Over the course of the past year, you may have read about the changes to the way Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) payments are calculated, particularly for part-time staff and shared roles. These updates are actually already in place from 1 September 2025 but will become mandatory from 1 September 2026.
Traditionally, TLR1 and TLR2 payments for part-time teachers were simply pro-rated in line with their contracted hours. Under the new approach, this is no longer required. Instead, schools can determine the value of TLR payments based on the proportion of responsibility the teacher actually undertakes, regardless of whether they work full- or part-time.
This means:
- A part-time teacher who carries out the full set of TLR duties can be paid 100% of the TLR payment, even if their contract is less than full-time.
- A full-time teacher may receive a pro-rated TLR if they are only responsible for part of the duties, for example where responsibilities are shared across staff.
- From 1 September 2026, this responsibilities-based calculation must be used for all TLR1 and TLR2 payments across schools complying with the STPCD.
The reforms aim to improve fairness and flexibility in how TLR payments are awarded, especially supporting part-time teachers who undertake leadership or curriculum responsibilities. They also give schools more discretion to reflect actual duties in how payments are applied.
Schools should review their current TLR arrangements over the 2025/26 academic year to ensure they are prepared for the mandatory implementation from September 2026.