Calls to reverse the fall in teachers’ salaries have been made to attract more people to teaching as fewer male teachers are educating Oxfordshire’s youngsters.

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has called on the Government to reverse the fall in teacher salaries nationally to attract more men and women into the profession.

This comes as the Department for Education figures show that there were 6,157 teachers in state-funded schools in Oxfordshire as of November 2021 – with 1,358 of them men.

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This means male teachers make up just 22.1 per cent of the workforce in the area in the 2021-22 academic year.

This is down slightly from 22.2 per cent in 2020-21, and below the national average.

Across England, just 14 per cent of nursery and primary school teachers, 35 per cent of secondary teachers, and 25 per cent of special school and PRU teachers are men.

James Zuccollo, director of school workforce at the Education Policy Institute, said: "While the Covid-19 recession temporarily increased teacher applications, this has had no effect on the gender diversity of the school workforce, which is still dominated by women at every level."

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The ASCL said there is a particular issue right now in attracting men into teaching, which is contributing to difficult teacher supply problems.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the ASCL, said: “The Government must reverse the erosion of teacher pay which it has implemented over the past decade, dial down the excessive accountability regime it applies to schools, and ensure that schools are properly funded.

"This will help to attract both men and women into the profession."

The DfE figures show that despite teaching being a female-dominated industry, men tend to earn more than women.

The median salary for a male teacher in an English state school is £41,604 – three per cent more than the £40,490 made by women.

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In Oxfordshire schools, men earn £41,604 – four per cent more than women, who make £40,124 on average.

Men in the area get paid £40,124 on average when they work in the classroom, and £69,031 as head teachers.

Meanwhile, female classroom teachers get an average of £38,929, and heads £63,508.

Mr Barton said it is unfortunately the case that a much higher proportion of men go into leadership positions than women.

The Department for Education said employers are encouraged to publish a plan setting out the clear actions that they will put in place to reduce their gender pay gap.

A spokeswoman added: "We are also working with schools to address barriers that can prevent women from progressing in the workplace."

Read more from this author

This story was written by Rebecca Whittaker, she joined the team in 2019 as a multimedia reporter.

Rebecca covers education and news in Abingdon and Wantage.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Rebecca.Whittaker@newquest.co.uk or calling 07824524333

Follow her on Twitter @RebecWhitt

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