HEADTEACHERS have attacked a new pay offer as “cynical and divisive” arguing it will undermine the drive to tackle Scotland’s school leadership recruitment crisis.

The two leading headteachers’ unions - representing both the primary and secondary sector - issued a joint statement after plans emerged for a rise of up to ten per cent for classroom teachers at the top and bottom of the pay scale.

All other school staff - including deputy heads and headteachers - are being offered just three per cent, despite concern salaries have been eroded significantly over the past decade.

Headteachers in charge of the largest secondary schools in Scotland can earn up to £88,000, but the majority earn significantly less than that and starting salaries are just £45,000.

The row over pay also comes at a time when the Scottish Government is seeking to give more responsibility to heads through a new Headteachers’ Charter.

Greg Dempster, general secretary of the Association of Headteachers and Deputes in Scotland, which represents the primary sector, and Jim Thewliss, general secretary of secondary union School Leaders Scotland, said the offer would make the job less attractive.

The statement said: “School leaders will be very disappointed with the proposal which seeks, one might say cynically, to offer around 10 per cent to some classroom teachers in an effort to appease those campaigning for a restorative pay award.

“While that will be very welcome for a significant part of the teaching workforce, it is by its very nature divisive, would not benefit all classroom teachers and fails to take account of those in leadership posts.”

The union leaders declined to comment on the possibility of taking industrial action to secure a better deal, but it is understood to be one option under future consideration.

They added: “We are told constantly by politicians, academics and international experts about the critical importance of effective school leadership.

“We need to ensure there are appropriate financial incentives to attract people into headship ... and recruitment issues tell us those incentives are not currently strong enough.”

Last summer, it emerged almost 200 headteachers run more than one school, with potential candidates said to be deterred from applying due to increased responsibilities and inadequate pay.

The joint statement concluded: “The question we must ask is whether this offer, which signals that councils value school leaders less than others, is likely to address the ongoing recruitment problems - the answer is an unequivocal ‘no’.”

A spokesman for the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), which represents some headteachers as well as the majority of teachers, said the 10 per cent claims should apply to all members.

He added: “Throughout pay discussions we have argued that all teachers have been subjected to deep real-terms pay cuts over the past decade and all are equally deserving of a fair pay rise.”

However, Gail MacGregor, resources spokeswoman for council umbrella body Cosla, said restructuring pay grades was a separate issue from pay.

She said: “There is a separate discussion around £25 million for re-structuring of the pay grade, but that is nothing to do with the pay deal.

“Our policy on pay parity across the workforce means we have to be fair to all of our workforce which is why the same offer has been made to all.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Teachers’ pay is a matter for the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers and negotiations are now well underway and making progress.”