Depute head teacher salary in Scotland
Depute head teachers in Scotland earn £67,332 to £124,365 from 1 August 2026. They share a 19-point SNCT spine with head teachers, and job sizing decides each post's point.
Take-home pay
From a salary of £0 a year
Estimate for a full-time teacher with tax code 1257L and Scottish income tax for 2026/27, the teachers' pension at the tier for your salary, and National Insurance on an annual basis. Your payslip can differ slightly because tax and NI are worked out each month.
Depute Headteachers and Headteachers scale
Spot salary set by job sizing; same spine for depute heads and head teachers; no annual increments within the post.
| Point | From 1 April 2026 | From 1 August 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Point 1 | £65,214 | £67,332 |
| Point 2 | £67,218 | £69,402 |
| Point 3 | £69,438 | £71,694 |
| Point 4 | £71,820 | £74,154 |
| Point 5 | £74,205 | £76,617 |
| Point 6 | £76,218 | £78,696 |
| Point 7 | £78,435 | £80,985 |
| Point 8 | £80,646 | £83,268 |
| Point 9 | £82,839 | £85,530 |
| Point 10 | £85,047 | £87,810 |
| Point 11 | £88,722 | £91,605 |
| Point 12 | £92,328 | £95,328 |
| Point 13 | £95,790 | £98,904 |
| Point 14 | £99,210 | £102,435 |
| Point 15 | £102,879 | £106,224 |
| Point 16 | £107,583 | £111,078 |
| Point 17 | £111,324 | £114,942 |
| Point 18 | £115,884 | £119,649 |
| Point 19 | £120,450 | £124,365 |
Source: SNCT salary scales as published by the EIS. Checked 1 October 2026.
The depute and head teacher spine
| Point | From 1 April 2026 | From 1 August 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £65,214 | £67,332 |
| 2 | £67,218 | £69,402 |
| 3 | £69,438 | £71,694 |
| 4 | £71,820 | £74,154 |
| 5 | £74,205 | £76,617 |
| 6 | £76,218 | £78,696 |
| 7 | £78,435 | £80,985 |
| 8 | £80,646 | £83,268 |
| 9 | £82,839 | £85,530 |
| 10 | £85,047 | £87,810 |
| 11 | £88,722 | £91,605 |
| 12 | £92,328 | £95,328 |
| 13 | £95,790 | £98,904 |
| 14 | £99,210 | £102,435 |
| 15 | £102,879 | £106,224 |
| 16 | £107,583 | £111,078 |
| 17 | £111,324 | £114,942 |
| 18 | £115,884 | £119,649 |
| 19 | £120,450 | £124,365 |
Depute heads and head teachers share this one spine. Each post is placed on it separately, by its own job size.
How job sizing sets the point
Every depute, head and principal teacher post goes through the same SNCT process.
- The head teacher or a senior manager fills in a questionnaire about the post's duties.
- The council adds whole-school data: pupil roll, staffing numbers, free meal registrations, budget and school transport numbers.
- The SNCT Job Sizing Toolkit scores the post.
- Job-sizing coordinators, one side nominated by the council and one by the unions, sign off the result.
- The total score maps to a point on the salary spine.
The toolkit looks at four areas of responsibility:
- leading and managing colleagues, and strategic direction
- curriculum development and quality assurance
- whole-school policy and putting it into practice
- working with partners
A depute with a large staff team, a big roll and wide partner work scores higher than one in a small school.
When a post is re-sized
Reviews happen twice a year. A review near the end of the session takes effect from 1 August. A December review takes effect from 1 February. A post is normally reviewed only once in 12 months.
Typical triggers include a big change in the roll or staff numbers. Adding or removing a depute post can also count. If the score falls and the salary drops, cash conservation applies under SNCT conditions. That protects your current cash salary rather than cutting it straight away.
Take-home for depute heads
| Point | Salary | Pension rate | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | £67,332 | 10.61% | £3,631 |
| 5 | £76,617 | 11.73% | £3,975 |
| 9 | £85,530 | 11.73% | £4,339 |
Figures use August 2026 salaries, a full year, a standard tax code and no student loan. At point 1, the 2026/27 deductions are £7,144 pension, £13,261 income tax and £3,357 National Insurance.
Checking your own point
Match your salary to the table above to find your point. If the school has changed a lot since the last sizing, ask your union rep about a review. Reviews run around the end of the session and in December, so check your council's deadlines.
Quick answers
- How much does a depute head teacher earn in Scotland?
From 1 August 2026, the SNCT spine runs from £67,332 at point 1 to £124,365 at point 19. Each post's point comes from job sizing.
- How is a depute head teacher's salary decided?
The SNCT Job Sizing Toolkit scores a questionnaire on the post's duties. It also uses school data such as roll, staffing and budget. The score maps to a spine point.
- Can a depute head's salary go down after job sizing?
If a re-size lowers the salary, cash conservation applies under SNCT conditions. Your current cash salary is protected rather than cut.
- How often can a post be re-sized?
Normally once in any 12 months. Reviews take effect from 1 August or 1 February.