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Secondary school teacher: Salary and conditions

• Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland start on the main salary scale, which rises incrementally from £20,627 to £30,148 (salary data collected Nov 2008). The exact starting point depends on qualifications, relevant prior experience and the responsibilities of the post. In Scotland, salaries range from £19,878 to £31,707 (salary data collected Nov 2008). In addition, there is a Distant Learning Allowance of £1,536 and Remote Schools Allowance of £971 or £1,791.
• Experienced teachers may become advanced skills teachers (in England and Wales) or chartered teachers (in Scotland), or may move into management roles. These roles attract considerable salary increases.
• 39 weeks of the year are allocated for teaching and term-time hours may be long. Hours vary between schools and are usually from 9am until 3.30 or 4pm, but most teachers are in school well before the school day starts and still there long after the pupils have gone home. Marking and preparation are usually done at home.
• Parents' evenings, preparation for The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (OFSTED) inspections, breakfast and after-school clubs, and sport, drama and field trips may all take up extra hours.
• Teachers have 13 weeks per year away from the classroom, but many use this time to work on marking, planning and preparation.
• Mobility can improve prospects, but jobs are available in most areas, especially in towns and cities, throughout the country. Staff turnover is greatest in inner-city schools.
• Teachers may be able to supplement their income through private tuition, national exam marking, teaching evening classes or writing textbooks. Part-time work and career break opportunities are available. Courses are provided for returners to the profession. Supply teaching is an attractive and flexible option for some.
• Approximately 55% of secondary teachers are women, but proportionally more head teachers are male. The gender balance varies across subject areas: e.g., more women teach English and modern languages and more men teach mathematics and science. An objective of the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) is to recruit more people from black and ethnic minorities, and more people with disabilities, into teaching.
• Secondary school teachers do not necessarily have a base classroom and may have to carry books and equipment from room to room between lessons. The physical condition of school buildings varies enormously, as does the availability and quality of resources.
• Trips with pupils or staff development opportunities may occasionally involve staying away from home and/or overseas travel.

AGCAS

Written by Rebecca Maxwell, AGCAS

Last updated:

December 2008

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