Term time, term time plus, or all year?
Caretaker contracts come in three main shapes:
- All year (52 weeks): you’re paid the FTE salary pro-rated for your hours, and take your holiday like any other all-year worker.
- Term time plus extra weeks: for example, 39 weeks plus 4 weeks in the holidays = 43 weeks worked. The term-time calculation applies, with more weeks.
- Term time only: usually smaller sites, or part-time caretakers covering opening and closing.
For anything except all year, use the term-time pay calculator with your actual weeks worked. The more weeks you work, the more paid holiday you build up. At the limit (about 45.54 weeks with 33 days’ leave), you get the full pro-rata salary.
Overtime, lettings and call-outs
Caretakers often work extra hours for evening lettings, weekend events and alarm call-outs. Two things to know:
- Extra hours must be paid at the rate in your contract. Some councils pay enhanced rates for evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
- Regular overtime counts towards holiday pay. Since January 2024, regular overtime and similar payments must be included in holiday pay for the main 4 weeks of statutory leave (and for all leave built up by part-year workers).
Our calculators use basic pay only. If you regularly work overtime, your holiday pay should be higher than the figures shown.
Tied accommodation
Some caretakers live on site in a school house. Rent, council tax or utilities may be deducted from pay or counted as a benefit. These aren’t covered by this calculator. Check your contract and payslip.
Worked examples
Calculated with the same method as our term-time pay calculator, using 2026/27 NJC pay spine values. Your council or school may put the role on a different spine point.
Caretaker on term time plus 4 weeks: SCP 10, 37 hours
Full-time hours, 39 term weeks plus 4 holiday weeks for maintenance and cleaning = 43 weeks.
FTE salary £28,608.00, 37 of 37 hours a week, 43 weeks a year, holiday: Green Book (pro-rated).
Actual pay: £27,010.61 a year, £2,250.88 a month.
See the working
Working
- Hours fraction 37 ÷ 37 hours = 1.0000
- Full-time leave (all-year employee) 23 + 8 + 2 days = 33 days
- Full-time leave in weeks 33 days ÷ 5 = 6.6 weeks
- Term-time holiday weeks (pro-rated) 43 × 6.6 ÷ (52.143 − 6.6) = 6.231 weeks
- Paid weeks 43 weeks worked + 6.231 holiday weeks = 49.231 weeks
- Paid-weeks factor 49.231 ÷ 52.143 weeks in a year = 0.9442
- Actual annual pay £28,608 × 1.0000 × 0.9442 = £27,010.61
- Monthly pay (12 equal instalments) £27,010.61 ÷ 12 = £2,250.88
- Hourly rate £28,608 ÷ (37 hours × 52.143 weeks) = £14.83
- Weekly pay in a week you work £14.83 × 37 hours = £548.65
Worked at full precision and rounded only for display (money to 2 decimal places, factors to 4). Some employers use a days-based method or round at different stages, so your payslip may differ by a few pence.
Part-time caretaker: SCP 5, 25 hours, 39 weeks
Opening, locking up and daily site checks in term time only.
FTE salary £26,427.00, 25 of 37 hours a week, 39 weeks a year, holiday: Green Book (pro-rated).
Actual pay: £15,290.76 a year, £1,274.23 a month.
See the working
Working
- Hours fraction 25 ÷ 37 hours = 0.6757
- Full-time leave (all-year employee) 23 + 8 + 2 days = 33 days
- Full-time leave in weeks 33 days ÷ 5 = 6.6 weeks
- Term-time holiday weeks (pro-rated) 39 × 6.6 ÷ (52.143 − 6.6) = 5.652 weeks
- Paid weeks 39 weeks worked + 5.652 holiday weeks = 44.652 weeks
- Paid-weeks factor 44.652 ÷ 52.143 weeks in a year = 0.8563
- Actual annual pay £26,427 × 0.6757 × 0.8563 = £15,290.76
- Monthly pay (12 equal instalments) £15,290.76 ÷ 12 = £1,274.23
- Hourly rate £26,427 ÷ (37 hours × 52.143 weeks) = £13.70
- Weekly pay in a week you work £13.70 × 25 hours = £342.44
Worked at full precision and rounded only for display (money to 2 decimal places, factors to 4). Some employers use a days-based method or round at different stages, so your payslip may differ by a few pence.
Site manager: SCP 20, 37 hours, 44 weeks, 5+ years' service
Term time plus 5 weeks, with more than 5 years' service.
FTE salary £33,673.00, 37 of 37 hours a week, 44 weeks a year, holiday: Green Book (pro-rated).
Actual pay: £32,966.47 a year, £2,747.21 a month.
See the working
Working
- Hours fraction 37 ÷ 37 hours = 1.0000
- Full-time leave (all-year employee) 26 + 8 + 2 days = 36 days
- Full-time leave in weeks 36 days ÷ 5 = 7.2 weeks
- Term-time holiday weeks (pro-rated) 44 × 7.2 ÷ (52.143 − 7.2) = 7.049 weeks
- Paid weeks 44 weeks worked + 7.049 holiday weeks = 51.049 weeks
- Paid-weeks factor 51.049 ÷ 52.143 weeks in a year = 0.9790
- Actual annual pay £33,673 × 1.0000 × 0.9790 = £32,966.47
- Monthly pay (12 equal instalments) £32,966.47 ÷ 12 = £2,747.21
- Hourly rate £33,673 ÷ (37 hours × 52.143 weeks) = £17.45
- Weekly pay in a week you work £17.45 × 37 hours = £645.78
Worked at full precision and rounded only for display (money to 2 decimal places, factors to 4). Some employers use a days-based method or round at different stages, so your payslip may differ by a few pence.
Covers England and Wales. Northern Ireland not covered. Northern Ireland did not adopt the 2024 holiday changes for part-year workers, so these results don't apply there.
- Scotland: council staff are on SJC terms, not the NJC Green Book, and many Scottish councils use a 35-hour week. Change the full-time hours and holiday to match your contract.
- Academies: most academies follow the Green Book, but they don't have to. Check your contract for your full-time hours and holiday entitlement.
- Gross pay only: no tax, National Insurance, pension, overtime or allowances.