Mr Balls said teachers in England and Wales would receive 2.3% rises in 2009 and 2010 under the three-year deal.

The figures were lower than the previous pay award for teachers of 2.5% but higher than some had expected.

The salary rises were also above the Government's preferred measure of inflation, the consumer prices index, which is running at 2.1%.

Mr Balls said the award was both "fair and affordable".

"Teachers are the backbone of our education system," he said.

"We know that the most important factor in education, alongside the input of parents, is the quality of teachers. I believe we have a world-class workforce that is improving all the time.

"Today's pay award will enable teachers and schools to plan ahead with a greater degree of security and certainty and at the same time will help deliver stability for the taxpayer and the wider economy.

"I believe this pay award, the first of the Government's three-year, forward-looking, public sector pay awards, is fair for teachers and affordable for schools.

"It builds on the record real terms pay increases that teachers have been awarded during the last 10 years."