STPCD 2025 teacher pay and redundancy calculator | Expert Zoom

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the teacher pay award for 2025-2026 under the STPCD?

  The School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) 35th Report recommended a 4% pay award for 2025-2026, accepted in full by the Secretary of State for Education and given effect by the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions (England) Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/892). The award applies to all pay ranges from 1 September 2025, bringing the national minimum reference salary to £32,916 for classroom teachers on the Main Pay Range.

• What are the teacher pay ranges in England for 2025-2026?

  Under the STPCD 2025 (4% award effective 1 September 2025), the national Main Pay Range runs from £32,916 to £45,432. The Upper Pay Range runs from £47,472 to £51,047. Inner London teachers receive higher rates — Main Pay Range £39,509 to £52,301. Schools set individual pay points within these statutory limits.

• How is redundancy pay calculated for teachers in England?

  Statutory redundancy pay for teachers in maintained schools is calculated under ERA 1996 s.162: 0.5 week's pay per year of service under age 22, 1 week per year aged 22–40, and 1.5 weeks per year aged 41 and over. Weekly pay is capped at £700 (from April 2026) and qualifying years are capped at 20, giving a maximum statutory redundancy of £21,000. The STPCD does not itself specify enhanced redundancy — check with your school or local authority for any enhanced policy.

• How many days annual leave do teachers get under the STPCD?

  Teachers in maintained schools have 195 directed days per academic year (including up to 5 INSET days), with the remainder as school holidays — approximately 65 working days (13 weeks). This substantially exceeds the Working Time Regulations 1998 statutory minimum of 28 days for full-time workers. Part-time teachers receive their holiday entitlement on a pro-rata basis.

• What is the notice period for teachers in maintained schools?

  Two regimes apply. Under ERA 1996 s.86, the statutory minimum is 1 week per complete year of service (maximum 12 weeks). The Burgundy Book (national conditions of service) requires teachers to give notice so resignation takes effect at the end of a school term: notice by 31 October to leave 31 December, by the last day of February to leave 30 April, or by 31 May to leave 31 August (approximately 2–3 months). The longer of statutory or contractual notice governs.

• Which pension scheme covers teachers in maintained schools?

  Teachers in maintained schools and most academies are automatically enrolled in the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) — a Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE) defined benefit scheme administered by Teachers' Pensions on behalf of the DfE. Employee contributions are tiered by salary from 7.4% to 12.4%; the employer contribution rate is 28.68% (effective from September 2023 following the actuarial valuation).

• What are the TLR allowance amounts for teachers in 2025-2026?

  Under the STPCD 2025 (4% award), Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) allowances are: TLR1 — £3,527 to £6,025 (for significant responsibility involving leading, developing and enhancing the teaching practice of others); TLR2 — £904 to £3,077 (for a sustained additional responsibility); TLR3 — £607 to £1,778 (time-limited for specified projects or externally driven responsibilities).

• What is the SEN allowance for teachers in 2025-2026?

  The Special Educational Needs (SEN) allowance under the STPCD 2025 (4% award) ranges from £2,761 to £5,507 per year for teachers who teach pupils with special educational needs in designated SEN posts. The exact amount is determined by the school's governing body within these statutory limits.

• Does the STPCD 2025 apply to academies?

  The STPCD 2025 (S.I. 2025/892) is mandatory for all local authority maintained schools in England. Academies are not currently required to follow it, though many choose to do so. The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, when enacted, is expected to extend STPCD coverage to all academies. If you work in an academy, check whether your employer has chosen to apply STPCD pay scales.

• What is the minimum salary for a newly qualified teacher in England in 2025-2026?

  Under the STPCD 2025, the minimum reference salary for a qualified classroom teacher on the Main Pay Range is £32,916 per year outside London (national rate), effective from 1 September 2025. In Inner London this rises to £39,509, in Outer London to £34,970, and in the London Fringe to £33,703. Unqualified teachers have a separate range with a national minimum of £21,026.