Convert an advertised full-time equivalent salary into an estimated term-time, part-time teaching assistant salary.
Your estimated teaching assistant salary
How the teaching assistant salary calculation works
Teaching assistant vacancies often show a full-time equivalent salary even when the role is part-time and term-time only. The calculator first adjusts the FTE figure for your weekly hours, then adjusts it again for your paid weeks. Any annual allowance is added at the end.
| Step | Calculation |
|---|---|
| Hours factor | Your weekly hours ÷ full-time weekly hours |
| Weeks factor | Paid weeks ÷ 52.143 |
| Estimated annual pay | FTE salary × hours factor × weeks factor + allowance |
The National Careers Service notes that teaching assistant roles are commonly term-time only and that advertised pay is often stated as FTE, while actual pay depends on hours worked. Its career profile currently gives a broad salary guide of £19,000 for starters to £26,000 for experienced workers. Check the official teaching assistant career profile.
Why your actual payslip may differ
Schools, academy trusts and local authorities can use different full-time hours, paid-week figures, grading structures and holiday calculations. Some employers spread term-time pay equally over 12 months. Pension, tax, National Insurance, student loans and other deductions also affect take-home pay.
To estimate deductions from the gross annual figure, use the United Kingdom Salary Calculator. If you also earn qualifying income at sea, the separate Seafarers Earnings Deduction Calculator covers that specialist tax relief.
Browse more employment and finance tools on the United Kingdom Calculator homepage.
Frequently asked questions
What does FTE salary mean?
FTE means full-time equivalent. It is the salary for working the employer’s full-time hours for a full year before part-time or term-time adjustments.
Why is a teaching assistant’s actual salary lower than the advert?
The headline figure may be FTE. Working fewer weekly hours or fewer paid weeks reduces the actual annual salary.
Are school holidays included in paid weeks?
Term-time contracts normally include a calculated paid-holiday entitlement, but the exact number of paid weeks depends on the employer.
Does this calculator show take-home pay?
No. It estimates gross pay before Income Tax, National Insurance, pension contributions and other deductions.
Are teaching assistant pay rates the same across the UK?
No. Pay scales and contract terms can differ between schools, academy trusts, local authorities and UK nations.