Teacher recruitment ad complaint ruled out

The Get Into Teaching campaign advertisement, which prompted a number of complaints from education bosses who claimed the advert exaggerated teachers’ pay, has been excused by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

The advert campaign suggested that teachers in England could earn up to £65,000. However, the government argued that the advert made it clear the salary was subject to eligibility and location.

The campaign is part of the government’s wider strategy to encourage more people to enter the profession, in order to stem the current teacher shortage.

The ASA said: “We considered that viewers were likely to understand that the salary information represented a pay scale, from starting salary to an aspirational but achievable salary for ‘good’ or ‘great’ teachers, including those who had progressed to senior or leadership roles.”

However, the National Union Teachers (NUT), one of the organisations who submitted a complaint against the advert, said that ASA’s decision was ‘quite surprising’.

Kevin Courtney, deputy general secretary of NUT, said: “The advert was instantly ridiculed by teachers, and they were right to do so. When only one in a thousand classroom teachers earn £65,000, it is obviously ridiculous for the DfE to give the impression that this is a likely salary.

"Teachers face five more years of one per cent baseline-pay rises and huge uncertainty because of the chaotic implementation of performance related pay.”

Commenting on the ruling, a spokesman for the Department for Education said: “Far from being inaccurate, the ASA has ruled that is right to say teachers can earn up to £65,000 - as many outstanding individuals do."