Teaching - Pay and Benefits

You may be surprised by how rewarding a teaching career can be. With starting salaries matching what you'd receive in many other professions, your experience and performance can see you achieve rapid progression and enjoy the financial rewards to match.

All qualified Teachers are paid according to pay scales, set each april by the Government. Starting on the 'main' pay scale, each year, subject to performance, you will move up a step until you reach the maximum level or move on to a scale associated with a different position or level of experience.

Once you have completed your initial Teacher Training and achieved Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), from September 2007 you can expect to start as a newly qualified Teacher (NQT) in England and Wales on £20,133 a year (or £24,168 if you work in inner London).

For the first few years of your career, you might find yourself progressing to a leadership pay scale, or even a headship pay scale. These pay scales apply from September 2007 and include:

Where you fit into these scales will depend on your position, experience and location, as well as on your individual school.

In addition to your basic salary, you will also receive a range of benefits, including:

• Responsibility payments - additional money if you take on additional responsibilities
• Teachers' pension - the second largest public sector pension scheme in the country, and 
• Holidays - more days than many people in other professions, although don't be fooled into thinking you'll have long hot summers in which to enjoy putting your feet up. Teachers work for 195 days per year in school, and do work during their holidays.

If you work in London you may be eligible for a key worker Low Cost Home Ownership scheme (LCHO)

Salary scales

This page outlines the basic salary scales for all Teachers from September 2007.

Teaching and learning responsibility payments

• TLR 1 max    £11,557
• TLR 1 min     £6,829
• TLR 2 max    £5,778
• TLR 2 min     £2,364

Special needs allowances

• Level 2          £3,687
• Level 1          £1,866