Reviewed for UK readers: September 2026.
If a vacancy shows a full-time equivalent salary but the job is term-time only, the number on the advert is not always the amount you will actually receive. The safest way to estimate it is to separate the calculation into working hours, working weeks and paid holiday, then compare the result with the employer’s stated “actual salary”. Our UK pro rata calculator can help with the hours-based part of that calculation.
Term-time pay is especially common for school support roles. Many employers calculate an annual salary for the term-time contract and then spread it across 12 equal monthly payments. The exact method is contractual, so the employer’s paid-weeks factor and holiday treatment matter.
Quick answer
- Start with the full-time equivalent (FTE) salary, not the advertised actual salary.
- Adjust for weekly hours if the role is part-time.
- Adjust again for the number of paid weeks in the year if the post is term-time only.
- Check whether the employer has already included paid holiday in its term-time factor.
The basic term-time salary formula
A useful starting formula is: FTE salary × (your weekly hours ÷ full-time weekly hours) × (your paid weeks ÷ full-year paid weeks). The difficulty is that employers do not all use the same paid-weeks figure. A school may describe a role as 38 working weeks, but the salary factor can include paid annual leave, inset days or other paid days. Do not simply divide 38 by 52 unless the employer confirms that is its method.
Worked example
Suppose the FTE salary is £30,000, full-time hours are 37 per week, and the job is 30 hours per week. The hours factor is 30 ÷ 37 = 0.8108. If the employer confirms a paid-weeks factor of 44.5 ÷ 52.143, the estimated annual salary is £30,000 × 0.8108 × 0.8534 ≈ £20,758. If the employer instead publishes an “actual salary”, use that figure as the strongest check because it reflects its own payroll convention.
Why term-time monthly pay can look confusing
Term-time staff are often paid the annualised salary in 12 instalments. That means a payslip in August can still show normal basic pay even though little or no work is performed that month. The monthly amount is not usually “pay for that month’s hours”; it is one-twelfth of the annualised contractual salary.
Holiday pay and term-time contracts
Holiday entitlement must still be dealt with correctly. Current UK rules distinguish regular-hours workers from irregular-hours and part-year workers, and the method can depend on the worker’s leave year and contractual pattern. For current statutory rules, use the official GOV.UK holiday guidance rather than assuming every term-time employee uses the same percentage.
What to ask before accepting a term-time job
Ask HR for the FTE salary, contracted weekly hours, full-time comparator hours, weeks worked, paid-weeks factor, holiday basis and the exact annual actual salary. Those six figures make it much easier to verify the offer and compare it with another role.
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 · teachers · teaching assistants · 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
Is term-time salary the same as part-time salary?
No. A job can be full-time hours during school weeks but still be term-time only, or it can be both part-time and term-time. The two reductions should be checked separately.
Why is my actual salary lower than the FTE salary?
The FTE salary assumes a full-time, full-year equivalent role. Your actual salary may be reduced for fewer weekly hours, fewer paid weeks, or both.
Can I use a normal pro rata calculator for term-time pay?
Use it for the hours or FTE percentage, then apply the employer’s confirmed term-time or paid-weeks factor separately.
Is term-time salary usually paid over 12 months?
Often yes, especially under local-government style term-time arrangements, but your contract and employer payroll policy control the payment schedule.
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.