The poll of more than 1,000 adults, conducted by Survation on behalf of the GMB union, reveals that 74 per cent believe the average teaching assistants’ (TA) salary of £13,856 last year was too low.
The survey also found:
- 78 per cent of those surveyed agree school support staff should receive overtime payments if school days are extended following the lifting of lockdown to help pupils catch-up – a Government proposal.
- Eight in ten agree school support staff are important to children’s education.
- Three-quarters agree school support staff should be more valued by society.
- 68 per cent agree school support staff should be paid during holidays, the same as teachers do.
GMB is now calling for a ‘substantial’ pay rise for school support staff as part of the local government pay claim, to make up for a decade of real terms pay cuts under Conservative governments.
The union’s national secretary Rehana Azam said, ‘We know our school support staff members are the glue that keeps children’s education together.
‘They’re the people who help your children learn, feed them, and keep schools safe.
‘While many teachers have been working from home throughout the pandemic, GMB members remain in schools, supervising classes, preparing food and maintaining school buildings.
‘These results show that school support staff are rightly valued by the public – now it’s time for the Government and employers to catch up. That’s why GMB is calling for a substantial pay rise for school support staff to make up for a decade of Tory cuts.’
