PLANS to boost new teachers’ salaries in a bid to attract more people to the profession have been met with cautious optimism.

The government wants to increase starting salaries for school staff to £30,000 by 2022-23 as part of what it called the biggest reform to teacher pay in a generation.

Royal Wootton Bassett Academy headteacher George Croxford said: “I am cautiously optimistic. I would be thrilled to bits if the government do pay for all of it because it’s absolutely what this profession has needed since the last genuine increase in 2010.

“Since then, salaries have fallen behind with inflation and changes to tax.

“However, quite often the devil is in the details. This government has a track record of announcing things and then schools have to find much of the money themselves out of their own budgets.

“Changes made over the last few years have cost RWBA roughly £300,000 a year and there are only so many times we can do that.”

Swindon Borough Council cabinet member for commercialisation, education and skills Russell Holland said: "This is absolutely great news for Swindon, the teaching profession as a whole and for young people in the town. The government has recognised that there's an issue with teacher recruitment and I hope this will assist with addressing that."

Council leader David Renard said: “I welcome the increased pay for teaching staff because we need to attract and keep the best teachers to educate our young people for the future.

“In addition, I really welcome the proposed raising up of the minimum levels of funding per pupil in England.

“Swindon has been one of the lowest-funded authorities in the country for years and we have lobbied and campaigned for more money for some time."

Labour’s parliamentary candidate for south Swindon Sarah Church said: “I’ve been campaigning for the last four years alongside teaching unions for increased funding and better pay for staff.

“This announcement shows that the government can no longer ignore the voices of teachers, parents and support staff.

“If I trusted this government to deliver on any public spending promises, it would be a welcome announcement but unfortunately their record on delivery so far is very poor. The timing of this promise is a pre-election sop to a profession that has been battling underfunding for years under the Conservatives.”