Teaching assistant pay is more confusing than it needs to be, and the confusion costs people money. The advertised figure is almost never what lands in your bank account, because most TA contracts are term-time only and the salary quoted is usually full-time equivalent.
This page explains the structure, gives typical ranges, and shows you how to work out what a role actually pays before you accept it.
Last reviewed: October 2026. Figures are typical ranges, not a guarantee — individual schools and academies set their own grades.
The single most important thing to understand
Support staff in schools are generally paid on the National Joint Council (NJC) pay spine for local government services, not the teachers’ pay scale. Schools and academies map their own TA grades onto that spine, which is why two Level 3 TAs in neighbouring schools can be paid differently.
And then the pro-rata adjustment happens. A term-time-only contract typically covers around 39 weeks a year, including inset days. The rough calculation is:
Actual annual pay ≈ FTE salary × (39 ÷ 52) ≈ FTE × 0.75
So an advert quoting “£24,000” may mean roughly £18,000 actually paid. You are still paid across twelve months, and you still get your holidays — but the headline number was never the number.
This is not a trick. It is how support staff contracts work, and it is disclosed. But it is disclosed in the phrase “FTE” or “pro rata”, which plenty of people skim past.
Typical pay by level
| Level | Typical FTE salary | Roughly, term-time actual |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 TA — general classroom support | £19,000–£22,000 | £14,000–£16,500 |
| Level 2 TA | £22,000–£25,000 | £16,500–£18,750 |
| Level 3 / Senior TA | £25,000–£28,000 | £18,750–£21,000 |
| HLTA — Higher Level Teaching Assistant | £28,000–£34,000 | £21,000–£25,500 |
Inner London roles carry a weighting on top. Level 1 to 2 posts in inner London typically sit around £24,000–£28,000 FTE, and HLTA posts around £30,000–£36,000 FTE.
What actually moves your pay
Qualifications matter less than most candidates expect. These move the number more:
- HLTA status. The clearest step up. It is a status assessed against national standards rather than a course you simply enrol on, and it requires headteacher support and evidence from practice — but it is the most reliable route to a materially higher grade.
- SEN specialism. Specialist settings and complex-needs roles frequently pay above mainstream classroom support, and experience plus de-escalation training such as Team Teach or PRICE strengthens your position considerably.
- Location. London weighting is a larger single factor than any qualification.
- Agency and supply day rates. Daily rates are often higher than the pro-rata equivalent of a permanent post, because you are not paid for holidays. Whether that nets out better depends on how consistently you work.
- Contract type. A full-year contract rather than term-time-only is effectively a 33% rise on the same FTE figure. These are rarer, but they exist — particularly in nurseries and wraparound provision.
How to read a TA job advert properly
Four questions, in this order:
- Is the figure FTE or actual? If it says FTE or pro rata, do the 0.75 calculation.
- How many weeks? Term-time only is usually around 39 weeks, but 38, 40 and 41 all exist, and each week is real money.
- How many hours a week? Many TA roles are 30–32.5 hours, not 37. That is a second pro-rata reduction applied on top of the first, and it is the one people miss.
- Which grade and spine point? “Grade 4, point 7” is checkable against the local authority’s published scale. “Competitive” is not.
If an advert gives a figure with no indication of weeks or hours, ask before interview rather than after offer. It is a reasonable question and nobody will think less of you for it.
Early years is a different system
If you are looking at nurseries rather than schools, the structure changes entirely. Early years pay is usually hourly, benchmarked against the National Living Wage rather than the NJC spine, and qualifications carry regulatory weight because they must appear on the Department for Education approved list to count towards staff-to-child ratios. We cover that separately in our guide to Level 3 early years pay and progression.
Want to know what roles are actually paying?
We place teaching assistants and support staff across London and Essex, and we can tell you what settings are genuinely offering right now — before you commit to a move.
Related reading
- What qualifications do you need to be a teaching assistant?
- SEN recruitment
- DBS checks for schools and nurseries
Frequently asked questions
How much do teaching assistants get paid in the UK?
Typical full-time equivalent salaries run from around £19,000–£22,000 for a Level 1 teaching assistant to £28,000–£34,000 for an HLTA. Because most contracts are term-time only, actual pay is usually around 75% of the FTE figure. Inner London roles carry a weighting on top.
Why is my teaching assistant salary lower than the advertised figure?
Because the advertised figure is normally full-time equivalent, and most TA contracts are term-time only — typically around 39 weeks a year. Actual pay is roughly the FTE salary multiplied by 39 divided by 52, or about 75%. If the role is also part-time hours, a second reduction applies on top.
What pay scale are teaching assistants on?
Support staff in schools are generally paid on the National Joint Council (NJC) pay spine for local government services, not the teachers’ pay scale. Individual schools and academies map their own TA grades onto that spine, which is why pay varies between neighbouring schools.
How much does an HLTA earn?
Higher Level Teaching Assistant roles typically pay around £28,000–£34,000 full-time equivalent, and around £30,000–£36,000 FTE in inner London. HLTA is a status assessed against national standards rather than a taught course, and it is the clearest route to a significantly higher grade.
Do teaching assistants get paid during school holidays?
Pay is normally spread across twelve monthly payments, so money still arrives in the holidays, but the annual total reflects the term-time weeks worked rather than a full year. You are paid for roughly 39 weeks, divided into twelve instalments.
Is agency teaching assistant work better paid?
Daily rates are often higher than the pro-rata equivalent of a permanent post, because you are not paid for holidays. Whether it works out better overall depends on how consistently you work and how much continuity you want.
What is the quickest way to increase teaching assistant pay?
Gaining HLTA status, moving into SEN or specialist provision, or moving to a role with London weighting. A full-year rather than term-time-only contract is also effectively a significant increase on the same FTE figure. Additional qualifications on their own move pay less than most candidates expect.
Is nursery pay the same as teaching assistant pay?
No. Early years pay in nurseries is usually hourly and benchmarked against the National Living Wage rather than the NJC pay spine, and qualifications carry regulatory weight because they must be on the Department for Education approved list to count towards staff-to-child ratios.