Headteachers Pay

  • Contents

    • Overview

    This article provides an overview of headteachers pay in 2025/26.

    If you work in a maintained school in England, you will likely be paid accordingly to nationally referenced pay scale, as outlined in the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD).

    If you work in an academy, free school or independent school, your pay will be set according to your school’s pay policy.

    Where a school that was previously a maintained school has converted to an academy, you may benefit from Transfer of Undertakings (TUPE) regulations.

    Please see another article on Edapt for more information on TUPE.

    We outline the different pay ranges for headteachers pay in the table below.

    Leadership group pay range

    Only headteachers, deputy headteachers and assistant headteachers can be paid on the leadership pay range.

    England (excluding the London area) Inner London area Outer London area Fringe area
    Minimum 51,773 61,554 55,881 53,198
    Maximum 143,796 145,218 147,866 53,490

    Headteachers pay ranges

     

    England (excluding the London area) Inner London area Outer London area Fringe area
    Group 1 58,569 – 77,924 68,361 – 87,619 62,677 – 81,995 60,001 – 79,341
    Group 2 61,534 – 83,860 71,327 – 93,556 65,642 – 87,932 62,962 – 85,287
    Group 3 66,368 – 90,255 76,154 – 99,951 70,473 – 94,322 67,796 – 91,676
    Group 4 71,330 – 97,136 81,120 – 106,823 75,433 – 101,200 72,763 – 98,549
    Group 5 78,702 – 107,131 88,496 – 116,827 82,816 – 111,202 80,134 – 108,553
    Group 6 84,699 – 118,169 94,491 – 127,863 88,812 – 122,236 86,138 – 119,590
    Group 7 91,158 – 130,274 100,951 – 139,965 95,267 – 134,339 92,595 – 131,688
    Group 8 100,540 – 143,796 110,327 – 153,490 104,648 – 147,866 101,967 – 145,218

    The STPCD provides a methodology as to what ‘group’ a headteacher belongs to taking into account the number of pupils in each Key Stage.

    In order to calculate headteachers pay, you will need the school roll number from January of the current academic year, or previous year if you are calculating it in the autumn term.

    Headteachers pay: progression for leadership group members

    The STPCD explains that the ‘relevant body’ (the governing body) must consider annually whether or not to increase the salary of members of the leadership group who have completed a year of employment since the previous pay determination.

    They must take into consideration individual performance, as assessed through the school’s or authority’s appraisal arrangements.

    We have published another article which looks at performance-related pay in schools.

    Was this article helpful?

    Yes No

    The information contained within this article is not a complete or final statement of the law.
    While Edapt has sought to ensure that the information is accurate and up-to-date, it is not responsible and will not be held liable for any inaccuracies and their consequences, including any loss arising from relying on this information. This article may contain information sourced from public sector bodies and licensed under the Open Government Licence. If you are an Edapt subscriber with an employment-related issue, please contact us and we will be able to refer you to one of our caseworkers.