About M5 (Main Scale 5)
Fifth year teacher.
These are England & Wales rates outside London. Inner London, Outer London, and London Fringe areas have higher pay scales.
All Teacher Pay Points
| Scale Point | Salary | Take Home/Month |
|---|---|---|
| M1 (Main Scale 1) | £31,650 | £2,192 |
| M2 (Main Scale 2) | £33,483 | £2,302 |
| M3 (Main Scale 3) | £35,389 | £2,417 |
| M4 (Main Scale 4) | £37,322 | £2,533 |
| M5 (Main Scale 5) | £39,483 | £2,662 |
| M6 (Main Scale 6) | £41,333 | £2,773 |
| UPS1 (Upper Pay Scale 1) | £44,870 | £2,986 |
| UPS2 (Upper Pay Scale 2) | £46,525 | £3,085 |
| UPS3 (Upper Pay Scale 3) | £48,532 | £3,205 |
| Leadership L1 | £50,122 | £3,301 |
| Leadership L10 | £60,488 | £3,803 |
| Leadership L20 | £74,283 | £4,470 |
| Leadership L30 | £90,773 | £5,267 |
Teachers' Pension
Teachers contribute 7.4% to 11.7% to the Teachers' Pension Scheme depending on salary. This reduces take home pay but provides one of the best defined benefit pensions available.
Teacher Pay: Main Scale M5
M5 positions teachers above the UK median salary. At this point, teachers are experienced practitioners with strong classroom management skills. Many teachers at M5 are taking on additional responsibilities that attract Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) payments of £3,214-£15,690 on top of their scale salary.
Total Compensation at £34,361
The headline salary of £34,361 does not capture the full value of a teaching package. The Teachers' Pension employer contribution adds approximately £9,854/year. Combined with term-time working (13 weeks holiday versus 5.6 weeks minimum for other workers), the effective value is substantially higher than comparable private sector salaries. See £34,361 salary after tax for the take home breakdown.
Calculate exact take home with pension deductions
Full salary calculator →