Primary Principals' (NZEI) Collective Agreement

4.1.1 The principal shall participate in an annual Professional Growth Cycle and be issued with an annual statement as set out in the Elements for Professional Growth Cycle for Principals, Tumuaki and ECE Professional Leaders agreed by the profession: https://teachingcouncil.nz/assets/Professional-Growth-Cycle/TC-PGC-Elements-v2.pdf(external link)

4.2.1 The Professional Growth Cycle is different to, and shall be kept separate from any processes relating to the principal's performance (as set out in Part 8 of this agreement).

4.3.1 Where there is a problem in the working relationship between the principal and the Board (including individual Board members) that has not been informally resolved and is to the detriment of the school, the Board, in consultation with the principal, may consider appointing a suitably qualified independent person to mediate or facilitate between the parties and/or undertake an impartial and objective assessment of the concern(s).

4.4.1

1. 1. This clause outlines a career progression for primary principals who meet the professional criteria as affirmed by their Board in accordance with clause 4.4.1(d) and the service criteria.  Payments made under this clause are to encourage and recognise individual professional growth, leadership and contribution of a primary principal. Having met the relevant service criteria, the timing as to when to seek affirmation against the applicable career structure criteria will be established by the Board and the principal.
   2. Provided that the principal has successfully completed a Professional Growth Cycle and has been provided with an annual statement as in clause 4.1.1 within the last 12 months, principals covered by this Agreement will be entitled to a career allowance based on clauses 4.4.1(c)-(n) and the service and professional criteria outlined below.
   3. The principal will assemble and present a portfolio of evidence relevant to the criteria of one of the payments to the Board. The portfolio may include evidence such as compliance with ERO improvement recommendations for the school, outcomes of professional learning and/or sabbaticals, goals reflected in the school charter, including strategies for improvements to student learning that reflect the principles of the New Zealand curriculum documents.
   4. The Board is responsible for affirming that the principal meets the professional criteria, after which one of the following career allowances in (f) shall be made and will be paid fortnightly.
   5. A principal can only receive one payment under 4.4.1(f) at any one time. The payment will be prorated for part-time principals.
   6. The career allowances for each stage are as follows:
      1. 1. Primary principals who meet the service and professional criteria for stage one will be entitled to an annual career allowance.  The rate of the allowance is $3,641. 
         2. Primary principals who meet the service and professional criteria for stage two will be entitled to an annual career allowance.  The rate of the allowance is $6,763.
         3. Primary principals who meet the service and professional criteria for stage three will be entitled to an annual career allowance.  The rate of the allowance is $9,884.

         Criteria	Beginning Principal (acquiring/ acquired)	Developing Principal (acquiring/ acquired)	Experienced Principal (applying)	Leading Principal (sharing)
         Service	< 3 years	A minimum of 3 years' continuous service as a primary or area school principal, including any periods of secondment to a Specified Education Sector Agency.	A minimum of 6 years' continuous service as a primary or area school principal, including any periods of secondment to a Specified Education Sector Agency, and meets the requirements of a Developing Principal.	A minimum of 9 years' continuous service as a primary or area school principal, including any periods of secondment to a Specified Education Sector Agency, and meets the requirements of a Developing and Experienced Principal.
         Key Components	Meets the requirements of Part 4 of this Agreement. Student Outcomes: Assessment and evaluation data is used to maximise student learning for all students and trend data shows continuing growth in student learning. School Management: School policies are in place and are regularly reviewed. Resources are aligned to strategic goals. Community and Networks: Trust is built between home and school to positively influence student learning and engagement.
         Professional learning and development plans	Professional learning and development plan developed in conjunction with the Board and First Time Principals mentors (or similar).	Participation in a professional learning and development plan that may include: Mentoring Professional supervision Study Learning and development project aligned with school goals	Participation in a professional learning and development plan that demonstrates professional growth in: Leadership Personal learning project in own school	Contribution to or leadership of: A learning or professional community A wider educational sector and principal network.
         Careers and personal development	Successful completion of the First Time Principals’ Programme or equivalent (as long as such is available) Seeks appropriate professional learning and development opportunities to improve expertise	Engages in learning for career/personal growth demonstrated through, for example: Knowledge of research Successful practice Seeks appropriate professional learning and development opportunities to improve expertise	Ongoing commitment to own personal growth demonstrated through, for example: Further tertiary study/ qualifications; or Sabbatical project; or Other relevant professional development	Ongoing commitment to own personal growth demonstrated through, for example: Participation in a Professional Learning Group of other leading principals; or Further tertiary study/ qualifications; Sabbatical project; or Other relevant professional development
         Leadership development	Provides effective professional leadership within the school	Demonstrated ability to fully discharge the duties and responsibilities of a principal, demonstrated through, for example: Working with staff to set clear and appropriate educational goals for the school Recognising the strengths and weaknesses of the school’s performance and planning an improvement trajectory/pathway Ensures employer responsibilities are met in the reporting and attesting of staff including the Professional Growth Cycle as appropriate	Demonstrated ability to adapt systems to school context, demonstrated through, for example: School development and activities reflect strategic direction and priorities School development focused on responsiveness to students needs Demonstrated ability to improve teaching and learning with others. Demonstrated development of leadership in others. Linked to analysis of self review and appraisal information	Demonstrated ability to, for example: Develop leadership in others Improve teaching and learning with and through others Act as a coach/ mentor to colleagues Provide leadership across local networks. Improvement and innovation are supported by cycles of inquiry at every level
         Rates effective 2 May 2017	NIL	$3,641	$6,763	$9,884

         1. 7. For the purposes of this clause, continuous service is not broken by a gap in principalship of up to three years.  Service as a principal in a New Zealand state or state-integrated school shall be included in the calculation of service under the service criteria.  A special case may be made by a Board to the Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga to have other principal service included in the calculation of service provided that at the time of applying the principal has completed at least a year in a New Zealand state or state-integrated primary school.
            8. Service will not be counted for periods of time spent:
               1. 1. on leave without pay, other than when on secondment to a Specified Education Sector Agency;
                  2. on secondment, other than as a principal in another school, or to a Specified Education Sector Agency;
                  3. as supernumerary in a teaching role;
                  4. as a relief or acting principal (except where the acting or relief principal moves directly to a substantive principal role. Note the acting or relief role need not be in the same school as the new substantive role).
            9. When there is a break of three years' or more service before reappointment as a primary principal, previous experience as a principal in a New Zealand state or state-integrated primary and/or area school shall be credited as one half year of service for each complete year of principalship (that would otherwise be eligible as service for this allowance), allowing the principal the possibility of moving directly to any of the three career stages providing she/he meets the relevant professional criteria (to which the Board has attested), provided that:
               1. 1. at the time of eligibility she/he has completed one year in their current position;
                  2. that while they were on the break for three years or more the principal consistently maintained their teacher registration.
            10. Where the principal does not meet these requirements, three years' service must be completed prior to the previous experience as a principal being credited as one half year of service for each complete year of principalship (that would otherwise be eligible as service for this allowance).
            11. Principals who have met the service criteria of stage one (or higher) but have not participated in a First Time Principals’ Programme or similar and who are no longer eligible to do so shall demonstrate through their professional learning and development plan that they have participated in professional learning activities similar to the First Time Principals’ Programme.
            12. A principal who is undergoing corrective action pursuant to clause 8.3.2 or 8.4 of this Agreement shall not receive the career allowance from the commencement of the procedure until such time as the corrective action has successfully been completed at which time the career allowance recommences.
            13. To maintain eligibility for the career allowance, every three years the principal’s Board must re-affirm that the principal has completed a Professional Growth Cycle within the previous 12 months (consistent with clause 4.1).
            14. Where a principal was in receipt of one of the allowances of the career structure and is appointed to a new primary school, that principal shall continue to receive that career allowance provided the Board affirms that, as part of its appointment process, it satisfied itself that the principal meets that applicable allowance criteria.

4.5.1 The professional standards, outlined in Schedule 2 of this Agreement, were developed following consultation with NZEI Te Riu Roa, the New Zealand Principals' Federation (NZPF) and the New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA) in accordance with section 599 of the Education and Training Act 2020. It is no longer a requirement to have a performance agreement.  If the board has any concerns regarding the competence of a principal, the provisions in Part 8 of this Agreement will apply.  The professional standards provide clarity about professional expectations for principals.

4.6.1 Each Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako will be entitled to recruit a Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako leadership role (“the role”) from within the Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako, and be entitled to allocate an allowance to the principal undertaking that role.

4.6.2 The purpose of the role will be defined by the Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako shared achievement plan.

4.6.3 A principal who, through an agreed selection process, has met the applicable criteria or professional standards (affirmed by an external professional adviser) and is appointed to the role, will receive an allowance of $25,000 per annum in addition to other remuneration, including career structure payments.

4.6.4 The period of appointment to the role will be determined by the Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako subject to the agreement of the principal and employing Board. The period will be up to two years, subject to clauses 4.6.6, 4.6.8 and 4.6.9 below.

4.6.5 Where a Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako cannot select one principal from within the Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako to the role or seeks different arrangements for the appointment, the Secretary may agree to alternatives to appointing one principal and/or the fixed period of the appointment. This may result in alternative arrangements for the payment of the allowance outlined in clause 4.6.3 above and for the provision of the time allowance outlined in clause 4.6.7 below and/or a different term for the appointment as outlined in clause 4.6.4 above or clause 4.6.6 below.

4.6.6 A Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako may decide the appointment will be extended beyond the agreed period in clause 4.6.4 above, for a maximum of two years depending on progress with the shared plan and inquiry, subject to the agreement of the principal and employing Board.

4.6.7 The employing Board will receive additional 0.4 FTTE staffing for the period of the appointment to enable the leadership functions to be fulfilled.

4.6.8 The allowance may be suspended by the employing Board where the principal is undergoing competency processes as outlined in clause 8.3.2, and/or disciplinary processes as outlined in clause 8.4.

4.6.9 The allowance will cease to be payable in the following circumstances:

1. where the principal ceases to be employed as a principal at that school; or
2. where, with the agreement of the employing Board, in consultation with the Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako, the principal voluntarily relinquishes the role; or
3. where the fixed period of the allowance ends, regardless of whether the principal remains employed at that school; or
4. where the Board becomes ineligible to make the allowance available. In such circumstances the principal will be provided with three months’ notice, except where there is a lesser period due to the expiry of the fixed period.

4.7.1 Each Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako will be entitled to allocate other leadership responsibilities and/or activities that are defined in substance and time by the Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako shared achievement plan. Up to two principals may be allocated specific leadership responsibility that is determined by the Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako according to its plan.

4.7.2 A principal who has been selected on the basis of their ability to provide the specific expertise required and who has the approval of their employing Board to undertake the responsibilities and/or activities shall be entitled to receive an allowance of $2,500 per annum in addition to other remuneration, including career structure payments.

4.7.3 The period of appointment will be for a fixed period of up to two years which will be determined by the Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako according to its shared achievement plan, subject to the agreement of the principal and the employing Board and to clauses 4.7.4 and 4.7.5 below.

4.7.4 The allowance may be suspended by the employing Board where the principal is undergoing competency processes as outlined in clause 8.3.2, and/or disciplinary processes as outlined in clause 8.4.

4.7.5 The allowance will cease to be payable in the following circumstances:

1. 1. where the principal ceases to be employed as a principal at that school; or
   2. where, with the agreement of the employing Board, in consultation with the Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako, the principal voluntarily relinquishes the role; or
   3. where the fixed period of the allowance ends, regardless of whether the principal remains employed at that school; or
   4. where the Board becomes ineligible to make the allowance available. In such circumstances the principal will be provided with three months’ notice, except where there is a lesser period due to the expiry of the fixed period.

4.8.1 In each of 2023 and 2024, principals can access an entitlement of up to $6,000 per annum for professional coaching and support for their leadership role. The purpose of this support is to ensure principal leadership development and wellbeing.

4.8.2 The $6,000 fund will be a line item tagged in operational funding for the purposes of professional coaching and support for the principal.

4.8.3 Accessing this entitlement does not prevent a principal and school board agreeing that the principal can access additional coaching and support in excess of $6000.

4.8.4 This entitlement will be used in the school year that it falls due unless otherwise agreed in writing between the principal and their employer.

4.8.5 Principals shall make an annual declaration to the board regarding their uptake and use of the funds. The declaration shall be made no later than the last day of Term 4 each year