Assumptions and pay data
Pay data: School Teachers' Pay (England). Main Pay Range (M1–M6): £34,068 to £46,939 over 6 pay points, rest of England, provisional rates from 1/9/2026. Checked 9/10/2026.
- Full time is 32.5 hours a week. Teachers have no set weekly hours, so 32.5 is roughly the 1,265 hours of directed time (STPCD 2025 para 51.5) spread over 39 weeks.
- A 4-day week counts as 80% of full time and a 9-day fortnight as 90%: fewer hours for less pay. Compressed hours, where you work all 32.5 hours in fewer, longer days, keep full pay, so they need no calculation.
- Annualised hours divide your yearly hours by 32.5 × 52 = 1,690, not by the 1,265 directed hours, so a full-time teacher's 1,265 hours shows as 75%. Use Custom FTE if your contract states a share of full time.
- Figures are gross, before tax, National Insurance and pension.
Reduced/Compressed Hours Calculator
EnglandMaintained schools / STPCD or NJC support staffFramework from 1/9/2026
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Guide for Classroom Teacher
This guide explains reduced and compressed working patterns for Classroom Teacher on Main Pay Range (M1–M6) at Schools. Not every employer offers every pattern; use this for pay impact, then confirm eligibility with HR.
Reduced hours for Classroom Teacher
This page models named patterns (four-day week, nine-day fortnight, term-time only, annualised hours) for Classroom Teacher on Main Pay Range (M1–M6) at Schools. Pay is pro-rated from full-time School Teachers' Pay (England) basic pay unless your contract uses a different formula.
Reduced and compressed hours
A four-day week is typically 0.8 FTE. A nine-day fortnight is 0.9 FTE (nine working days in ten). Term-time-only staff are paid for the weeks they work plus their paid holiday, spread across the year. Annualised hours contracts spread agreed hours across the year rather than fixed weekly patterns.
Employer variation
Not every employer offers every pattern. Some use a 0.89 FTE term-time formula for support staff. The calculator uses straightforward pro-rata from full-time band pay; your payroll may differ.
Example scenario
Example: Main Pay Range (M1–M6) at £34,068 full time. A 4-day week (80%) pays £27,254, the pattern the calculator opens on.
| Band / grade | Main Pay Range (M1–M6) |
|---|---|
| Full-time gross (example) | £34,068 |
| At 0.8 FTE (example) | £27,254 |
| Annual difference vs full-time | £6,814 |
Frequently asked questions
Is a 4-day week the same as compressed hours?
No. Here a 4-day week means working 4 of your usual days, 80% of full time, so £34,068 becomes £27,254. Compressed hours means fitting your full 32.5 hours into 4 longer days, and your pay stays the same because your hours do not change.
What does a 9-day fortnight pay?
As reduced hours, 9 days in 10 is 90% of full time: £30,661 a year instead of £34,068, £3,407 less. If you work all 65 hours of the fortnight in 9 days instead, that is compressed hours and your pay does not change.
How are part-time teachers paid?
By the pro rata principle in STPCD 2025 para 40.1: your share of the school's timetabled teaching week, applied to the full-time salary. Teaching 3 days of a 5-day timetable is 60%, or £20,441 at £34,068. Choose Custom FTE and enter that share, for example 0.6.
Can I use annualised hours as a teacher?
Only with care. The calculator divides your yearly hours by 32.5 × 52 = 1,690, not by the 1,265 hours of directed time in a full-time teacher's year, so entering 1,265 shows 75% instead of full time. If your contract gives a share of full time, use Custom FTE instead.
Do reduced hours change my holidays and pension?
Your holidays, no: teachers take their time off in the school holidays, whatever their share of full time. Your pay and pension, yes. Public service pensions are career average schemes, so your pension builds up on the pay you actually earn: 80% of the pay builds 80% of the pension for those years.
Are the results gross or net? Do you store my data?
Unless this page says otherwise, figures are gross (before tax, National Insurance and pension). Your calculator inputs and results stay in your browser and are not stored. We only collect your name and email if you choose to give them, for example to download your results or sign up for email updates. We store them with MailerLite, our email provider, along with the page you were on. See our privacy policy.
About this role
What is a Classroom Teacher?
A Classroom Teacher in England is a qualified teacher (QTS) who plans and delivers lessons, assesses pupils and supports their progress. They work in maintained schools, academies or free schools, usually on the Main or Upper Pay Range (STPCD).
Typical demands, progression and balance
If you enjoy being with pupils and helping them learn, most terms bring variety and moments that feel worthwhile. How busy it is, and how your pay looks, will still depend on your school, subject and the age groups you teach. Some teachers later take on a TLR, lead practitioner work or a route towards senior leadership; others are very happy to stay in the classroom, and that is a valued path too.
What about 4-day weeks or compressed hours?
Many employers support 4-day weeks, 9-day fortnights, term-time only or annualised hours. Use the calculator above to compare full-time pay with your chosen pattern for your band.
Disclaimer
Illustrative estimates, not financial or career advice. Your payslip and contract decide what you are actually paid.