Teaching assistants play a vital role in UK schools, supporting teachers and pupils. Here’s a detailed guide to what TAs actually earn — including the important term-time pay distinction.
Teaching Assistant Pay Scales
TA pay is set by individual schools or local authorities, but most follow council pay scales aligned to the National Joint Council (NJC) framework.
Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Pay
| Level | Typical FTE Salary | Actual Term-Time Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 (unqualified / entry) | £18,000-£20,500 | £14,800-£16,800 |
| Level 2 (qualified TA) | £20,000-£22,500 | £16,400-£18,500 |
| Level 3 (senior TA) | £22,000-£25,000 | £18,100-£20,500 |
| HLTA (Higher Level TA) | £25,000-£29,000 | £20,500-£23,800 |
| SEN specialist TA | £22,500-£27,000 | £18,500-£22,200 |
“Actual term-time pay” assumes a standard term-time only contract of 39 weeks per year plus 5.6 weeks holiday entitlement (roughly 85% of FTE).
Understanding Term-Time Only Pay
This is the most confusing aspect of TA pay. Here’s how it works:
Calculation Example
A Level 2 TA on an FTE salary of £22,000:
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| FTE annual salary | £22,000 |
| Weeks worked | 39 (term time) |
| Holiday entitlement | 5.6 weeks |
| Total paid weeks | 44.6 weeks |
| Pro-rata calculation | 44.6 ÷ 52.143 × £22,000 |
| Actual annual pay | £18,813 |
| Monthly pay | £1,568 |
Your actual annual salary is spread across 12 equal monthly payments, so you receive the same amount each month including school holidays — but the total is lower than the FTE figure.
Hourly Rate Comparison
| Level | FTE Salary | Actual Hourly Rate | National Living Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | £18,500 | £10.74 | £12.21 |
| Level 2 | £21,000 | £12.19 | £12.21 |
| Level 3 | £23,500 | £13.64 | £12.21 |
| HLTA | £27,000 | £15.67 | £12.21 |
Note: Some Level 1 and lower Level 2 TAs are paid close to (or below) the National Living Wage when hourly rates are calculated properly.
Specialist TA Roles and Pay
SEN Teaching Assistant
Working with pupils with special educational needs often attracts higher pay.
- Level 2 SEN TA: £21,000-£24,000 FTE
- Level 3 SEN TA: £23,000-£27,000 FTE
- 1:1 support roles: Same pay scale but dedicated to one pupil
- Specialist qualifications (autism, dyslexia): Can push pay to upper end of scale
HLTA (Higher Level Teaching Assistant)
HLTAs can lead whole-class teaching sessions and have additional responsibilities.
- FTE salary: £25,000-£29,000
- Actual term-time: £20,500-£23,800
- Requirements: HLTA assessment plus significant experience
- Key difference: Can cover PPA time and teach independently
Cover Supervisor
Some experienced TAs take on cover supervisor roles, covering for absent teachers.
- FTE salary: £22,000-£26,000
- Often combined with TA duties when not covering classes
Regional Pay Differences
| Region | Level 2 FTE | Level 3 FTE | HLTA FTE |
|---|---|---|---|
| London (Inner) | £23,000-£26,000 | £25,500-£29,000 | £28,000-£33,000 |
| London (Outer) | £21,500-£24,000 | £24,000-£27,000 | £26,500-£31,000 |
| South East | £20,500-£23,000 | £22,500-£25,500 | £25,500-£29,500 |
| Rest of England | £20,000-£22,500 | £22,000-£25,000 | £25,000-£29,000 |
| Scotland | £20,000-£22,500 | £22,000-£25,000 | £25,000-£28,500 |
| Wales | £19,500-£22,000 | £21,500-£24,500 | £24,500-£28,000 |
London weighting adds £2,000-£5,000 to FTE salaries depending on inner/outer London.
Take-Home Pay Examples (Actual Term-Time Pay)
| FTE Salary | Actual Annual | Monthly Take-Home |
|---|---|---|
| £20,000 (Level 2) | ~£17,100 | ~£1,320 |
| £23,000 (Level 3) | ~£19,700 | ~£1,477 |
| £27,000 (HLTA) | ~£23,100 | ~£1,658 |
These estimates include tax and NI deductions on the actual pro-rata salary.
Benefits Beyond Pay
Despite modest pay, TA roles offer significant non-financial benefits:
- School holidays off — 13 weeks per year (though unpaid for term-time contracts)
- Local government pension scheme (LGPS) — employer contributes approximately 16-19% of salary
- Working hours — typically 8:30am-3:30pm, matching school hours
- School day finish — ideal for parents with school-age children
- Job security — schools always need TAs
- Occupational sick pay — after qualifying period
Career Progression
| Stage | Typical Salary (FTE) | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 TA (entry) | £18,000-£20,500 | No formal qualifications |
| Level 2 TA | £20,000-£22,500 | Level 2 TA qualification |
| Level 3 TA | £22,000-£25,000 | Level 3 TA qualification |
| SEN specialist | £22,500-£27,000 | Specialist SEN training |
| HLTA | £25,000-£29,000 | HLTA assessment |
| Cover supervisor | £22,000-£26,000 | Experience + school decision |
| Qualify as teacher | £30,000+ | PGCE or School Direct |
Routes to Teaching
Many TAs use their experience to qualify as teachers, significantly increasing their earnings.
- PGCE (1 year) — £9,250 tuition fee, plus maintenance loan available. Starting teacher salary: £30,000+
- School Direct (salaried) — earn while you train, typically £19,000-£24,000 during training
- School Direct (fee-paying) — similar to PGCE but school-based
- Undergraduate degree + PGCE — for those without a degree (4+ years total)
The jump from HLTA (£25,000-£29,000 FTE) to newly qualified teacher (£31,650 in 2025/26) is significant, and teacher salaries rise to £43,000+ at the upper pay scale.
Part-Time TA Work
Many TAs work part-time, further reducing actual pay.
| Hours Per Week | Proportion of FTE | Level 2 Actual Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 30 hours (full school day) | ~86% | ~£14,700 |
| 25 hours (mornings only) | ~71% | ~£12,200 |
| 20 hours | ~57% | ~£9,700 |
| 15 hours | ~43% | ~£7,300 |
Part-time TAs working fewer than 16 hours may qualify for Universal Credit to top up their income.