LEVEL 1 teaching assistants in Wales will be moved to level 2 roles from September 2026.

This move will benefit up to 3,350 current level one teaching assistants, who will receive a pay rise of up to £1,350.

Teaching assistants play a vital role in supporting teaching and learning in our schools and settings. Working with local authorities and unions, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle has today (March 18) confirmed that the Welsh Government will fund the salary increase for level 1 teaching assistants to move to level 2, subject to local consultation*. Future teaching assistant roles will also be recruited at a minimum of level two.

Alongside increased pay, the move will ensure consistent teaching assistant role descriptions and will support improved recruitment and retention.

The announcement comes on the same day the Strategic Education Workforce Plan for Schools is published. The plan outlines a shared vision of developing a confident, resilient, and well‑supported education profession, responding directly to feedback from practitioners, unions, local authorities, Estyn, the Education Workforce Council (EWC) and other key partners.

To support the current and future workforce, the plan sets out a range of actions for Welsh Government and partners to take forward under five themes, which are –

• Ensuring quality of teaching and learning
• Addressing workload issues
• Responding to new challenges for the school workforce and ensuring access to support through a specialist and pastoral workforce
• Ensuring that teaching, supporting teaching an educational leadership are attractive career pathways
• Ensuring effective use of data and evidence to inform workforce planning
• The well-being of staff is addressed under each theme and is central within the plan.

Actions outlined within the plan include a commitment to establish career-long national professional learning pathways for teachers, leaders and teaching assistants working closely with Dysgu. The initial teacher education incentives and pathways into teaching will also be reviewed to support recruitment of future teachers.

There’s also a commitment to understand alternative models for supporting teachers with time away from the classroom, and to support the appropriate use of generative artificial intelligence in learning and to reduce workload.

The plan also recognises new challenges the school workforce is facing in supporting learners outside of their day-to-day teaching duties. This includes strengthening multi-agency collaboration to support the school workforce to respond to wider societal changes. It also commits to investing and supporting non-teaching pastoral roles including Family Engagement Officers and the work of Community Focused Schools Managers.

Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle, said: “Today is a milestone day for education with the plan outlining key commitments that will benefit the sector in many ways in the short and long term.

“The plan has been developed in collaboration with the sector and will support our leaders, teachers, and support staff now and in the future. Equipping them with the skills they need to meet the needs of learners, with wellbeing support for the staff at the heart of the plan.

“I am also pleased to announce the uplift for level 1 teaching assistants today, this is the first step towards the long-term goal of pursuing fairer pay and conditions for all teaching assistants.”

Councillor Lis Burnett, WLGA Spokesperson for Education, said: “Teaching assistants are at the heart of our schools, building trusted relationships with pupils and providing the day-to-day support that helps children feel confident and ready to learn. We welcome this funding from Welsh Government to support the move from level 1 to level 2 roles, recognising the important contribution they make. It’s vital this sits alongside ongoing work to ensure fair and equitable conditions across the whole workforce, so staff feel properly valued and supported in the role they play in children’s lives.”

Union warns disparity is ‘grossly unfair’ as new analysis shows male school leaders earning thousands more on average

THE GENDER pay gap between male and female secondary school headteachers in Wales has increased tenfold in just one year, according to new analysis.

Research by NAHT Cymru found that male heads were paid an average of £4,507 more than their female counterparts in secondary schools in 2024/25. This marks a sharp rise from the £447 difference recorded in 2023/24. In 2019/20 the gap stood at £1,887.

The school leaders’ union analysed workforce data to examine the gender pay gap for the first time across different leadership roles.

Among primary school headteachers, the average gap was £739 in favour of men, while special school heads saw a difference of £846. Both figures have fallen since peaking in 2019/20, when the gaps reached £1,128 and £6,390 respectively.

In other leadership roles including acting, deputy and assistant headteachers, the gap also widened in some sectors. In secondary schools it rose from £1,633 to £1,771. Primary schools recorded a six-year high of £516, while special schools saw the gap reach £3,785.

The disparities come despite the existence of a national pay framework for school leaders.

Women make up 74% of the teaching workforce in Wales, but their representation falls to 62% among headteachers and 68% in other leadership positions.

Among classroom teachers, the pattern differs. In primary schools, female teachers were paid on average £1,058 more than men in 2024/25, up from £881 the previous year. In secondary schools the gap in favour of women stood at £160. However, male teachers in primary special schools earned on average £891 more than their female colleagues, up from £832 in 2023/24.

Laura Doel, national secretary of NAHT Cymru, said the findings raised serious concerns.

“It cannot be fair or right that women who progress into senior leadership roles are paid less on average than men,” she said.

“While it is possible the enormous gap this year among secondary heads has been skewed by a small number of outliers, it remains clear that this is a really significant issue across all types of school.

“It is grossly unfair for the women affected. Even a relatively small gap can accumulate into a very large difference in overall earnings over the course of a career, with major implications for salaries and pension entitlements.

“It is also bad for schools and pupils. If women feel they are not being fairly compensated for the enormous responsibility and workload that leadership brings, they may leave the profession altogether. Schools can ill afford to lose talented female leaders at a time when many are already facing recruitment and retention difficulties.

“We are not seeing anything like enough sustained improvement in tackling this issue, which is why we are calling on the Welsh Government to act now.”

NAHT Cymru is urging the Welsh Government to review the equality implications of the current pay system and introduce measures to support more women into leadership roles.

The union is also calling for mentoring and leadership development programmes, greater funded support for flexible working, and a national policy on funded parental leave and adoption across the profession.

Trying to revise for A-levels can feel a little overwhelming, especially when it comes to complex topics such as science and maths. However, there are plenty of things you can do to revise more effectively, resulting in less stress and increasing your chances of securing better grades. Let’s explore. 

Create a Manageable Revision Timetable 

A revision timetable comes with a number of benefits, including better time management, increased motivation, and reduced stress. 

If you struggle to get going or feel overwhelmed by the amount of studying you need to do, a timetable can really help. Giving yourself set times to study means you know exactly what you’re doing and when, reducing overwhelm and ensuring you cover all the material. 

Use Visual Aids 

Comprehensive A-level revision notes are essential, but you don’t need to stick to paragraphs of information. If that’s how you learn best then don’t reinvent the wheel, but if you feel like you’d benefit from something more visually stimulating, concept mapping might be a better option. 

Concept mapping includes everything from spider diagrams to tables and allows you to access information easily and in a more visually appealing way. For many people, this helps them to remember things faster and may help you understand each element of a given topic more extensively. 

Remove Distractions 

TVs, game consoles, and social media are all big distractions. And while they all sound more appealing than revising, they can massively limit your productivity. Removing these distractions is critical. 

If possible, create a revision-friendly environment. Use a dedicated desk and remove any TVs and gaming consoles from the room, and keep your phone off or leave it elsewhere. This should help you focus better on the task at hand. 

Take Regular Breaks 

The most important thing to remember is to take regular breaks. Revising for hours on end is unlikely to be effective and may lead to burnout. If you’ve planned your revision schedule effectively, you will have given yourself plenty of revision time before your exams begin, avoiding that last-minute cram and ensuring you still have the time to relax, engage in your favourite hobbies, and socialise with family and friends. 

Revision Shouldn’t Be Overlooked 

Taking the time to understand a subject thoroughly is essential for A-level success. By creating a reasonable revision timetable, leveraging visual aids, removing distractions, and taking regular breaks, you can set yourself up for better grades.