What is a teaching assistant's notice period?
By George Wilks · Fact-checked against official sources on 11 Nov 2026 · Updated 11 Nov 2026
Short answer
A teaching assistant's notice period is whatever their contract says, and in most schools that's one month. Unlike teachers, TAs aren't tied to the 31 October, 28 February and 31 May deadlines, so you can usually leave at any point in the year. The legal minimum is one week once you've worked for a month.
Key facts
- Typical notice: one month (check your contract)
- Legal minimum: one week after one month's service
- Term deadlines: don't apply to most support staff
- Holiday owed: paid in your final pay
- Senior support roles: often longer notice
Where to find your notice period
Your notice period is in your written statement of terms or contract. Schools that follow local authority terms (the NJC Green Book) usually set it by grade, and one month is common for teaching assistants. HLTAs and senior support roles such as school business managers often have longer notice, sometimes two or three months.
The legal minimum
If your contract doesn't say, the law requires at least one week's notice once you've worked for a month. Your contract can ask for more, and that's what you must give.
Term-time-only pay and your final pay
Most TAs are paid term-time only, with pay spread in equal monthly amounts across the year. Your holiday entitlement is built into that pay. When you leave, your school works out what you've earned against what you've been paid, so your final pay can include an extra payment or a deduction. Ask payroll for the figure before you choose a date.
When TAs usually move
Because notice is short, TA jobs are advertised all year. Peaks come in the summer term for September starts and in November and December for January starts. If you're moving to a teaching role, remember the new school's term starts will dictate your leaving date.
How to resign
- Write to your headteacher with your leaving date.
- Count your notice from the day it's received.
- Ask about any holiday or overtime you're owed.
- Request a reference: schools must check references for new staff.
Live jobs and pay right now
From live adverts on SchoolJobs. Pay comes from our salary guide; it's hidden when there isn't enough evidence.
2026/27 advertised pay £22,291 per year – £25,614 per year · midpoint £23,953 per year (based on 232 adverts)Salary guide · Pay calculator
2026/27 advertised pay £21,173 per year – £25,082 per year · midpoint £23,127 per year (based on 12 adverts)Salary guide · Pay calculator
Latest teaching assistant jobs
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Resignation deadline calculator
Enter the date you want to leave and see the last day to hand in your notice.
Open the tool →Frequently asked questions
Do TAs have to resign by 31 May to leave in the summer?
Not usually. That deadline is for teachers; TAs give their contract notice.
Can I leave sooner than my notice period?
Only if your school agrees.
Will I be paid for the summer holidays if I leave in July?
Term-time-only pay is spread over the year, so payroll adjusts your final pay to what you've earned.
Sources
Related answers
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.
Can I hand in my notice while on sick leave?
Yes. You can hand in your notice while you're off sick, and your notice period runs as normal. You don't usually have to return to work to serve it, and any sick pay you're entitled to continues until your employment ends. Teachers still need to meet the resignation deadlines in their contract.
Can I hand in my notice on maternity leave?
Yes. You can resign at any point during maternity leave by giving the notice in your contract. Statutory Maternity Pay continues whether or not you go back. Some school maternity pay schemes pay extra on the condition that you return for a set time, so check your scheme before choosing your leaving date.