The expectation that teachers are in line to receive inflation busting pay rises was further fuelled by the Education Secretary on Monday.
Bridget Phillipson declined to say whether the Government would accept the recommendation from the pay review body, which is understood to be suggesting 5.5 per cent wage increases for public sector workers - more than double the current 2 per cent inflation rate.
But she hinted that educators will get a bumper salary rise as she praised Britain’s “brilliant workforce”.
“What I can say is I recognise the absolutely crucial role that teachers and educational staff play in our country,” she told Times Radio.
“We want to make sure that they are properly supported and we will have more to say by the end of the month.”
Ms Phillipson also accused her Tory predecessor Gillian Keegan of "a complete dereliction of duty" for failing to act on the pay review body's recommendations for months.
She agreed with Chancellor Rachel Reeves that there is a cost to not settling pay disputes, adding: "We saw industrial action previously under the last Conservative government and that had serious consequences because they didn't take a responsible approach.
"What I've set out as Education Secretary is a different way of doing things, so working together with the brilliant workforce that's across education because that's how we will deliver better life chances for all of our children.
"But I do have to say, the last Conservative government and the previous education secretary received this report from the teachers' review body, sat on it, called the election and disappeared off the scene.
"It was highly irresponsible, a complete dereliction of duty but it falls to us to set this right."
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) estimates that a 5.5 per cent pay increase across all public sector professions would cost about £10billion, a move that would place significant pressure on the public purse and the Government’s tight fiscal rules.
The Chancellor is expected to present a response to the recommendations at the end of the month.
