Part-Time Teacher Pay Calculator

How Part-Time Teacher Pay Works in the UK

Part-time teacher pay in England is governed by the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD). The formula is straightforward: your full-time equivalent salary is multiplied by your FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) ratio -- the proportion of a full-time timetable you work. For example, working 16.25 hours out of 32.5 full-time hours gives an FTE of 0.5, meaning you receive half the full-time salary for your pay point and region.

Directed Hours and Your FTE Ratio

Under the STPCD, full-time teachers are available for 195 days per year and can be directed to work up to 1,265 hours. Dividing 1,265 by 39 school weeks gives roughly 32.4 hours per week, commonly rounded to the quoted 32.5, though some schools spread hours differently. Your contract should clearly state both your contracted hours and the full-time equivalent hours used at your school. Even a small discrepancy in the FTE calculation can amount to hundreds of pounds over a year, so check these figures carefully.

Pro-Rata Calculation Example

Consider a teacher at M3 in the Rest of England, where full-time pay is £38,400. Working 19.5 hours out of 32.5 gives an FTE of 0.6, producing a pro-rata salary of £23,040 before deductions. This salary is then subject to the same deductions as any teacher: pension contributions, income tax, National Insurance, and student loan repayments. Because pension contribution tiers are based on actual earnings, part-time teachers on lower pro-rata salaries may fall into a lower tier.

PPA Time for Part-Time Teachers

All teachers are entitled to at least 10% of timetabled teaching time as Planning, Preparation, and Assessment (PPA) time. For part-time teachers, this is calculated pro rata based on actual teaching hours. PPA time must fall within your contracted hours and should not require attendance outside your normal working pattern.

Pension Impact of Part-Time Working

The Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) uses a career-average (CARE) model where each year 1/57th of your actual pensionable earnings is added to your pension pot. Working part time directly affects accrual since pension is based on your pro-rata salary, not the full-time equivalent. Employee contribution rates are tiered: for 2026/27, a pro-rata salary below £36,198 attracts a rate of 7.4%. Your employer separately contributes 28.68% of your pensionable salary on top of your pay.

TLR and SEN Payments

Under the STPCD, TLR1 and TLR2 payments are made in recognition of responsibility level, not hours worked, and should be paid in full regardless of part-time status. However, if a school creates a specifically part-time role with reduced responsibilities, it may offer a lower value within the allowed ranges. This calculator lets you enter the full-time TLR value and automatically pro-rates it.

The SEN allowance (£2,885 to £5,690) is typically pro-rated in proportion to your FTE ratio, unlike TLR payments.

Part-Time Pay Examples

Example pro-rata salaries for 2026/27 in the Rest of England:

Your Rights and Pay Progression

Under the Part-Time Workers Regulations 2000, part-time teachers must be treated no less favourably than full-time colleagues. You are entitled to the same rate of pay (pro-rated), access to training, sick pay, and holiday entitlement. Pay progression works identically to full-time teachers: a year of service counts as a full year regardless of hours worked. Performance appraisals should set objectives appropriate for your working pattern, and applications for the Upper Pay Range are judged on the same criteria.

Since April 2024, employees can make two flexible working requests per year from their first day of employment, and employers must respond within two months.

Meetings, INSET, and Directed Hours

Your directed hours are pro-rated based on the 1,265-hour annual limit. At 0.5 FTE, your maximum is approximately 632.5 hours per year. You cannot be required to attend meetings or INSET days on non-working days unless they fall within your allocated directed hours. If you are regularly asked to attend on non-working days without time off in lieu, raise this with your union representative.

Tax Implications

Part-time earnings may place you in a lower tax band. If your income falls below the personal allowance (typically encoded as tax code 1257L), you pay no income tax, though National Insurance may still apply above the primary threshold. Married or civil partnered teachers earning below the personal allowance can transfer unused allowance to a basic-rate-taxpayer partner via the Marriage Allowance. If you work at multiple schools, your primary employer uses your personal allowance while secondary employers typically use a BR code -- you can ask HMRC to split the allowance if that would be more efficient.

Common Questions

Can my school change my hours without consent? No. Any change to contracted hours requires your agreement and a proper consultation process.

Am I paid during school holidays? Yes. Your annual pro-rata salary is divided into twelve equal monthly payments, continuing through all holidays.

What if I switch from full time to part time mid-year? Your salary adjusts from the effective date of the change. Months before the change reflect the old FTE ratio, and months after reflect the new one.

Academy and Free School Considerations

Academies and free schools are not legally required to follow the STPCD, though many do. If your academy has its own pay policy, part-time calculations may differ. However, the Part-Time Workers Regulations still apply in all settings -- you cannot be treated less favourably than a comparable full-time worker on a pro-rata basis. If you believe your pay is incorrect, seek advice from your trade union.