How many hours does a full time primary teacher work?
Sarah Duran
Published Feb 13, 2026
primary school teachers work between 47 and 49 hours a week “without any substantial change to this figure” the average hours of secondary school teachers “sits between 46 and 48 hours per week” and has remained “broadly stable” a quarter of teachers work more than 59 hours a week. 10% work over 65 hours per week.
How much does a UK primary school teacher earn?
Qualified teachers. As a newly qualified teacher (NQT) in a primary or secondary school your starting salary will be between £25,714 and £32,157 depending on where you teach. In 2020/21, the average salary for a primary school teacher was £36,900. The average salary for a secondary school teacher was £39,900.
Can you work full time as a supply teacher?
One of the main reasons full time teachers choose to go into supply teaching is the flexibility it provides. Unlike full time teachers, supply teachers can take time off during the school term (which instantly makes going on holiday a lot cheaper!), and you can also choose to work the hours that suit you best.
How many hours should a full-time teacher teach?
A fully registered teacher has a maximum of 22.5 hours of class contact (actual teaching) each week on a full-time basis.
Is primary teaching stressful?
According to England’s Health and Safety Executive, teaching is the most stressful occupation there is. About 80% of teachers complain about stress at work and thousands of teachers leave the profession every year – predominantly due to stress, Mr Illingworth says.
Is being a primary school teacher stressful?
How many hours can a primary school teacher work?
The Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2017specifies the maximum face-to-face teaching hours that a principal may assign to a teacher as follows: for primary teachers – not more than twenty-two hours thirty minutes per week Management of Teacher Work Page | 4
How many full time teachers are there in the UK?
There are currently 506,400 full-time teachers in the UK. 216,500 work in primary schools, 208,300 work in secondary schools, 61,500 work in independent schools and 16,700 work in special schools.
How are teaching hours calculated for lower secondary schools?
For lower secondary schools, both teaching time and preparation time are shown in hours per week. An interactive data visualization follows. Switch to the accessible table representation. This indicator presents preparation time and statutory teaching time.
What’s the percentage of teachers who increase their working hours?
The number of teachers who enter and leave the profession are not the only factors in changing FTE qualified teacher numbers between years. In 2019, 3.7% of qualified teachers increased their working hours, by either moving from part time to full time working or remaining part time but increasing their weekly hours.