Wales updates teachers’ pay and time rules for 2026
Teachers and heads in Wales: here’s the simple version. The Welsh Government has confirmed the legal timetable for teachers’ pay and conditions in 2025/26. The School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions (Wales) Order 2026 comes into force on Friday 6 March 2026 and directs schools to two updated STPC(W) documents either side of that date. One covers the period up to 7 March; the other applies from 8 March onward. (gov.wales)
Think of it as a short timeline you can pin to your staffroom wall. From 1 September 2025 to 7 March 2026, you use the “revised February 2026” document. From Sunday 8 March 2026, you switch to the “revised March 2026” document. If you’re checking a pay decision, appraisal point or duty that straddles the changeover, match it to the correct version. (gov.wales)
On pay, the documents confirm a 4% uplift to all statutory points and allowances from 1 September 2025. Wales has also removed the application step for moving from the main to the upper pay scale, a change many classroom teachers have asked about this year. Keep your school pay policy aligned with these updates. (gov.wales)
A big shift for inclusion leads: Additional Learning Needs Coordinators (ALNCos) move onto leadership group pay and conditions. The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle, says the aim is to recognise the strategic nature of the role; the pay element is backdated to 1 September 2025, while the linked conditions are not retrospective to avoid detriment. Expect guidance to local authorities and funding support to follow. (gov.wales)
What this means for your payslip. Because the 4% award is effective from 1 September 2025, many teachers will see back pay. The Welsh Government has previously said the timing of implementation sits with employers, so if your adjustment hasn’t landed, speak to payroll or your union about when it will be processed. (gov.wales)
Working time and duties remain statutory. Section 2 of the STPC(W) sets out professional responsibilities, rights and expectations, with a dedicated working time section and an annex clarifying administrative tasks that should not sit with teachers. Use it as your reference point when planning directed time and meetings. (gov.wales)
Who’s covered. The documents apply to teachers employed by a local authority or by the governing body of a foundation, voluntary aided or foundation special school in Wales. If you’re in a maintained setting in Wales, this is your contract framework. (gov.wales)
Practical next steps for heads and HR. We should all double‑check that pay policies reference the correct document for the correct window, update leadership pay arrangements for ALNCos from March, and brief staff on what changes on 8 March. When scheduling INSET or performance management milestones, anchor them to the applicable version.
If you’re part‑time or on supply, the framework still speaks to you. The documents explain how part‑time remuneration is calculated and include provisions for short‑notice employment. Keep clear records of hours worked and duties agreed; they matter when pay periods cross the March switchover. (gov.wales)
Quick context for students and early‑career teachers. Since 2019, Wales has run its own system for teachers’ pay and conditions. That means Welsh rules can differ from England’s, so always check the Welsh STPC(W) rather than England’s STPCD if you work in Wales. (gov.wales)
Why these changes now. The Independent Welsh Pay Review Body’s recent work underpins the 2025/26 pay award and the ongoing look at leaders’ conditions. The Welsh Government flagged the sixth IWPRB report in June 2025, with further consideration of leadership conditions across the year. That’s the policy track this Order now implements. (gov.wales)
Where to read the official texts. Both “revised February 2026” and “revised March 2026” versions are published on GOV.WALES. If you’re teaching or leading in Wales this term, save the PDFs and keep them handy for pay points, duties, directed time and ALNCo queries. (gov.wales)