Teachers' Rights in England

Who this guide is for

Teachers in schools in England. It explains the national rules for teachers in local authority maintained schools, and says what is different if you teach in an academy, a free school or an independent school.

What this guide does not cover

• Teachers in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland: see Teachers' Rights in Wales, Teachers' Rights in Scotland or Teachers' Rights in Northern Ireland.
• Teaching assistants and other school support staff: you are not covered by the teachers' pay document. Use Your Rights as an Employee in England, Wales and Scotland.
• Further education and university lecturers.
• General employment rights (dismissal, redundancy, holidays, family leave): see Your Rights as an Employee in England, Wales and Scotland and Maternity Pay and Leave in England, Wales and Scotland.
• Whistleblowing in detail: see Whistleblowing at Work in England, Wales and Scotland.
• Tribunal time limits in detail: see Employment Tribunal Claims in England, Wales and Scotland.
• London pay ranges, allowances and leadership pay in detail. Ask your union or check the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document.

What the rules depend on

1. What type of school employs you? Maintained school: the STPCD applies by law. Academy, free school or independent school: your contract decides.
2. Do you have qualified teacher status (QTS)? Unqualified teachers are paid on a different range.
3. Are you full-time or part-time? Part-time pay and hours are worked out on a pro rata basis.
4. Are you an early career teacher? Then statutory induction rules apply.
5. When did the thing you are complaining about happen? That date decides your tribunal time limit.

"How is my pay set?"

For teachers in maintained schools, the government sets national pay ranges each year after a report from the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB). They are published in the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD). The 2026 document was published on GOV.UK on 16 October 2026 and applies from 1 September 2026.

For 2026/27 the government accepted a 3.5% rise to all pay points and allowances, with 5% for the bottom of the unqualified teacher range. Your school must have a pay policy, and procedures for dealing with grievances about pay.

Part-time teachers must be paid pro rata. Teaching and learning responsibility payments (TLRs) are an exception to the pro rata rule.

"How many hours do I have to work?"

A full-time teacher must be available for work on 195 days a year. On 190 of those days you may be asked to teach as well as do other duties. On the other 5 days you do other duties only.

You must be available for 1,265 hours a year at the times and places your headteacher directs ("directed time"). These hours must be allocated reasonably. You must also work the reasonable extra hours needed to do your job, but your employer cannot set how many of these there are or when they fall.

Other rules in the STPCD include:

• If you are required to work more than one session, you must get a break of reasonable length, either between sessions or between 12 noon and 2pm.
• No teacher can be required under their contract to do midday supervision.
• You should be asked to cover for absent colleagues only rarely, and only in circumstances that are not foreseeable (unless you are employed mainly to provide cover).
• You should not be required routinely to do administrative and clerical tasks that do not need a teacher's professional skills and judgement.

"Do I get PPA time?"

Yes, if you teach in a maintained school. PPA time must be at least 10% of your timetabled teaching time, in units of at least half an hour, within the school's timetabled teaching week.

"I work in an academy or independent school. What changes?"

The STPCD only covers teachers employed by a local authority or by the governing body of certain maintained schools. In an academy or free school, your pay and conditions are whatever your contract says. Many academies follow the STPCD, but check your contract.

The law is changing for academies. The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 gives the government power to require academy teachers to be paid at least the amounts in a pay order. A further duty on academies to have regard to national conditions is in the Act but not yet in force. The Department for Education (DfE) says it expects this to apply by September 2027. Until it does, your contract decides.

In an independent school, your contract decides your pay and conditions. Independent schools can leave the Teachers' Pension Scheme (see below).

"What about induction?"

If you gained QTS and want to work in a maintained school, you must complete statutory induction. It lasts the full-time equivalent of two school years. In your first year you must not teach more than 90% of the timetable of the school's existing teachers, and in your second year not more than 95%. You get a mentor, progress reviews, and a formal assessment at the end of each year.

If you fail induction, you can no longer be employed as a teacher in a maintained school. You can appeal to the Teaching Regulation Agency within 20 working days.

You do not have to complete induction to work only in an academy, free school or independent school, but these schools can choose to offer it.

"What happens if an allegation is made against me?"

Schools follow the DfE's statutory guidance "Keeping children safe in education", which sets out how allegations against staff are handled. The 2026 version applies from 1 September 2026.

If a pupil at your school accuses you of a criminal offence, the law stops anyone publishing anything likely to identify you as the teacher accused. This lasts until criminal proceedings start.

If you are dismissed for serious misconduct, or your school stops using you for that reason, it must consider referring you to the Teaching Regulation Agency. A TRA panel looks at unacceptable professional conduct, conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute, or a conviction for a relevant offence. A prohibition order stops you teaching. You can appeal to the High Court within 28 days of being served with notice of the order. If an order is made, the minimum period before you can apply to have it set aside is two years.

"What about my pension?"

The Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) is the pension scheme for teachers in England and Wales. For most employers in the scheme, taking part is compulsory, but independent schools can leave it. Ask your employer whether your job is in the TPS. Teachers' Pensions says some of its services are unavailable until 2 November 2026 while the scheme moves to a new administrator. For workplace pensions in general, see Workplace Pensions & Auto-Enrolment: Your Rights in 2026.

"Discrimination and whistleblowing"

You have the same protection from discrimination as any employee. If you raise concerns about wrongdoing, you are protected from being treated badly or dismissed for making a protected disclosure: see Whistleblowing at Work in England, Wales and Scotland.

Deadlines you must meet

• Most employment tribunal claims: 3 months less 1 day from the act you are complaining about. It is 6 months less 1 day only where that act (or the last act in a series) happened on or after 1 October 2026.
• Notify Acas within your time limit. Early conciliation pauses the clock.
• Appeal against a failed or extended induction: 20 working days, to the Teaching Regulation Agency.
• Appeal against a prohibition order: within 28 days of the notice being served, to the High Court.
• Your exact tribunal date depends on your facts. See our tribunal deadline guide.

Money figures

From 1 September 2026, England outside London (STPCD 2026):

• Main pay range: £34,069 to £46,940.
• Upper pay range: £49,134 to £52,835.
• Unqualified teacher range: £23,732 to £36,494.

Traps

• The STPCD does not apply to academies or independent schools unless your contract says so.
• The academy pay floor in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 is not expected to apply until September 2027.
• Directed time is 1,265 hours, but you can still be required to work reasonable extra hours to do your job.
• Failing induction stops you working in a maintained school, not in every school.
• A grievance does not stop the tribunal clock. Notifying Acas within the time limit pauses it.
• Do not use the 6-month limit for an act that happened before 1 October 2026.