Some school roles, such as caretakers, office staff and some teaching assistants, can be done on either a term-time-only or an all-year contract. Here’s how they compare.
The money
Take SCP 5 (£26,427 FTE) at 30 hours a week with Green Book holiday (under 5 years’ service):
| Term-time (39 weeks) | All year | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual pay | £18,348.91 | £21,427.30 |
| Monthly pay | £1,529.08 | £1,785.61 |
| Weeks worked | 39 | 45.543 |
| Paid holiday weeks | 5.652 | 6.6 |
| Unpaid weeks | 7.491 | 0 |
| Hours worked per year | 1,170 | 1,366.29 |
| Pay per hour worked | £15.68 | £15.68 |
The all-year contract pays £3,078.38 more a year, for 196.29 more hours of work. Per hour actually worked, the pay is exactly the same.
Why the pay per hour is the same
Under the Green Book method, term-time staff earn holiday at the same rate per week worked as all-year staff: 6.6 ÷ 45.543 = 0.145 weeks of holiday for every week worked. So the pay for each hour you actually work is identical. The only difference is the number of weeks.
If your term-time contract uses a lower holiday rate than all-year colleagues on the same grade get, the per-hour figures won’t match. Check with the contract comparison calculator.
Fewer hours all year vs more hours term-time
Sometimes the choice is between, say, 32.5 hours term-time and 27.5 hours all year. On SCP 3 (£25,614 FTE):
- 32.5 hours term-time: £19,266.46 for 1,267.5 hours of work
- 27.5 hours all year: £19,037.43 for 1,252.43 hours of work
Almost the same money and almost the same hours. The difference is when you work.
Beyond the money
- Childcare: term-time work matches school holidays, which can save a lot on childcare.
- Holiday flexibility: all-year staff can usually book leave outside school holidays, when it’s cheaper.
- Pension: Local Government Pension Scheme benefits build up on actual pay, so a higher annual salary means a bigger pension.
- Second jobs: term-time staff often take holiday work, such as play schemes or exam invigilation.
Changing contracts
You can ask to move from one to the other, but your employer doesn’t have to agree. Any change must be agreed and confirmed in writing. Under the Employment Rights Act 2025, flexible working requests will need a reasonable explanation if refused. Check the current rules on GOV.UK.