* Plans to allow schools in England to vary the pay and conditions of teachers and support staff will lead to a two-tier education system with richer schools able to outbid poorer ones when recruiting staff, the UK's largest teaching union has warned. Last week education secretary Charles Clarke said schools should strive for 'earned autonomy' and be given more discretion to use staff in new ways and have 'freedom to vary terms and conditions of service of staff'.
* Plans to allow schools in England to vary the pay and conditions of teachers and support staff will lead to a two-tier education system with richer schools able to outbid poorer ones when recruiting staff, the UK's largest teaching union has warned.
Last week education secretary Charles Clarke said schools should strive for 'earned autonomy' and be given more discretion to use staff in new ways and have 'freedom to vary terms and conditions of service of staff'.
But a spokeswoman for the National Union of Teachers said ending national pay scales would set teacher against teacher, and staff against governing bodies. Well-funded schools in wealthy areas would be able to outbid schools in more disadvantaged areas because they could pay more. 'The rich areas would get the fully-qualified teachers, while poorer schools might only be able to afford to hire a classroom assistant. It would institutionalise a very damaging two-tier education system.'
