Welsh Ministers have set out teachers’ pay and specified employment conditions through the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions (Wales) Order 2026. The Order gives statutory effect to the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions (Wales) Document 2025/26 as revised in February and March 2026, and comes into force on 6 March 2026. (gov.wales)
Two versions of Section 2 of the statutory document are engaged by the Order. The February 2026 revision applies retrospectively from 1 September 2025 until 7 March 2026; the March 2026 revision then has effect on and after 8 March 2026. This sequencing ensures continuous coverage of pay and relevant conditions across the academic year. (gov.wales)
In practice, employers must ensure payroll reflects the backdating to 1 September 2025 for the 2025/26 award and that any arrears are calculated under the February 2026 revision before transitioning to the March 2026 terms from 8 March 2026. The Welsh Government pages confirm both revised documents for 2025/26. (gov.wales)
The statutory document confirms the September 2025 pay award, applying a 4% uplift to all statutory scale points and allowances from 1 September 2025. Schools and local authorities must have regard to Section 2 of the document when determining pay and related allowances. (gov.wales)
The March 2026 revision gives effect to further changes to terms and conditions, including provisions arising from the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body’s recommendations on leadership and Additional Learning Needs Coordinators (ALNCos). The Welsh Government has stated these associated terms and conditions changes are not retrospective and will be supported by additional funding to local authorities, with implementation beginning from March 2026. (gov.wales)
From 8 March 2026 the March revision becomes the operative version of Section 2; the February revision ceases to have effect after 7 March 2026. Employers should ensure that pay policies and contract references are updated to reflect the switch in operative text at this point. (gov.wales)
The Order replaces the previous framework and revokes the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions (Wales) Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1016 (W.176)), meaning pay and relevant conditions for the remainder of 2025/26 are now governed by the 2026 instrument and associated March revision. References to the 2025 Order in local documentation should be retired.
Scope remains teachers employed in maintained schools in Wales. The statutory document sets out remuneration and other conditions relating to professional duties and working time, and must be read alongside the accompanying statutory guidance to ensure compliance. (gov.wales)
Operationally, governing bodies and local authorities should complete assimilation to the September 2025 award, process back pay under the February revision, and then implement the March 2026 terms from 8 March, including any leadership-scale moves for ALNCos in line with local pay policies agreed with unions. Record-keeping should evidence determinations made under each revision to support audit and challenge.
The Welsh Government first published both revised documents on 4 February 2026. The 4% award and intent to backdate to 1 September 2025 were previously trailed in ministerial written statements during 2025; employers remain responsible for the timing of implementation once the Order is in force. (gov.wales)