EDUCATION SECRETARY Gillian Keegan has been warned to heed the consequences of failing to reopen negotiations on teachers’ pay.

NASUWT general secretary Patrick Roach made the plea to Ms Keegan in his address at the union’s annual conference in Glasgow on Sunday.

He said that she needed the “ministerial competence” to address the pay dispute after teachers in England rejected the one-off payment of £1,000 for 2022/23 and an average 4.5 per cent salary increase for 2023/24.

Mr Roach confirmed that Ms Keegan had been put on “formal notice” of the union’s intention to ballot for strike action.

He told the conference: “We’re saying to Ms Keegan she cannot leave unfinished the job of settling this dispute.

“And I also say this: if you think that you can rely on the pay review body in England to do your bidding and recommend yet another below-inflation pay award for our members for September, then you’re mistaken.

“Get back around the table whilst there is still time, negotiate a proper deal or deal with the consequences.”

The Department for Education said it was “extremely disappointing” that unions are reballoting for more strike action.