30 MAR 2023

New report reveals dire state of pay in FE colleges

A new report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has highlighted the extent to which college teachers in England are suffering from low pay and high turnover rates. College teachers are leaving their jobs at a faster rate than other public sector occupations, as they have experienced an 18% real terms pay cut.

A new report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has highlighted the extent to which college teachers in England are suffering from low pay and high turnover rates. College teachers are leaving their jobs at a faster rate than other public sector occupations, as they have experienced an 18% real terms pay cut.

The report shows a growing gap between college and schoolteacher pay, with the median salary for a school teacher at around £41,500, compared to £34,500 for a college teacher.

The report also indicates that college bosses are refusing to implement recommended pay rises from the Association of Colleges (AoC), and pay is set locally rather than nationally.

College teachers are much more likely to leave their jobs than other public sector occupations, with 16% of college teachers leaving the profession each year. According to the report, this figure is 10% for school teachers and between 7-8% in the civil service.

Furthermore, it is the more experienced college teachers who are most likely to leave. After ten years, less than a quarter of college teachers remain in teaching, compared with over 60% of school teachers.

The report concludes that without additional funding to close the teacher pay gap and make college teaching more competitive, course closures will continue and skills shortages will worsen, particularly in the areas of construction, healthcare and technical skills.

Without extra support, “the immediate future for the college workforce appears gloomy” the report concludes.