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Need-to-know: DfE announces teacher pay award for 2026/27

School teachers and leaders will receive a partially funded 3.5% pay award.

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on 1 July 2026
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The 3.5% increase, recommended by the School Teachers Review Body (STRB), will apply from 1 September 2026.

The pay award applies to all maintained schools. Academies can choose to follow it.

The 2026/27 pay award for school support staff has not yet been agreed.

The pay award will be partially funded

Schools will be expected to cover the first 1% of each pay award through "continued efforts to maximise value from their budgets". 

The government hasn't given specific details on other funding sources for the pay award.

Get advice on how to monitor and scrutinise your school's budget in our other article. 

More changes are planned 

From September 2027, teachers' and leaders' pay is expected to increase by a further 3%, bringing the total increase to 6.5% over the next 2 years.

Read more in the DfE's press release.

Your school leaders can use the DfE's salary calculator to find out how their

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