Wales aiming to match England on teachers' pay award, minister says

Teachers in Wales can expect a similar pay increase to that being offered in England, the education minister has said.

Anna Brychan said the new Plaid Cymru Welsh government would be "looking to match pay awards in England".

England's teachers have been offered a 6.5% rise over three years by the UK government – a deal called an "insult" by one union which said it would not even match inflation.

On pupils having mobile phones in schools, Brychan said she did not feel there was a place for the devices "in the school day and within school".

Last week, the Welsh government told teaching unions that it would delay publication of a report by the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body which contains the recommended percentage increases pay award for 2026-27.

The report is understood to be complete.

It was originally due to be published on Friday 12 June and followed by a four-week consultation.

Speaking on BBC Radio Wales Breakfast on Wednesday, Brychan said she wanted more time to look at the report's recommendations.

"There are a number of them in this report," she said.

"Some of them are on pay and some of them are wider as well. I want to give a considered response to this."

The minister added: "The timeline for when these reports are received is something we need to look at. Traditionally it has been very difficult and very rare that an announcement has been made on pay before the summer."

"There is an awful lot in these to consider."

On the size of the final pay deal, she said: "We'd be looking to match pay awards for teachers in England.

"We haven't heard yet what the pay award is [the final deal teachers in England receive]. We need to be mindful of our budget and local authorities in Wales to pay these salaries.

"We have to be very careful, there's conversations to have, but that is my position, yes."

Previous ministers have applied a "no detriment" principle, meaning that teacher pay settlements in Wales would not be lower than in England.

England's largest teaching union, the National Education Union (NEU), said last month it will hold a formal ballot on whether or not to hold strikes there in the autumn if the UK government "does not take urgent action", after the 6.5% pay award spread over the next three years was recommended.

The NEU called that offer an "insult" unlikely to match inflation, the rate at which the cost of goods and services is rising.

According to figures published on Wednesday, inflation remained at 2.8% in the year to May, lower than predicted.

It is still expected to rise in the coming months due to the impact of the war in the Middle East, but analysts say the peace deal agreed between the US and Iran means those increases could be smaller.

In the Senedd on Tuesday, Brychan told MSs that headteachers will be "strongly encouraged" to restrict pupils using phones during the school day.

She promised to set "clear national expectations on how mobile phones are used in schools".

Speaking on BBC Radio Cymru's Dros Frecwast, on Wednesday, the minister went further.

"I don't feel there is a place for mobile phones in the school day and within school - that focusing on teaching and learning is the purpose of our schools so we will put in the consultation document the guidelines schools can put in place to ensure that."

Asked if there should be an outright ban, Brychan said she would like to see if the guidance works first but added: "I am open to the idea of banning them fully but this is a substantial, important step in that direction."

Additional reporting by Dylan Greene