Understanding Teach First Salary

If you're considering the Teach First training programme, one of the first questions you'll ask is about the teach first salary. This article explains how the salary is structured, how it varies by region and subject, and how to convert it into hourly and monthly pay. We'll also compare it with other UK salary benchmarks, such as the National Living Wage and qualified teacher pay.

How Teach First Salary Works

Teach First is a two-year training programme that places you in a school while you work towards Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). During the first year, you are paid on the unqualified teacher pay scale. The exact amount depends on:

• Subject: Primary/early years, secondary maths/science/MFL, or other secondary subjects.
• Region: Inner London, Outer London, London fringe, or Rest of England.

According to the Teach First website, the first-year salaries are as follows:

Role	Inner London	Outer London	London Fringe	Rest of England
Primary / early years	£28,343	£26,789	£24,066	£22,601
Secondary maths, science, MFL	£33,528	£31,974	£29,248	£27,785
Other secondary subjects	£30,935	£29,383	£26,656	£25,193

These are annual salaries based on a full-time contract. In the second year, your salary rises to a higher point on the unqualified scale, and after completing the programme you move onto the qualified teacher scale.

Converting Teach First Salary to Hourly and Monthly

To understand your take-home pay, it helps to convert the annual salary into hourly and monthly figures. The standard conversion used across UK salary calculators assumes a 37.5-hour working week and 52 paid weeks per year (including holiday pay). The formula is:

Hourly rate = Annual salary ÷ (37.5 × 52)

Monthly salary = Annual salary ÷ 12

For example, a primary trainee in Rest of England earning £22,601:

• Hourly rate ≈ £22,601 ÷ 1,950 = £11.59 per hour
• Monthly salary ≈ £22,601 ÷ 12 = £1,883.42 per month

A secondary maths trainee in Inner London earning £33,528:

• Hourly rate ≈ £33,528 ÷ 1,950 = £17.19 per hour
• Monthly salary ≈ £33,528 ÷ 12 = £2,794 per month

Remember that these are gross figures before tax and National Insurance. Use our Hourly to Salary converter to calculate your own figures, or browse our salary articles for more guidance.

Regional Variations and London Weighting

London weighting is built into the Teach First salary bands. The difference between Inner London and Rest of England can be over £5,000 for the same role. For example, a primary trainee in Inner London earns £28,343 compared to £22,601 in Rest of England – a difference of £5,742. This reflects the higher cost of living in the capital.

If you are considering a move to London for Teach First, factor in higher rent and travel costs. The London weighting helps, but it may not cover all additional expenses.

Comparison with Other UK Salaries

How does the Teach First salary stack up against other benchmarks?

• National Living Wage (2026/27): £12.71 per hour for those aged 21+, equivalent to £24,784.50 annually at 37.5 hours. Most Teach First salaries exceed this, especially in London.
• Qualified teacher minimum (2026): £34,069 (excluding London) – significantly higher than first-year Teach First pay.
• Average teacher salary (2026): Over £52,800, according to GOV.UK Get Into Teaching.
• UK median full-time pay: Around £39,039 per year (ONS ASHE data).

It's important to note that teachers often work more than 37.5 hours per week. IDR Research, citing a Department of Education survey, found that teachers reported an average of 52.4 hours per week during term time. This means the effective hourly rate can be lower than the calculation above suggests.

Key Takeaways

• The teach first salary varies by subject and region, with Inner London paying the most.
• Use the standard conversion formula (annual ÷ 1,950 hours) to find your hourly rate, but be aware that actual working hours may be higher.
• After the two-year programme, you will move onto the qualified teacher pay scale, which starts at over £34,000.
• For more detailed calculations, try our hourly calculator or explore salary data for other professions.

Understanding your salary is the first step to managing your finances. Whether you're a trainee or a qualified teacher, knowing how to convert between hourly and annual pay helps you compare job offers and plan your budget.