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SEN teachers are paid on national teacher pay scales plus an SEN allowance of 2,787 to 5,497 pounds for eligible posts. This guide explains all 2025/26 pay rates, the RM6376 framework and how agency rates are calculated.
SEN teachers supplied through agencies in England are paid on the national teacher pay scales set out in the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD). For 2025/26, following a four percent increase recommended by the School Teachers Review Body, qualified teachers on the Main Pay Range outside London earn from 32,916 to 45,069 pounds per year. In inner London, the Main Pay Range runs from 40,317 to 52,300 pounds. In addition to their classroom teacher salary, teachers in eligible SEN posts receive an annual SEN allowance of between 2,787 and 5,497 pounds, confirmed by Prospects and Edapt. When a school uses a specialist SEN agency to supply a teacher, the school pays an all-inclusive daily rate that covers the teacher’s pay, employer National Insurance, holiday pay and the agency’s margin.
The SEN teacher pay scale is not a separate national scale. SEN teachers are paid on the standard Main Pay Range or Upper Pay Range, then receive the SEN allowance where the post meets the eligibility criteria. Edapt confirms the SEN allowance applies where the teacher holds a mandatory SEN qualification or has a greater level of involvement in teaching children with SEN than is the normal requirement. Two SEN teachers at the same school may have quite different total pay if one receives the full SEN allowance and the other does not.
For academy schools, pay is set according to the school’s own pay policy rather than the STPCD, though many academies use the national scale as a reference point. Where a school has converted from maintained to academy status, Transfer of Undertakings (TUPE) regulations may mean that existing staff retain their previous pay terms. The GCA RM6376 framework, which launched in May 2026 and covers SEN supply staff, sets capped agency fees for framework-approved suppliers and is mandated for academy trusts from September 2026 for supply teacher procurement.
For agency-placed SEN teachers, the daily rate the school pays is typically calculated as the teacher’s daily pay (annual salary divided by 195 school days) plus employer National Insurance at 13.8 percent on earnings above the secondary threshold, holiday pay accrual and the agency’s margin. For a Main Pay Range SEN teacher in inner London earning 44,000 pounds per year, the gross daily pay is approximately 226 pounds. Adding employer costs and an agency margin of 20 to 25 percent, the all-inclusive daily rate to the school may be in the range of 295 to 340 pounds per day.
The SEN allowance: Edapt confirms the SEN allowance for 2025/26 is no less than 2,787 and no more than 5,497 pounds per year. The allowance applies where the teacher is in any SEN post that requires a mandatory SEN qualification or where the teacher has a greater level of involvement in teaching children with SEN than is the normal requirement of teachers in the school. The school’s pay policy should set out how SEN allowances are administered. Edapt recommends that teachers with questions about SEN allowances contact their union or seek professional advice.
The RM6376 framework: The GCA RM6376 Supply Teachers and Education Recruitment framework launched in May 2026 and runs to April 2029. The Staff Room confirms the framework was procured jointly by GCA, YPO and ESPO and covers classroom teachers, teaching assistants, SEN specialists, cover supervisors, tutors and senior leaders. The framework sets capped agency fees: 45 pounds per hour for STEM teachers, 40 pounds for non-STEM teachers and 38 pounds for SEND support staff. From September 2026, single and multi-academy trusts must procure supply staff through RM6376 or a compliant alternative.
The following sets out the 2025/26 Main Pay Range and Upper Pay Range for teachers in England, to which the SEN allowance is added for eligible SEN posts.
The Main Pay Range for teachers in maintained schools and academies outside London for 2025/26 runs from 32,916 to 45,069 pounds per year. These figures reflect the four percent increase confirmed from September 2025 following the STRB 35th Report. A newly qualified SEN teacher outside London would typically start at 32,916 pounds, rising through the scale on the basis of performance. Adding the SEN allowance of 2,787 to 5,497 pounds, total SEN teacher pay outside London on the Main Pay Range ranges from approximately 35,700 to 50,566 pounds.
Inner London teachers earn substantially more than their counterparts outside London on equivalent pay scale points. Edapt confirms that in 2025/26, inner London classroom teachers range from 40,317 to 52,300 pounds on the Main Pay Range. With the SEN allowance, a SEN teacher in inner London can earn between 43,104 and 57,797 pounds in total. These rates reflect the higher cost of living and the competitive labour market for experienced SEN teachers in the capital.
Experienced SEN teachers who have progressed through the Main Pay Range and met the criteria for Upper Pay Range can earn more. The Upper Pay Range for 2025/26 outside London runs from 47,472 to 51,048 pounds. In inner London, the Upper Pay Range rates are higher. SEN teachers on the Upper Pay Range in specialist settings with the full SEN allowance of 5,497 pounds can earn above 56,000 pounds in total outside London and above 60,000 pounds in inner London.
Outer London teachers receive London weighting that places them between inner London and the national scale. Edapt confirms that in 2025/26, outer London classroom teachers earn from 37,870 to 50,474 pounds on the Main Pay Range. SEN teachers in outer London settings with the SEN allowance earn between approximately 40,657 and 55,971 pounds in total, making outer London a significant premium over equivalent roles outside the capital.
The Leading Practitioner scale applies to teachers in a category between the Upper Pay Range and the leadership group, designated as leading practitioners with a primary focus on modelling and leading improvement of teaching skills. Leading Practitioner pay in 2025/26 ranges from 51,179 to 72,085 pounds per year outside London, with higher rates in London. SEN teachers in leading practitioner roles in specialist settings receive these rates in addition to any applicable SEN or responsibility allowances.
Some SEN settings employ unqualified teachers or instructors in teaching roles, particularly in alternative provision or specialist therapeutic settings. Unqualified teachers are paid on a separate unqualified teacher pay scale. For 2025/26, the unqualified teacher pay range outside London runs from 20,297 to 30,781 pounds per year. Unqualified teachers are not entitled to the standard SEN allowance but may receive other allowances depending on the school’s pay policy.
SENDhelp places specialist SEN teachers, teaching assistants and support staff across North London, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.
SENDhelp is a specialist SEN staffing agency placing teachers and support staff across North London, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. For information on how SEN agency placements work, see our guide on SEN maternity cover through agencies and specialist SEN teacher lead times.
SEN teachers are paid on the standard teacher pay scales. For 2025/26, qualified teachers outside London earn from 32,916 to 45,069 pounds on the Main Pay Range, with an SEN allowance of 2,787 to 5,497 pounds on top for eligible posts. In inner London, the Main Pay Range runs from 40,317 to 52,300 pounds before the SEN allowance. Agency daily rates reflect these figures plus employer National Insurance, holiday pay and the agency margin.
SEN teachers are paid on the same classroom teacher pay scales as mainstream teachers. The difference is the SEN allowance, which adds 2,787 to 5,497 pounds per year for teachers in eligible SEN posts. Not all SEN teacher roles attract the allowance, and academies may set their own pay policies. In practice, many experienced SEN teachers in specialist settings earn more than equivalent mainstream teachers once the SEN allowance and any specialist post allowances are included.
The RM6376 framework caps the agency’s charge rate to the school, not the pay rate of the teacher. The Staff Room confirms that supply staff pay and conditions are entirely unaffected by the framework’s fee caps. The caps target agency profit only. A SEN teacher supplied through an RM6376 framework agency should receive the same pay as they would outside the framework. The benefit to schools is lower agency fees, not lower teacher pay.
Visit our SEN teaching resources hub for guides on staffing, compliance, qualifications and specialist provision.
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