Teacher Pay Scales 24-25, Sick Pay, Maternity & More | FAQs Answered

Before stepping into any new role, it’s only natural to want clarity on your rights—and education is no exception. Whether you’re a new recruit or an experienced staff member, understanding teacher sick pay, maternity leave, pay scales, and employment benefits is essential to feeling secure in your role.

Each year, thousands of passionate individuals join the teaching profession across the UK—from full-time teachers in primary and secondary schools to support staff and teaching assistants. These education professionals play a vital role in shaping young minds, and knowing what you’re entitled to is part of feeling supported in the job.

In this guide, we’re answering the most frequently asked questions about working in education—from how teachers’ pay scales work for 2024–2025, to annual leave, taxes, and national insurance. We’ll break down the details around teacher sick pay, including how statutory sick pay for teachers is handled, what the Burgundy Book sick pay entitlements are, and what sick pay looks like for teaching assistants in the UK. So if you’ve ever wondered what sick pay as a teacher looks like or how maternity leave works, you’re in the right place.

Do teachers get full sick pay UK?

If you’re looking for any information on teachers’ sick pay and your sick pay entitlements, then you should always refer to the Burgundy Book scheme. This is a national agreement on conditions of service and can provide you with all the information you need. Most local authorities follow the conditions of the Burgundy Book scheme, and it is largely incorporated into individual teachers’ employment contracts.

Although you should note that teachers working in free schools or academies should check whether their school follows the Burgundy Book scheme conditions and should request a copy of the sick pay scheme from your school.

What is teacher sick pay?

Teachers are entitled to national sick pay on a sliding scale entitlement set out in the Burgundy Book. This means that the longer your length of service, the more teachers’ sick pay you are entitled to.

The first year of service: Teachers are entitled to full sick pay for 25 working days. After they’ve worked there for longer than four calendar months, they’re also entitled to half pay for 50 working days.

The second year of service: You’re entitled to full pay for 50 working days and half pay for another 50 days.

The third year of service: 75 working days of full pay and 75 working days of half pay to follow.

The fourth year onwards: 100 days of full pay followed by 100 days of half pay.

The sick leave year usually runs from 1 April to 31 March, so this is when each year of service period starts date and end date. But we recommend you check your employer’s sick leave policy to double-check this.

Teachers are entitled to statutory sick pay (SSP) for up to 28 weeks in any spell of sickness absence. SSP will form part of the full sick pay paid out to teachers, but when teachers move on to half sick pay, they will also be paid SSP.

Please note that you may not be eligible for sick pay and maternity pay any earlier if you suffer from a pregnancy-related illness. This will largely depend on the expected week of childbirth and your employer. If you want to learn even more about Teacher’s Pay Scales & Salaries, make sure you check out our Blog.

Am I entitled to maternity pay as a teacher?

Once again, if you’re keen to find out about maternity leave for teachers and teacher maternity pay, then you should check whether the Burgundy Book scheme makes up part of your contract. If not, then you should request more information from your employer.

Occupational maternity leave for teachers

To qualify for occupational maternity pay, you must be:

Covered by the Burgundy Book
Employed for a minimum of one year and 11 weeks when the baby is due.

You can be paid Occupational maternity pay for a continuous period of up to 39 weeks. The teacher maternity pay you receive will be broken down throughout that period.

Weeks 1-4: 100% of salary paid

Weeks 5-6: 90% of salary paid

Weeks 7-18: 50% of salary paid + the standard Statutory Maternity Pay rate (around £151.97 per week- this is based on the average weekly earnings)

Weeks 18-39: standard Statutory Maternity Pay rate paid.

For more information on what you are entitled to and how much this equates to based on your salary, check out this maternity pay calculator for teachers here.

You and your partner may also be eligible for shared parental leave depending on when you return to work. You should check with your employer about maternity leave and pay and your partner’s employer for other maternity schemes.

What is the Teacher’s Pay Scale? 24-25

England

Main Pay Scale: Newly qualified teachers typically start in the mid-to-high £20,000s (outside London) or slightly higher in London due to additional allowances.
Progression: Teachers move through several steps over their careers, with experienced teachers reaching around £40,000–£41,000 on the upper end of the scale.
Leadership Roles: Positions like headteachers or those with additional responsibilities sit on higher scales, sometimes exceeding £60,000.

Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland:

Each country has its own negotiated pay structure.
The starting salaries and progression steps differ slightly from England’s system, with adjustments made to reflect local funding and cost-of-living factors.

Because these figures can be subject to negotiations and local variations, it’s always a good idea to check the latest details on the official government education websites or through teaching unions for the most accurate information.