Schools in England get extra £500m in bid to avoid teachers' pay strike

Image source, Getty Images Image caption, The largest teaching union had objected to the prospect of partly funding a 3.5% pay increase this year out of existing school budgets

Education editor Published 42 minutes ago Schools in England are to get around £500 million in extra funding towards the teachers' pay award this school year, reducing the risk of a strike ballot by the largest education union.

Schools had been expected to fund some of the 3.5% teachers pay increase for the current school year out of their existing budgets, which National Education Union (NEU) leaders had strongly objected to.

Daniel Kebede, the General Secretary of the NEU, said the offer of more funding was a "significant" step in negotiations.