This paper provides causal estimates of the effect of teacher pay on pupil attainment using a sharp geographical discontinuity in teacher salaries. We compare schools in close proximity to a pay zone boundary to estimate the effect of teacher salary differentials on pupil attainment. We find...

A common feature of public sector labor markets is the use of pay scales. This paper examines how the removal of pay scales impacts productivity, by exploiting a reform that compelled all schools in England to replace pay scales with school-designed performance related pay schemes. We find that...

We explore the relative influence of family and neighbourhood on educational attainment and how this varies by sibling type. Using English register data we find sibling correlations in exam scores of 0.563 at the end of primary school and of 0.621 at the end of compulsory schooling. The...