The Welsh Government has signed off the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions (Wales) Order 2026. It comes into force on 6 March 2026 and sets the statutory framework for teachers’ pay, professional duties and working time across Wales.

The Order also clarifies the current school year. A revised February 2026 pay-and-conditions document is given legal effect for the period 1 September 2025 to 7 March 2026, while a further March 2026 revision applies from 8 March onwards.

For headteachers, business managers and payroll teams that means two reference texts this year: the 2025/26 document marked ‘revised – February 2026’ up to and including 7 March; then the 2025/26 document marked ‘revised – March 2026’ from 8 March. The legal Order provides continuity between them.

The instrument applies to ‘school teachers’ as defined in the Education Act 2002. Remuneration and the relevant employment conditions are determined by section 2 of each revised document, which the Order gives legal force.

Lynne Neagle, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, made the Order on 4 February 2026 following consultation with the bodies considered appropriate under section 126 of the 2002 Act. A Regulatory Impact Assessment has been prepared by the Welsh Government.

The 2026 Order revokes last year’s School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions (Wales) Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1016 (W.176)), replacing it with the updated 2025/26 documentation available via the Welsh Government’s teaching and leadership pages.

For councils and governing bodies in North Wales, the headline is clarity on dates. Payroll teams will need to handle any arrears back to 1 September 2025 where applicable, and move across to the March 2026 text for pay periods on and after 8 March.

Devolution is central here. Powers over teachers’ pay and conditions transferred to Welsh Ministers in 2018, and this Order is the latest use of those powers to set the 2025/26 position for Wales, distinct from arrangements in England.

It matters on our side of the border too. Schools and agencies recruiting along the Deeside–Chester corridor often draw on the same workforce as Wrexham and Flintshire, so clear timelines reduce the risk of cross‑border misunderstandings on pay and working time.

Next steps are straightforward: schools, local authorities and HR providers should check which of the two revised documents applies to each pay period between September 2025 and March 2026, with the March 2026 text applying from 8 March onwards.