How much do headteachers earn in 2026/27?
There is no single headteacher salary. Pay depends almost entirely on the size and complexity of the school, and the spread is enormous — a head of a small rural primary and the head of a large London secondary are both on the leadership spine, but they can be more than £80,000 apart.
The statutory floor for any headteacher post is L1, £53,585 in the rest of England for 2026/27. The statutory ceiling is L43, £148,829. Between those two figures, the group size framework does most of the work.
| Region | Minimum (L1) | Maximum (L43) |
|---|---|---|
| Rest of England | £53,585 | £148,829 |
| London Fringe | £55,060 | £150,301 |
| Outer London | £57,837 | £153,041 |
| Inner London | £63,708 | £158,862 |
School group size explained
Every school is assigned to one of eight groups. The group is determined by a total unit score, which converts pupil numbers into a single figure that reflects the fact that older pupils are more expensive and more complex to educate.
How the unit score is calculated
Each pupil on roll contributes a number of units depending on their year group. You add up the units for the whole school to get the total unit score.
| Year group | Units per pupil |
|---|---|
| Nursery and Reception to Year 6 | 7 |
| Year 7 to Year 11 | 9 |
| Year 12 and above (sixth form) | 13 |
So a 420-pupil primary school scores 420 × 7 = 2,940 units. An 1,100-pupil 11–18 secondary with 200 sixth formers scores (900 × 9) + (200 × 13) = 10,700 units.
Group boundaries
| Group | Total unit score | Typical school |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | Up to 1,000 | Very small primary (under 145 pupils) |
| Group 2 | 1,001 – 2,200 | Small to average primary |
| Group 3 | 2,201 – 3,500 | Average to large primary |
| Group 4 | 3,501 – 5,000 | Large primary or very small secondary |
| Group 5 | 5,001 – 8,000 | Small secondary |
| Group 6 | 8,001 – 11,000 | Average secondary |
| Group 7 | 11,001 – 17,000 | Large secondary with sixth form |
| Group 8 | 17,001 and over | Very large secondary or all-through school |
Indicative headteacher pay by group size
These are typical individual school ranges observed across the sector for 2026/27, using rest of England figures. Your governing body sets the actual range within the statutory boundaries for your group.
| Group | Typical ISR | Salary range |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | L6 – L12 | £60,514 – £70,022 |
| Group 2 | L8 – L14 | £63,531 – £73,513 |
| Group 3 | L11 – L17 | £68,340 – £79,077 |
| Group 4 | L14 – L20 | £73,513 – £85,063 |
| Group 5 | L18 – L24 | £81,024 – £93,754 |
| Group 6 | L21 – L27 | £87,157 – £100,851 |
| Group 7 | L24 – L30 | £93,754 – £108,485 |
| Group 8 | L28 – L34 | £103,334 – £119,570 |
Add roughly £10,000 to £11,000 for inner London, £4,000 to £5,000 for outer London, and £1,500 for the fringe. The full regional figures for every spine point are on the leadership pay scale page.
Primary versus secondary headteacher pay
The group size system means the primary/secondary gap is really a size gap. A large all-through primary can out-score a small secondary and pay its head more.
| School | Pupils | Unit score | Group | Typical head salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Village primary | 140 (all primary) | 980 | Group 1 | £60,514 – £70,022 |
| Two-form primary | 420 (all primary) | 2,940 | Group 3 | £68,340 – £79,077 |
| Small 11–16 secondary | 600 (all KS3/4) | 5,400 | Group 5 | £81,024 – £93,754 |
| 11–18 secondary | 1,100 inc. 200 sixth form | 10,700 | Group 6 | £87,157 – £100,851 |
This is why headship of a large primary can pay more than a deputy headship in a secondary, and why moving from a Group 3 to a Group 6 headship is one of the biggest single pay jumps available in teaching.
Going above the range
Governing bodies have discretion to pay a headteacher above the maximum of the ISR, but the STPCD constrains it. Discretionary payments — for example for taking on an additional school, leading a federation, or genuinely exceptional recruitment difficulty — should not normally take total salary more than 25% above the ISR maximum.
Going beyond that 25% ceiling requires the governing body to seek external independent advice and to document a clear rationale. In academies and multi-academy trusts the STPCD does not bind pay decisions in the same way, but trusts are subject to scrutiny from the ESFA and their own funding agreements on executive pay.
What headteacher pay is worth after deductions
Headship salaries sit in the higher tax bands and the top pension tiers, so the net figure is a long way below the headline.
| Salary | Pension tier | Approx. monthly take-home |
|---|---|---|
| £70,022 (L12) | 10.2% | £3,907 |
| £87,157 (L21) | 11.7% | £4,583 |
| £103,334 (L28) | 12.7% | £5,163 |
| £119,570 (L34) | 12.7% | £5,574 |
Above £100,000 the personal allowance tapers away at £1 for every £2 earned, creating an effective 60% marginal rate between £100,000 and £125,140. A head moving from L26 to L28 crosses straight into that band. Run your own figures through the teacher pay calculator to see the real net effect.
Middle leaders versus the leadership group
Head of year and head of department salaries are a frequent source of confusion. Neither role is part of the leadership group. A head of year or head of department in England is normally a classroom teacher on the main or upper pay range who receives a teaching and learning responsibility payment on top — typically £3,650 to £8,912 for TLR 2 or £10,530 to £17,819 for TLR 1 in 2026/27.
So a U3 teacher with a TLR 1 earns up to £63,365 — more than some assistant heads. The distinction matters when comparing vacancies: a post advertised with an L-point range is a leadership group post on the leadership pay scale, while a post advertised as salary plus TLR is a middle-leadership role. Both are legitimate career routes, but they are paid from entirely different frameworks.
Common questions about the route to headship
Most heads arrive via deputy headship, and the pay step is usually significant — often six to ten spine points. See deputy headteacher pay for the level below, and how to move up the leadership pay scale for progression mechanics once you are in post.
For a broader picture of where headship sits against classroom and middle leadership pay across the profession, see the UK teacher salary overview.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average head teacher salary in the UK?
There is no single average because pay follows school size. A small primary headteacher typically earns £60,000 to £70,000, an average primary head £68,000 to £79,000, and a secondary head £87,000 to £109,000 in the rest of England for 2026/27. Inner London adds roughly £10,000 to £11,000.
How is headteacher pay decided?
The governing body sets a seven-point individual school range on the leadership spine. The starting point is the school group, calculated from a total unit score based on pupil numbers weighted by key stage. Governors then adjust for the specific demands of the role within the statutory boundaries for that group.
What is school group size?
It is a classification from Group 1 to Group 8 based on a total unit score. Each pupil up to Year 6 counts 7 units, Years 7 to 11 count 9 units, and Year 12 and above count 13 units. A 420-pupil primary scores 2,940 units, placing it in Group 3.
How much does a primary school head teacher earn?
Most primary headteachers fall in Groups 1 to 4, giving typical ranges from about £60,514 at the bottom of a small school range to £85,063 at the top of a large primary range in the rest of England for 2026/27.
How much does a secondary head teacher earn?
Secondary schools usually fall in Groups 5 to 8. Typical ranges run from around £81,024 for a small secondary to £119,570 at the top of a very large school range in the rest of England, with inner London schools paying roughly £11,000 more.
Can a headteacher be paid more than the top of their range?
Yes, but with limits. Governors can make discretionary payments for additional responsibilities such as leading a federation, though total salary should not normally exceed 25% above the ISR maximum. Going beyond that requires external independent advice and a documented rationale.
Do academy headteachers get paid on the same scale?
Academies and free schools are not bound by the STPCD and can set their own pay. In practice most benchmark against the leadership spine, but multi-academy trust executive salaries can be considerably higher and are subject to scrutiny from the ESFA and in published accounts.
What does a head of year or head of department earn compared with a headteacher?
Heads of year and departments are not on the leadership spine. They are classroom teachers paid on the main or upper pay range plus a TLR of £3,650 to £17,819 depending on level, so a typical total is £40,000 to £65,000. That is well below primary headteacher pay but can exceed an assistant head on a low ISR.
What is the highest a headteacher can be paid?
The statutory maximum on the leadership spine is L43, which is £148,829 in the rest of England and £158,862 in inner London for 2026/27. Executive heads and MAT chief executives can be paid more, particularly outside the STPCD framework, though such packages attract regulatory scrutiny.
Sources
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