From 1 September 2026, there is an important change to the way TLR1 and TLR2 payments are calculated.
The key change is simple: the payment should reflect the proportion of the responsibility the teacher undertakes, rather than automatically reflecting their contracted hours.
For headteachers, this provides greater flexibility when designing leadership roles — particularly when considering part-time staff.
So, what does this mean in practice?
Imagine you have a teacher working 0.6 FTE who takes on the full responsibility associated with a TLR2. Under the new approach, they could receive the full TLR2 payment, because they are undertaking the full responsibility, even though they work part-time.
Alternatively, if two teachers share a leadership responsibility, the TLR could be divided to reflect the proportion of the responsibility each person undertakes.
The important point is that the responsibility comes first; the teacher’s FTE does not automatically determine the value of the TLR.
An opportunity to rethink leadership structures
For headteachers, this could be particularly useful when reviewing your staffing structure.
It may allow you to:
- create leadership opportunities that work for part-time teachers;
- share leadership responsibilities between colleagues;
- build roles around the actual needs of your school;
- make better use of staff expertise and capacity;
- review whether existing TLRs still accurately reflect the responsibilities attached to them.
However, the flexibility does not mean that TLR payments can simply be set at whatever level the school chooses. There needs to be a clear and defensible relationship between the TLR payment and the responsibility being undertaken.
Now is a good time to review your TLRs
Ask yourself:
What responsibility does each TLR actually cover?
Is that responsibility clearly set out in the teacher’s job description?
Are any TLR responsibilities currently being shared between staff?
Do any part-time teachers undertake the same level of responsibility as full-time colleagues?
Does the current TLR structure still reflect the needs of the school?
This review can also provide a useful opportunity to consider whether leadership responsibilities are distributed effectively across your staffing structure.
And what about TLR3?
The change applies to TLR1 and TLR2 payments. TLR3 payments continue to operate under their existing arrangements.
The takeaway for headteachers
This is not simply a payroll change. It is an opportunity to look afresh at how leadership responsibilities are structured in your school.
The question to start with is: “What responsibility is this teacher actually undertaking?”
Once that is clear, you can consider the appropriate TLR payment and how the role fits within your wider leadership structure.
Action: Review your TLR1 and TLR2 arrangements now, particularly where responsibilities are shared or held by part-time teachers, and make sure your job descriptions and pay policy accurately reflect the new approach.