Answers to school job questions

Do teaching assistants get paid in the summer holidays?

Most teaching assistants on term-time contracts are paid every month, including August, but they aren't paid extra for the holidays. Their yearly pay covers the weeks they work plus the holiday they build up, and it's split into 12 equal monthly payments.

Do teachers get paid in the summer holidays?

Yes. Teachers are paid an annual salary in 12 equal monthly payments, so they are paid in August and during every school holiday.

What is term-time only pay and how is it worked out?

Term-time only pay is a full-time salary reduced for your hours and the weeks you're paid for. The usual formula is: full-time salary × (your hours ÷ 37) × (paid weeks ÷ 52.143).

Do I need a DBS check to work in a school?

Yes. Schools in England must carry out an enhanced DBS check on staff before or soon after they start, and for anyone working closely with pupils ("regulated activity") it includes a check of the children's barred list. The school usually arranges and pays for it as part of its safer recruitment checks.

Can you be a teaching assistant without qualifications?

Yes. There's no legal requirement to hold a teaching assistant qualification, and many schools hire people without one. Most ask for GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and maths, some experience with children, and an enhanced DBS check, which the school arranges.

TA vs HLTA: what's the difference?

A higher level teaching assistant (HLTA) has met the national HLTA standards and can take on more responsibility than a teaching assistant (TA), including teaching whole classes under a teacher's direction and covering planned lessons. HLTAs are usually paid on a higher grade, and HLTA status comes from an assessment, not a degree.

Do you need a degree to be a teacher?

To get qualified teacher status (QTS) in England you need a degree, but you don't need one before you start. The teacher degree apprenticeship lets you earn a degree and QTS while working and being paid in a school. Some schools and colleges also employ teachers without QTS.

What is a cover supervisor?

A cover supervisor is a member of school support staff who takes a class when the usual teacher is absent. They deliver work the teacher has already set, manage behaviour and keep pupils on task, but they don't plan or teach new content. You don't need qualified teacher status (QTS).

How much does a supply teacher earn per day?

A supply teacher employed directly by a school is paid 1/195 of the annual salary for each day, so £174.71 a day on M1 outside London in 2026/27. Agency supply teachers are paid the agency's own rate, which can be lower.

What is an EHCP?

An education, health and care plan (EHCP) is a legal document for a child or young person aged 0–25 in England who has special educational needs and needs more support than their school or college can normally provide. The local authority writes it, and it sets out the child's needs, the outcomes they're working towards and the support they must receive.

How do I become a SENCO?

A SENCO (special educational needs coordinator) must be a qualified teacher or the headteacher. New SENCOs must complete the National Professional Qualification (NPQ) for SENCOs within three years of starting the role.

How many days and hours do teachers work a year?

Full-time teachers in maintained schools in England work 195 days a year: 190 days teaching pupils and 5 training (INSET) days. Within those days, a headteacher can direct them for up to 1,265 hours. Teachers also do work outside those hours, such as planning and marking, so their real working week is longer.

What is directed time?

Directed time is the time a headteacher can direct a teacher to be at work and doing specific tasks: up to 1,265 hours a year across 195 days for a full-time teacher in a maintained school. It includes teaching, meetings, parents' evenings and training days, but not planning or marking done outside those hours.

How much PPA time do teachers get?

Teachers in maintained schools in England must get at least 10% of their timetabled teaching time as planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time. It must be during the school day and in blocks of at least half an hour. Early career teachers get extra non-contact time on top.

When do schools advertise jobs for September?

Most teaching jobs starting in September are advertised between January and May, with a final rush around the 31 May resignation deadline. Support staff jobs are advertised all year, with peaks before September and January. The best time to start looking for a September teaching post is January.