Almost two-thirds (61%) of respondents support the government’s plans to introduce performance-related pay for teachers, according to research by Populus.
Its research, which questioned 1,723 people, found that only a quarter (28%) of respondents believe that two teachers in the same job with the same length of service should always receive the same salary regardless of their performance.
The research also found:
- 40% of respondents said the quality of teaching should be determined by an annual appraisal process, followed by 29% who said it should be determined by students’ exam results.
- 8% of respondents believe that length of service is the most important factor, while 7% believe that ensuring parity with other teachers in the school should determine pay levels.
- 70% of respondents do not support plans by the two largest teaching unions to hold strikes later this year to protest about pay and conditions.
- 36% did not support the strike action and a further 34% believe that teachers should be banned from striking like the police because they provide an essential public service.
- 29% of respondents support plans for industrial action by the unions.
Michael Gove, education secretary, announced in January that performance-related pay for teachers will be introduced in all schools in England and Wales from this September. Heads will be given the freedom to abolish all pay increases based on length of service and link pay to performance based on appraisals.
Rick Nye, strategy director at Populus, said: “These findings show strong public support for a move away from the automatic annual pay rises of the past towards performance-related pay in schools.”