Teachers have rejected a "best and final" pay offer from employers as they say it falls far short of the 10% wage rise they are seeking.

Salaries for the profession are set by the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT).

But members of the teachers side of the SNCT confirmed they had rejected the offer of a 2% or 3% pay rise - which is in line with the Scottish Government's pubic sector pay policy.

Labour education spokesman Iain Gray said that left schools "heading for industrial action".

Ministers are proposing a 3% increase for public sector workers earning up to £36,500, with higher paid staff getting up to 2% - but the EIS teaching union has called for a 10% rise for all teachers.

A spokesman for the teachers' side of the SNCT said the offer "fails to deliver on the need to value education and value teachers by delivering appropriate salaries for Scotland's teaching professionals".

As a result he said teachers' negotiators "have rejected this offer of 2% or 3% for Scotland's teachers, as it falls far short of the 10% pay claim that was submitted".

He added: "Scotland wants and expects the best teaching professionals but, increasingly, is unwilling to pay appropriate professional salaries to the teachers working in our schools."

Meanwhile Mr Gray warned: "Scotland's schools are heading for industrial action unless John Swinney wakes up and takes action on teachers' pay and workload, and he has been given plenty of warning."

The Labour MSP added: "Teachers have made clear that enough is enough and they were never going to accept 3%."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "Industrial action in our schools is not in the interest of anyone, least of all pupils and parents.

"Teachers' pay is a matter for the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) and negotiations for 2018-19 are now underway.

"The Scottish Government will play its part in those discussions and we urge everyone round the table to take a constructive approach."