Term-time only pay: why you earn less than the advert says
The short answer: term-time only pay is your full-time salary scaled down for the hours you work and the weeks you’re paid for. The formula is FTE salary × (your hours ÷ full-time hours) × (paid weeks ÷ 52.143). Most term-time staff are paid for about 44 to 46 weeks a year, which is the 39 weeks the school is open plus paid holiday, and it’s normally spread over 12 monthly payments so the summer isn’t a gap.
Why the advert says one figure and you earn another
Job adverts for school roles usually give a full-time equivalent (FTE) salary, the pay for a full-time job working all year. A teaching assistant job advertised at £26,000 FTE isn’t paying £26,000. Your real pay is that figure reduced twice: once for part-time hours, once for the weeks you aren’t paid for. Good adverts also quote the actual salary, so look for it.
The formula is: actual salary = FTE × (your weekly hours ÷ 37) × (paid weeks ÷ 52.143). The 37-hour week is common in local government, but check yours. The 52.143 is the number of weeks in a year, including the extra day and leap days averaged out.
What paid weeks do to your salary
Here is a £26,000 FTE job at 30 hours a week, with different numbers of paid weeks:
| Paid weeks | Actual salary | A month | Difference from 39 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | £15,767 | £1,314 | — |
| 42 | £16,980 | £1,415 | +£1,213 |
| 44 | £17,789 | £1,482 | +£2,021 |
| 45.6 | £18,436 | £1,536 | +£2,668 |
| 46 | £18,598 | £1,550 | +£2,830 |
| 48 | £19,406 | £1,617 | +£3,639 |
Each extra paid week is worth about £404 a year. That matters, because the number of weeks is often what separates two similar adverts. Some employers add weeks after five years’ service, so your pay can rise even with no pay award.
What hours do
| Weekly hours | Actual salary at 45.6 paid weeks | A month |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | £12,291 | £1,024 |
| 25 | £15,363 | £1,280 |
| 30 | £18,436 | £1,536 |
| 32.5 | £19,972 | £1,664 |
| 37 | £22,737 | £1,895 |
A full 37-hour week on a term-time contract at 45.6 paid weeks is still only £22,737, about 87% of the FTE figure. That’s the first thing to check before accepting.
Spread over 12 months, or paid as you work?
Most school staff on term-time contracts have their annual pay divided into 12 equal monthly payments, so you get the same each month including August. This is called annualised pay. It’s better for budgeting, and it’s why your pay doesn’t drop in the holidays.
Some roles, particularly casual and agency ones, are instead paid only for weeks worked. With an hourly rate of about £13.48 for the same job, 30 hours over 39 weeks plus holiday pay of 12.07% comes to about £17,671 a year. It’s paid unevenly, so August and the Christmas break may be empty. See holiday pay for irregular hours for how that 12.07% works.
What about holiday?
Your paid weeks already include your holiday and bank holidays, because those are what the extra weeks above 39 are for. Holiday is typically taken when the school is closed, so there’s no extra to book on top. If your employer gives more paid weeks after service, you gain pay rather than extra time off. If you work extra hours or weeks, such as summer school, they are normally paid on top.
Tax and pensions
Tax, National Insurance and pension contributions are worked out on your actual pay, not the FTE figure. A lower salary means a smaller bill. Many term-time staff in local government pay one of the lower LGPS contribution rates for that reason. Put your actual salary into the take-home pay calculator for a monthly figure, or try our term-time pay calculator for school support roles.
Before you accept a term-time job
- Ask for the actual annual salary, not just the FTE.
- Check the number of paid weeks and whether it rises with service.
- Confirm whether pay is spread across 12 months.
- Check the hours, and whether you’re expected to work in school holidays for extra pay.
Are teachers paid term time only?
No. Teachers are paid a full annual salary, spread over 12 months, and that salary already reflects the school holidays. A teacher’s contract covers a set number of days a year (195 in most state schools), not a number of paid weeks. Term-time only pay as described here applies mainly to support staff, such as teaching assistants, midday supervisors, catering and cleaning staff, school administrators and some nursery staff.
How many weeks is term time only?
Term time for pupils is about 39 weeks, and support staff are usually contracted for around 38 or 39 weeks, sometimes with a week or two extra for training days. On top of that comes paid holiday and bank holidays, which is why paid weeks usually come to about 43 to 46 weeks rather than 39. The advertised salary is then adjusted by the paid weeks, not the worked weeks.
Which jobs are term time only?
Common examples include teaching assistants, learning support assistants, school office staff, midday supervisors, school caterers and cleaners, school librarians and technicians. Some leisure, tutoring and childcare roles follow the school year too. In every case the question to ask is the same: what is the actual annual salary I will be paid for the hours I work, and how many weeks does it cover?
This is general information. Terms vary by employer and by council. The examples use a £26,000 full-time equivalent and a 37-hour week.
Common questions
How is term-time only pay calculated?
Take the full-time salary, multiply by your hours as a share of the full-time week, then by your paid weeks as a share of 52.143. The total is usually spread over 12 equal monthly payments.
How many weeks are term-time staff paid for?
It varies by employer, but it is often between about 44 and 46 weeks. That is around 39 weeks of work plus paid holiday and bank holidays. Some employers add weeks after several years of service.
Why is my salary lower than the advertised figure?
Adverts often quote the full-time equivalent (FTE) salary. Your actual pay is reduced for your hours and for the weeks you are paid. The advert should also give the actual salary.
Do I get paid for school holidays?
Only through your paid holiday weeks, which are built into your yearly salary. Most employers spread the total across 12 months, so you are paid every month, but the holiday element is already included in it.
Do term-time workers get 5.6 weeks of holiday?
Term-time staff on permanent contracts get at least the statutory minimum, usually taken when the school is closed. The weeks you are paid for already include that holiday, so there is nothing extra to claim.