Main responsibilities
- Plan and teach lessons within the school's curriculum and schemes of work.
- Assess, monitor, record and report on pupils' learning and progress.
- Prepare pupils for external assessments and exams.
- Promote pupils' safety and wellbeing, and maintain good order and discipline.
- Adapt teaching for pupils with SEN, working with the SENCO through the graduated approach.
- Direct and supervise support staff assigned to them.
- Communicate with pupils, parents and carers, and work with colleagues and other professionals.
- Take part in appraisal and professional development.
Statutory duties and official sources
England. The STPCD applies to maintained schools; academies follow it where contracts adopt it. Paragraph references below are to the 2025 STPCD. The 2026 edition was published on 16 October 2026; its Order comes into force on 6 November 2026, with Section 2 taking effect from 1 September 2026. See the pay guide for 2026 figures and paragraph references.
- Professional duties of a teacher other than a headteacher (teaching, assessment, exam preparation, policy contribution, cover in limited circumstances, safety and discipline, directing support staff, professional development, communication). Source: STPCD 2025, paragraph 50.
- Working time. For full-time teachers covered by these provisions: 195 days, including 190 when pupils may be taught, and up to 1,265 directed hours, plus reasonable additional hours. Part-time directed hours are proportionate under paragraph 51.6. The exclusions include heads, deputies, assistants, leading practitioners, acting-allowance holders and specified unattached teachers paid as leaders, including PRU heads; residential settings have a separate working-days exception. This is not a universal cap on all work (STPCD 2025, paragraphs 51.2–51.8). See directed time and its scope, workload and the directed-time calculator.
- At least 10% of timetabled teaching time as planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time, in units of at least half an hour. Source: STPCD 2025, paragraph 52.5.
- No requirement to undertake midday supervision; a reasonable break between sessions. Source: STPCD 2025, paragraphs 52.2–52.3.
- Teachers' Standards define the minimum level of practice and personal and professional conduct, used for QTS, induction and appraisal. Source: DfE, Teachers' standards.
- Qualified teacher status is required to teach in maintained schools, subject to exceptions in the regulations. Source: Education (School Teachers' Qualifications) (England) Regulations 2003.
- Newly qualified teachers serve a two-year statutory induction. Source: Induction for early career teachers (England).
- Class and subject teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of pupils in their class, including where support staff are involved. Source: SEND code of practice, paragraph 6.36.
- All staff should read at least Part one of KCSIE and know how to raise safeguarding concerns. Source: KCSIE 2026, "School and college staff" and Part one.
Academies. The STPCD applies to academies only where contracts adopt it.
Key dates in the school year (2026 to 2027, England)
- 1 September 2026: KCSIE 2026 in force.
- 10–13 May 2027: key stage 2 tests; 7 June 2027: multiplication tables check window opens; 14 June 2027: phonics screening check week (Primary assessments: future dates).
- 10 May–23 June 2027: GCSE and A level planning window including the 23 June contingency day; candidates must remain available until then; candidate results: 12 August 2027 (AS/A level) and 19 August 2027 (GCSE) (JCQ key dates). Use awarding-body timetables for subject dates and exceptions; see Ofqual’s contingency guidance and candidate results days.
- Appraisal cycle: set by the school's appraisal policy.
Common challenges and good practice
- Workload. STPCD Annex 5 lists administrative tasks teachers should not ordinarily be expected to do (added March 2024; see the STPCD collection).
- Directed time. Ask for the school's directed-time calendar to see how the 1,265 hours are allocated.
- SEN in the classroom. The code says high-quality teaching, adapted for individual pupils, is the first response to possible SEN (6.37).
