Reviewed for UK readers: September 2026.
A part-time teacher is usually paid a proportion of the appropriate full-time salary rather than a simple “daily rate × school weeks” calculation. For a quick salary estimate, enter the full-time salary and your working proportion into our pro rata salary calculator UK, then compare it with the school’s formal FTE percentage.
For maintained schools in England, the published School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions framework uses the school’s timetabled teaching week when calculating a part-time teacher’s percentage. Pay frameworks differ elsewhere in the UK and exact scales change, so always check the current policy for your employer and nation.
Quick answer
- Use the correct full-time salary point for the post.
- Use the school’s formal part-time/FTE percentage where provided.
- Do not reduce teacher salary again simply because schools close for holidays.
- Check allowances separately because some may have specific rules.
How the part-time percentage is calculated
The school’s timetabled teaching week is the key comparator in the England maintained-school framework. If a teacher is employed for 60% of that timetable, the basic salary is generally 60% of the relevant full-time salary.
Worked example
If the appropriate full-time salary is £42,000 and the contracted fraction is 0.6 FTE, the estimated gross annual salary is £42,000 × 0.6 = £25,200. If the teacher moves to 0.8 FTE on the same full-time salary point, the equivalent would be £33,600.
Why teacher pay is different from term-time support pay
Classroom teachers are not normally paid by taking an annual salary and reducing it according to the number of school weeks in the same way as many term-time support posts. A part-time teacher’s FTE fraction is therefore the important figure. Teaching assistants and other support staff may have separate term-time annualisation arrangements.
Allowances and additional responsibilities
Teaching and leadership allowances can have their own treatment. The safest approach is to ask payroll for the basic salary, FTE percentage, each allowance and whether that allowance is paid in full or pro rata under the current policy.
Check the current pay document
Teacher pay ranges can be updated each year. Use the latest official school teachers’ pay and conditions publication or your school’s pay policy rather than relying on an old online salary table.
Common school-pay mistakes to avoid
Do not assume “term time”, “part time”, “FTE” and “actual salary” mean the same thing. A role can be full-time hours but term-time only, or part-time hours across a full year. For school vacancies, compare the FTE rate with the advertised actual annual salary and ask payroll to explain any paid-weeks factor. This is much more reliable than estimating from the number of school weeks alone.
Also check whether inset days, allowances and paid holiday are already included. If your estimate is materially different from the written offer, ask for the calculation before you accept rather than trying to reconcile it after the first payslip.
Use the calculator
For a quick gross salary estimate, use the Pro Rata Calculator UK. Enter the full-time salary and your hours, days or FTE, then compare the result with your contract or payroll figure.
Other school and term-time pay: term-time salary calculator · teaching assistants · term-time pro rata calculator · term-time only pay · term-time vs full-year salary · term-time holiday pay · school salaries · teachers' pension · lecturers · HLTAs · nursery nurses · lunchtime supervisors · exam invigilators · school caretakers
Frequently asked questions
What is a 0.6 teacher salary?
It is generally 60% of the relevant full-time equivalent salary, subject to the applicable pay framework and allowances.
Is a three-day teacher always 0.6 FTE?
Not automatically. The formal percentage can depend on the school’s timetabled teaching week, so use the percentage stated by the school.
Do teachers get salary only for term weeks?
Teacher salary is not usually calculated using the same paid-weeks method used for many support-staff term-time contracts.
Can I use the calculator for teacher pay?
Yes for an estimate if you know the FTE salary and part-time fraction. Verify the result with the school’s official payroll figure.
Authoritative sources
This article is general information, not personalised legal, tax or payroll advice. Employment contracts, collective agreements and individual circumstances can change the correct result.