Key information school workforce leads need regarding school teachers’ pay for the academic year 2026/27- and potentially beyond. The School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) has been asked to consider pay over multiple years in this round.
The Local Government Association (LGA) provides the secretariat for NEOST (National Employers Organisation for School Teachers), which represents the employer voice in this process.
STRB receives pay remit for 2026 and beyond
On 22 July 2025, the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson MP, issued the remit letter to the STRB Chair. This year’s remit includes:
- pay recommendations for 2026/27 and 2027/28
- an indicative pay award for 2028/29 (to be confirmed or reconsidered in a future remit)
- initial exploration of terms and conditions within the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD), particularly in response to the Children, Schools and Wellbeing Bill exploring innovation or learning in relation to employment terms already be available within Academy Trusts but not maintained schools who must follow the STPCD.
Key excerpts from the remit letter
NEOST consultation – thank you for your survey returns
The NEOST board has now met and finalised their evidence.
Read the NEOST written evidence for STRB October 2025
Timeline for STRB’s recommendations and Government announcement on teachers’ pay 2026
- 20 October 2025 - The NEOST Board met ahead of the STRB’s deadline of 20 October 2025 for submission of written evidence.
- w/c 1 December 2025 - oral evidence took place.
- end of February 2026 - we understand that the STRB submitted its pay and other recommendations on broader issues.
- by the end of the school year 2026 - the Government are expected to announce their decisions on the STRB recommendations and launching a consultation on the draft STPCD 2026, which triggers the final LGA survey to inform the NEOST response to the consultation.
How does the teachers’ pay process work?
Teachers pay is not negotiated directly, but recommendations are set by the independent pay review body (STRB) who provide a report to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State then decides how closely to align the final Teacher Pay Order to those recommendations, and that outcome is generally the subject of a second consultation consultation focusing on the draft School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document and affordability of any changes for school employers, that tends to take place in the summer term.
The STRB report is built on evidence by the sector, including the written evidence from statutory consultees who are invited to provide evidence. The consultees are the teaching trade unions, and the employers voice is provided by NEOST