The University of Worcester has welcomed the Government announcement of a pay increase for the nation’s teachers.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s statement yesterday means that starting salaries for qualified teachers will rise to at least £31,650 and over £37,000 in London.
Worcester is one of the Country’s biggest and best educators of teachers, rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted and working with more than 500 schools and colleges from Devon to Birmingham.
Catriona Robinson, Head of the University’s Institute of Education, said the pay increase would recognise the important role teachers have in shaping our children’s futures and will hopefully encourage more people into the profession.
“There is a desperate shortage of teachers in our nation’s classrooms,” she said. “This announcement will undoubtedly have a positive impact on recruitment and on retention of existing teachers.
“We know the difference that excellent educators make to our children and young people’s futures. Whether in school, college or university, a great teacher can shape who we are; can open our minds; help us to learn about the world and importantly, about ourselves. As Albert Einstein said: ‘It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.’”
Earlier this month, the University created an additional 100 places for people to train to become teachers in response to the Education Secretary’s announcement to boost teacher recruitment.
Additional places are available to study this September on Worcester’s outstanding one-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), which includes Primary, Secondary, and Further Education, as well as on the University’s acclaimed undergraduate primary teaching course.
There are places for most subjects including Physical Education, English, History, the Sciences, Maths, Computing, Design and Technology, Psychology and Geography with bursaries of up to £28,000 available for some subjects.
The University of Worcester was founded as a teacher training college in 1946 and has educated tens of thousands of teachers who now work across the world.
The University received arguably one of the most glowing reports on teacher training for Primary and Secondary teachers this century from Ofsted, when it rated the University’s provision as ‘Outstanding’ in May 2023.
The official report opens: “Trainees benefit from an exceptional learning experience at the University of Worcester. This experience instils in them a deep-rooted commitment to making a difference to the lives of the children in the communities they serve.”
If you are interested in finding out more about teacher training, email study@worc.ac.uk or visit: https://www.worc.ac.uk/campaigns/train-to-teach-worcester