performing teachers.
Throughout its first term, the Government showed little interest in challenging teachers' national pay negotiating system. The new minister's statement offers little hope of change, and little encouragement to excellent teachers who continue to feel undervalued. Paradoxically, Labour Party leader David Shearer may have given a stronger signal when he talked earlier this year of acting against the "bad teachers in our classrooms". The findings of the Herald-Digipoll survey should provide the requisite backbone for politicians of all shades. As should the way in which education will suffer until excellence in teaching is recognised.