How state school teacher pay scales work in England and Wales
In England and Wales, qualified classroom teachers in local authority maintained schools and many academies are paid according to statutory pay ranges set out in the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD).
The primary framework consists of the Main Pay Range (MPR, points M1 to M6) for early career teachers and main scale staff, and the Upper Pay Range (UPR, points U1 to U3) for experienced teachers who have successfully crossed the performance threshold. Unqualified teachers are paid on the separate Unqualified Teacher Range (points UTR1 to UTR6).
Salaries vary significantly based on school location, with four distinct geographic pay zones: Rest of England and Wales (national), London Fringe, Outer London, and Inner London. In addition, teachers may receive pensionable allowances including Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR 1, 2, or 3) payments for middle leadership duties, and Special Educational Needs (SEN) allowances.
Worked example: Early Career Teacher (Point M1 outside London)
Consider a full-time Early Career Teacher starting on Point M1 of the Main Pay Range outside London (Rest of England and Wales) in the 2026/27 tax year, enrolled in the Teachers' Pension Scheme with no student loan.
Gross salary: Point M1 provides an annual gross salary of £31,650.00, equivalent to £2,637.50 gross per month.
Teachers' Pension Scheme: Under TPS tiered contribution bands, earnings up to £34,289.00 incur an employee contribution rate of 7.4%. Your annual pension contribution is £2,342.10 (£195.18 per month).
Income Tax and National Insurance: Because TPS contributions are deducted from gross pay before income tax is calculated (under a net pay arrangement), your taxable employment income is reduced to £29,307.90. After your £12,570.00 tax-free Personal Allowance, 20% basic rate Income Tax equals £3,347.58 per year (£278.97 per month). Class 1 National Insurance is calculated on your full gross earnings, incurring 8% NI on pay above the £12,570.00 primary threshold, which equals £1,526.40 per year (£127.20 per month).
Net take-home pay: Total annual deductions equal £7,216.08, delivering an annual net take-home pay of £24,433.92 and a monthly net take-home salary of £2,036.16.
Understanding allowances and part-time pro-rata calculations
Teachers taking on extra leadership duties or working non-standard schedules should account for two key factors:
TLR and SEN allowances: TLR payments reward sustained additional responsibility (such as head of department or head of year), while SEN allowances recognize work in special schools or designated SEN units. These allowances increase your gross pay and are fully pensionable under TPS.
Part-time pro-rata pay: Part-time teachers are paid according to their fractional Full Time Equivalent (FTE), such as 0.6 FTE for working three days per week. The TPS contribution percentage is determined by your full-time equivalent salary rate, but the actual cash deduction is applied only to your pro-rata earnings.
Inputs for the Teacher pay calculator
Teaching pay scale
Select whether you are on the Main Pay Range (MPR), Upper Pay Range (UPR), or Unqualified Teacher Range.
Main scale pay point
Select your point from M1 (ECT Year 1) to M6 (top of the main pay scale).
Upper scale pay point
Select your point from U1 to U3 (for teachers who have passed the performance threshold).
Unqualified scale pay point
Select your point from UTR1 to UTR6 for instructors and unqualified teaching staff.
School location zone
Choose Rest of England and Wales, London Fringe, Outer London, or Inner London to apply the appropriate regional weighting.
TLR allowance (annual)
Enter any annual Teaching and Learning Responsibility allowance (e.g. TLR 1, 2, or 3).
SEN allowance (annual)
Enter any Special Educational Needs allowance paid for SEN duties.
Working pattern
Select full-time (1.0 FTE) or part-time to calculate pro-rata salary.
Part-time FTE fraction
Your contracted fraction of full-time hours (e.g. 0.8 for 4 days or 0.5 for 2.5 days).
Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS)
Select whether you are enrolled in TPS (deducting between 7.4% and 11.7% depending on salary) or opted out.
Tax year
The UK tax year used to compute Income Tax and National Insurance deductions.
Student loan
Select your UK student loan plan (Plan 1, Plan 2, Plan 4, Plan 5) to deduct repayments above statutory thresholds.
Postgraduate Loan
Select Yes if you are repaying a master's or doctoral postgraduate loan through PAYE.
CALCULATOR QUESTIONS
Teacher pay calculator questions
What is the starting salary for a teacher in England?
Under the 2024/25 and 2026/27 STPCD agreements, the minimum starting salary for an Early Career Teacher (Point M1) is £31,650 outside London, £33,075 in the London Fringe, £36,413 in Outer London, and £38,762 in Inner London.
How much do teachers pay into the Teachers' Pension Scheme?
Teachers' Pension Scheme employee contributions are tiered based on full-time equivalent salary: 7.4% up to £34,289, 8.6% from £34,290 to £46,158, 9.6% from £46,159 to £54,729, 10.2% from £54,730 to £72,534, 11.3% from £72,535 to £98,909, and 11.7% above £98,910.
How do teachers move from the Main to the Upper Pay Range?
Teachers on Point M6 can apply to pass the threshold to Point U1 of the Upper Pay Range. Progression is assessed through performance management and evidence of substantial and sustained contributions to the school.
How are part-time teachers paid in England and Wales?
Part-time teachers are paid pro-rata based on the school's standard 1,265 directed hours per year. For example, a teacher working 0.6 FTE on a £43,607 full-time salary receives £26,164.20 gross per year.