Early career teacher salary 2026/27
Pay for teachers in their first two years from 1 September 2026, and what it leaves after tax, NI and pension in each pay area.
M1 and M2 in every pay area
| Area | M1 | Take-home a month | M2 | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rest of England | £34,069 | £2,169 | £36,042 | £2,278 |
| London fringe | £35,602 | £2,254 | £37,647 | £2,329 |
| Outer London | £39,196 | £2,412 | £41,246 | £2,523 |
| Inner London | £41,729 | £2,549 | £43,713 | £2,657 |
Full time, tax code 1257L, Teachers’ Pension member, no student loan. Early career teachers usually start on M1 and move to M2 after a year, as long as they pass their induction.
Your student loan
Most new teachers have a Plan 2 or Plan 5 loan. On Plan 2, repayments on M1 outside London are about £35.08 a month, leaving £2,134. Turn on the student loan option above to see yours.
What an early career teacher does
Early career teachers (ECTs) are fully qualified teachers in their first two years. You plan and teach your own classes, mark work, track progress and look after a form group or class, just like any other teacher, with extra support built in.
The two-year induction
- You have a mentor who meets you regularly and an induction tutor who checks your progress.
- You teach a slightly lighter timetable: 10% less in year one and 5% less in year two, on top of normal planning time.
- Training follows the early career framework, covering behaviour, planning, assessment and how pupils learn.
- At the end of each year you are assessed against the teachers’ standards.
How to qualify
To teach in a state school you need qualified teacher status (QTS). The main routes are:
- A degree followed by a one-year teacher training course, often with a PGCE.
- An undergraduate degree that includes QTS.
- A salaried route or teacher degree apprenticeship, where a school pays you while you train.
- Assessment only, for experienced unqualified teachers.
Hours
A full-time teacher can be directed to work up to 1,265 hours over 195 days a year, 190 of them with pupils. Planning and marking often add more, though at least 10% of your timetable is protected time for planning, preparation and assessment.
Common questions
How long is teacher induction?
Two years for early career teachers in England, with a mentor, a reduced timetable and training based on the early career framework.
What does a newly qualified teacher earn in 2026?
£34,069 on M1 outside London from September 2026, rising to £41,729 in inner London. That is about £2,169 a month after deductions outside London.
Do early career teachers pay into the pension?
Yes, you are enrolled automatically. On M1 outside London you pay 7.4% of your salary, before tax.