Updated 29 September 2026. This guide focuses on England. Figures are gross, before deductions; they are not take-home pay or an offer of employment.
The teacher pay scale is a useful starting point when comparing school-employed teaching jobs. Your actual offer also depends on the school’s pay policy, location, responsibilities and working fraction. This guide covers classroom teacher salaries; our supply teacher pay guide explains agency and short-notice daily rates separately.
What has changed for 2026/27?
The government has accepted a 3.5% teacher pay award for September 2026, followed by 3% for September 2027. However, the Department for Education’s September update says the final School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document is expected in mid-October, with the 2026 award backdated to 1 September. As at this review date, distinguish the accepted award and published salary schedules from the final statutory document and your employer’s payroll implementation.
Main and upper pay points: 2026/27
These are the NEU’s published 2026/27 advisory classroom teacher pay points, shown as full-time annual salaries. Check the final School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document and your school’s offer when confirming your pay.
| Point | England excluding London/Fringe | London Fringe | Outer London | Inner London |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | £34,069 | £35,602 | £39,196 | £41,729 |
| M2 | £36,042 | £37,647 | £41,246 | £43,713 |
| M3 | £38,400 | £39,979 | £43,403 | £45,787 |
| M4 | £40,941 | £42,513 | £45,673 | £47,961 |
| M5 | £43,529 | £45,070 | £48,438 | £50,666 |
| M6 | £46,940 | £48,479 | £52,241 | £54,131 |
| U1 | £49,134 | £50,625 | £54,047 | £59,650 |
| U2 | £50,956 | £52,442 | £56,047 | £62,581 |
| U3 | £52,835 | £54,328 | £58,120 | £64,684 |
M1–M6 are main-range reference points; U1–U3 are upper-range reference points. The table is not a promise that every school appoints or progresses every teacher through identical steps.
Which schools and roles does this cover?
Maintained schools in England use the statutory pay framework. Academies and independent schools can have their own arrangements; many follow national ranges, but check the employer’s policy. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have separate systems. Teaching assistants and HLTAs are support-staff roles, not positions on this classroom teacher table.
A salary advertised as “MPS/UPS” needs clarification before acceptance: ask for the actual point or annual amount, London area, working fraction and any additional responsibilities. An advert spanning the whole range does not mean the highest figure is available to every applicant.
Starting pay, progression and additional responsibilities
The DfE teacher-pay guidance explains annual salary review and separate leading-practitioner and leadership ranges. Teaching and learning responsibility payments and eligible SEN allowances are additional payments, not part of every classroom teacher’s basic salary. Confirm any allowance and its conditions in writing.
- For a first teaching post, ask how the school will determine your starting salary and what evidence it needs.
- If you are moving schools, provide your current pay details and relevant responsibilities, but obtain a written offer rather than assuming the new employer will match them.
- For upper-range progression, request the school’s criteria, process and timetable.
- For a promoted post, separate basic salary, any allowance, and duties that end if the responsibility changes.
Part-time salary and monthly pay
Use the contractual working fraction supplied by the employer. For example, a hypothetical £40,000 full-time salary at 0.6 FTE gives £24,000 gross per year, or £2,000 gross monthly if paid in 12 equal instalments. That is arithmetic, not an estimate of your net pay; tax, National Insurance, pension and other deductions depend on your circumstances.
Do not simply reduce a teacher’s annual salary to the number of pupil term weeks. Equally, do not compare an annual school-employed salary directly with a daily agency rate. The employment and payment arrangements differ.
A checklist before you accept a teaching offer
- Which pay policy and geographical area apply?
- What is the precise basic salary and working fraction?
- Is the September 2026 award already included, and how will any arrears be handled?
- What allowances are included, and for which duties?
- What does the contract say about pay review, pension, start date and duration?
- If the role is through an agency, what are the gross rate, holiday-pay treatment and payment method?
Find a teaching role that fits
Explore primary teaching jobs, secondary teaching jobs and SEN teaching jobs. Tell us your experience, preferred locations and availability so we can discuss suitable opportunities and the pay basis for each role.
Register with Impact Teachers to discuss your next role. For support-staff earnings, use our teaching assistant pay guide or HLTA salary guide.
