Profession · 2026/27
Headteacher Salary 2026/27: Take-Home Across School Type
UK Headteachers sit on Leadership Pay Range (STPCD L18-L43). 2026/27 pay typically £62,000-£135,000 across school size + complexity. Small primary L18: £62,061. Large secondary L43: £135,229. Plus London weighting where applicable.
Typical pay & take-home
- Median gross
- £85,000
- Typical range
- £62,061–£135,229
- Take-home at median
- £59,857
England, no pension applied — use the salary calculator for your scheme.
At the median for this profession, you earn about 127% above the UK full-time median (£37,430), placing you in the top 5% of UK earners.
What influences headteacher pay
Headteacher base pay sits well above the £50,270 higher-rate threshold. Most heads of secondary schools + large primary academy schools fall in the £100k+ Personal Allowance taper, facing 62% marginal rate on £100k-£125k slice.
Pay is determined by Group Size (1-8) reflecting pupil headcount + complexity. Group 1 (smallest, <80 pupils): L18-L24. Group 8 (largest, 1500+ pupils): L33-L43. Multi-Academy Trust executive headteachers often cross Group 8 + receive additional Trust-level allowances pushing total to £150k+.
Teachers Pension Scheme (TPS) contribution 11.5% at typical Headteacher pay (tier 6: £75,001-£101,500; tier 7 £101,501+ = 11.9%) (banded rate 2024). CARE 1/57th accrual. With 40% IT relief the net cost is ~7% of gross. Heads typically also hold Senior Leadership Pay Range with explicit Performance Related Pay element.
Career progression
- Experienced Teacher: £35,000-£50,000.
- Deputy Headteacher: £55,000-£75,000.
- Small Primary Headteacher (Group 1-2): £62,000-£72,000.
- Mid-Size Primary Headteacher (Group 3-4): £72,000-£85,000.
- Secondary Headteacher (Group 5-7): £85,000-£115,000.
- Large Secondary Headteacher (Group 8): £115,000-£135,000.
- MAT Executive Headteacher: £130,000-£200,000+.
Frequently asked questions
- What is take-home for a Secondary Headteacher?
- On £95,000 gross with 11.5% TPS pension, take-home is approximately £57,400-£58,000 a year after Income Tax (40% on £44,730 of higher-rate slice), NI and pension. Large Secondary Head at £115,000 sits in £100k-£125k PA taper - 62% marginal rate on the £15,000 above £100k.
- Does the £100k taper affect Headteachers significantly?
- Yes - Group 7+ Secondary Heads and larger Primary Headteachers routinely earn above £100,000. Many use TPS AVC + private pension sacrifice to drop adjusted net income below £100,000 - capturing the full 62% marginal relief on every pound sacrificed. Common reduction: £20,000-£30,000 annual sacrifice for top of pay range.
- Is the Teachers Pension Scheme worth the 11.7% contribution?
- Yes - extraordinary value at any headteacher pay level. TPS CARE 1/57th accrual on £95k Headteacher salary = ~£1,665/year of indexed pension built annually. Implicit DfE employer cost is approximately 28% of salary. Replicating this benefit privately would cost 3-4× the 11.7% employee contribution rate.