Blog
28 Aug 2024

Understanding Teacher Pay Scales in England for 2024-2025

With the new academic year approaching, teachers and leaders in England are set to receive a 5.5% pay increase, as announced by the Department for Education (DfE) last month. This adjustment not only impacts starting salaries but also reflects regional differences within the country.

The rise which is above current inflation has been welcomed by the four teaching and leadership unions. This equates to an increase of more than £2,500 for the average teacher, taking the median salary for 2024-2025 to over £49,000, government analysis stated.

Is it fully funded?

The School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) estimates that implementing its recommended teacher pay rises will cost approximately £1.65 billion over a full school year. To support schools in managing this increase, they will receive £1.2 billion in funding. This has raised concerns among schools already facing financial difficulties, as they may struggle to afford the additional expenses associated with the pay rise.

However, it’s worth noting the extra funding to schools covers only the seven months from September to March. After this period, the funding for pay increases will be integrated into the national funding formula.

Previously, ministers approved a 6.5% pay increase for teachers for 2023-2024, with schools expected to cover 3.5% of the increase from their own budgets.

Where is the money coming from?

The Treasury and the DfE has also agreed to join proposals to find billions in departmental savings. Savings will be made in part by modifying the Advanced British Standard, Rishi Sunak's major initiative to replace A-levels and T-levels, which was projected to cost £200 million next year and £3 billion by 2028-2029, according to the DfE.

When will teachers receive their pay rise?

The pay award will come into effect following a 10-week government consultation - the award will then be backdated to 1 September.
The consultation will address the government’s response to the STRB’S recommendations and will include the bodies that have a legal right to be consulted - which are mainly unions.

What does the Teachers Pay look like for 2024/2025?

The government accepted the STRB’s recommendation that teacher pay should rise by 5.5 per cent for teachers and leaders in England from September this year.

Recommended pay levels from 1st September 2024

Pay range/point	England (excluding London and Fringe)		Fringe		Outer London		Inner London
Qualified Teachers’	23/24	24/25	23/24	24/25	23/24	24/25	23/24	24/25
Main Pay Range
M1	£30,000	£31,650	£31,350	£33,075	£34,514	£36,413	£36,745	£38,766
M2	£31,737	£33,483	£33,150	£34,974	£36,320	£38,318	£38,491	£48,609
M3	£33,814	£35,674	£35,204	£37,141	£38,219	£40,322	£40,318	£42,536
M4	£36,051	£38,034	£37,436	£39,495	£40,218	£42,430	£42,233	£44,556
M5	£38,330	£40,039	£39,687	£41,870	£42,654	£45,000	£44,615	£47,069
M6	£41,333	£43,607	£42,689	£45,037	£46,001	£48,532	£47,666	£50,288

Upper Pay Range
U1	£43,266	£45,646	£44,579	£47,031	£47,592	£50,210	£52,526	£55,415
U2	£44,870	£47,338	£46,179	£48,719	£49,353	£52,068	£55,107	£58,138
U3	£46,525	£49,084	£47,839	£50,471	£51,179	£53,994	£56,959	£60,092

Leadership Pay Range
Minimum	£47,185	£49,781	£48,484	£51,151	£50,928	£53,731	£56,100	£59,186
Maximum	£131,056	£138,265	£132,352	£139,632	£134,765	£142,178	£139,891	£147,586
Leadership Practitioner Range
Minimum	£47,417	£50,025	£48,723	£51,403	£51,179	£53,994	£56,377	£59,478
Maximum	£72,085	£76,050	£73,392	£77,430	£75,849	£80,022	£81,051	£85,509

Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR)

Teachers who take on extra responsibilities receive TLR payments, which are standardised across England without London weighting. These payments will increase in the next academic year, and teachers can anticipate receiving:

Teaching and Learning Responsibilities (TLRs)
	23/24	24/25
Payment 3	£369 - 3169	£675 - £3,344
Payment 2	£3,214 - £7,847	£3,391 - £8,279
Payment 1	£9,272 - £15,690	£9,782 - 16,553
Special Educational Needs Allowance (SEN)	£2,539 - £5,009	£2,679 - £5,285

Unqualified Teachers

Unqualified Teachers, those who do not have a Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), are paid under a different pay scale and depends on geographical location and how many years of experience. They too will receive a 5.5 per cent rise in salary.

Pay range / point	England (excluding London and Fringe)		Fringe		Outer London		Inner London
Unqualified Teachers	23/24	24/25	23/24	24/25	23/24	24/25	23/24	24/25
1	£20,598	£21,731	£21,933	£23,140	£21,933	£25,758	£25,831	£27,252
2	£22,961	£24,224	£24,293	£25,630	£24,293	£28,252	£28,194	£29,745
3	£25,323	£26,716	£26,656	£28,123	£26,656	£30,744	£30,557	£32,238
4	£27,406	£28,914	£28,738	£30,319	£28,738	£32,947	£32,640	£34,436
5	£29,772	£31,410	£31,102	£32,813	£31,102	£35,438	£35,000	£36,925
6	£32,134	£33,902	£33,464	£35,305	£33,464	£37,932	£37,362	£39,417