Academy vs Maintained School Pay: Key Differences Explained
One of the most significant decisions in a teacher's career is choosing between a maintained school and an academy (or free school). While the day-to-day experience of teaching may be similar, the pay and conditions frameworks can differ substantially. Understanding these differences is crucial when applying for posts, negotiating pay, or considering a move between the two sectors.
This guide provides a detailed comparison of pay, conditions, and entitlements across maintained schools and academies, helping you make informed career decisions and understand your contractual rights.
The Legal Framework
Maintained schools (community, voluntary-aided, voluntary-controlled, and foundation schools) are required by law to follow the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD), published annually by the Department for Education. The STPCD sets out mandatory pay scales, working time limits, professional duties, and conditions of service that maintained schools must observe.
Academies and free schools are not required to follow the STPCD. As independent state-funded schools, they have the freedom to set their own pay and conditions. In practice, many academies — particularly those that were recently converted from maintained status — continue to use the STPCD framework. However, multi-academy trusts (MATs) increasingly create their own pay structures, which may diverge significantly from the national framework.
Pay Scales Comparison
| Aspect | Maintained Schools (STPCD) | Academies |
|---|---|---|
| Main Pay Scale | M1-M6, set nationally | Can set own scales or use STPCD |
| Upper Pay Scale | UPS1-UPS3, set nationally | May use own thresholds or ranges |
| Leadership Scale | 8 bands, linked to school size | Trust sets leadership pay |
| Pay progression | Performance-based, annual review | Trust determines method |
| London weighting | Inner/Outer/Fringe uplifts mandatory | At trust's discretion |
Check Before You Accept
When applying to an academy, always request the full pay policy before accepting an offer. Some academies advertise "competitive salaries" but may start teachers below the equivalent STPCD point, have slower progression, or lack equivalent London weighting. Equally, some academies offer above-STPCD rates to attract talent in shortage subjects.
Directed Hours and Working Time
The STPCD sets a limit of 1,265 hours of directed time per year for teachers in maintained schools. This is the maximum time a headteacher can direct a teacher to be on the school premises or working. Academies are not bound by this limit and can set their own expectations for working hours in staff contracts.
In practice, many academies maintain similar directed hours to maintained schools. However, some trusts — particularly those with extended school day models or additional enrichment programmes — require teachers to be available for significantly longer. A small number of academy chains have attracted criticism for contractual hours that exceed those in maintained schools by 10-15%, without corresponding pay increases.
PPA Time
The STPCD guarantees teachers a minimum of 10% of timetabled teaching time for Planning, Preparation, and Assessment (PPA). This is a legal entitlement in maintained schools that headteachers cannot override. Academy trusts should also provide PPA time, and most do, but they have more flexibility in how it is allocated. Some academies front-load PPA into specific days, while others distribute it differently from maintained schools.
Allowances: TLR and SEN
The STPCD defines two levels of Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) payments and a mandatory SEN allowance for teachers working in special schools or with a significant proportion of SEN pupils:
- TLR1: £10,531 to £17,819 (2026/27)
- TLR2: £3,651 to £8,913 (2026/27)
- TLR3: Fixed-term, £727 to £3,600
- SEN allowance: £2,885 to £5,690
Academies may use entirely different allowance structures — some are more generous, others less so. Some MATs create their own "responsibility payments" that do not correspond directly to TLR bands.
Pension: The Same for Both
One area where there is no difference is pension provision. Both maintained schools and academies are required to enrol teachers in the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS). Employer contributions and employee contribution rates are identical regardless of school type. This is a significant benefit, as the TPS is one of the most generous pension schemes available in the UK public sector. The employee contribution rate ranges from 7.4% to 12.0% depending on salary, and employers currently contribute 28.68%.
Performance Management
Both maintained schools and academies are required to carry out annual performance appraisals. In maintained schools, the appraisal process follows regulations set out alongside the STPCD. Academies must also appraise staff but have more freedom in how they structure the process. In both cases, pay progression should be linked to performance, though the criteria and evidence requirements may differ. Some large MATs have developed sophisticated performance management frameworks with centralised moderation, while others delegate entirely to individual schools.
Pros and Cons Summary
| Factor | Maintained Advantage | Academy Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Pay certainty | National scales guaranteed | Potential for higher pay in some trusts |
| Working hours | 1,265-hour cap protected | Flexibility can benefit some models |
| PPA time | 10% legally guaranteed | Most provide equivalent |
| Career flexibility | Easy lateral moves within LA | MATs offer multi-school pathways |
| Innovation | Stable, proven framework | More freedom to innovate on pay and roles |
TUPE Transfers
When a maintained school converts to academy status, staff transfer under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations — known as TUPE. This means all existing terms and conditions, including pay rates, allowances, sick pay entitlements, and redundancy terms, are legally preserved at the point of transfer. The academy trust cannot unilaterally change these terms after the transfer without employee agreement. However, over time, trusts may negotiate changes, particularly if they wish to harmonise terms across multiple schools in the trust.
Use the Calculator to Compare
Whether you are in a maintained school or an academy, use our Take Home Pay Calculator to see exactly how different salary offers translate into monthly take-home pay. This is especially useful when comparing offers between schools that use different pay frameworks.