Primary Principals' (NZEI) Collective Agreement

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Primary Principals' (NZEI Te Riu Roa) Collective Agreement [PDF, 778 KB]

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Email: employment.relations@education.govt.nz

Changes to the agreement

Read about the recent changes in the Primary Principals' (NZEI) Collective Agreement.

Changes to the Primary Principals’ (NZEI) Collective Agreement 2023-25

Part 6: Allowances

Primary Principals' (NZEI) Collective Agreement
Effective: 3 July 2023 to 2 July 2025

  • 6.1 Reimbursing Allowances
    • 6.1.1 Before approving any activities which require the payment or reimbursement of expenses the employer shall ensure that such payment or reimbursement complies with any funding arrangements applying to the school.

      6.1.2 Travelling Allowance

      A principal required to travel within New Zealand on official business for an absence of more than one day, including attendance at approved staff development courses, educational and sports tours, shall be reimbursed for the costs of accommodation and meals on an actual and reasonable basis.

      6.1.3 School Camp Allowance

      A daily allowance of $25.00 is payable to principals in charge of a class or classes attending school camp.

      6.1.4 Evening Meal Allowance

      In circumstances where a principal's attendance at a meeting prevents the principal concerned returning home for the normal evening meal, a meal allowance of $11.56 is payable.

      6.1.5 Expenses Incurred in Use of Private Vehicles

      Motor vehicle allowance at a rate of 83c per km or equivalent public transport fares shall be reimbursed to principals required to use their own vehicles for official business.

      6.1.6 General Expenses

      Where a principal has their employer’s prior approval to both the duties which will result in an expense being incurred, and the level of the expense, the employer shall on the production of receipts, reimburse actual and reasonable expenses. The expenses must have been incurred in the proper performance of the principal’s responsibilities and duties under this Agreement.

  • 6.2 Other Allowances
    • 6.2.1 Normal School Allowance

      A principal in a normal or a model school shall receive an additional salary of $2,000 per annum.

      6.2.2 Bus Controller's Allowance

      A principal appointed bus controller for a school district who undertakes the full duties of bus control as determined from time to time by the employer shall be paid additional salary at the rate of:

        • $3.72 per day for the first route
        • $1.30 per day for each additional route.

      6.2.3 Associate Teacher Allowance

      An associate teacher allowance of $51.60 per trainee week shall be paid under the following provisions:

        1. The following definitions shall apply:
            1. “trainee” means a teacher trainee, or teacher on a course of retraining, at a college of education or provider approved and accredited under the provisions of the Education and Training Act 2020 or a teacher undertaking a full-time course of specialised training
            2. “associate teacher” means a principal employed by a Board, approved by a college of education or other teacher training provider approved and accredited under the provisions of the Education and Training Act 2020, to assist in the practical training of trainees under conditions defined by the provider;
        2. For each trainee week, namely each week each trainee is posted to an associate teacher's classroom for at least four teaching days, the associate teacher shall be paid at the rate specified above.
        3. Principals who are not associate teachers but are required to have trainees in the classroom for up to eight student weeks in any one year shall, except when the time spent in the one classroom by one or more trainees is less than four teaching days a week, be entitled to payment in accordance with the rate specified above.
        4. Where the approved teacher training provider approves the posting of trainees for a period of less than four teaching days a week, then payment shall be made in accordance with the rate specified above on the basis of the aggregation of those periods;
        5. The associate teacher allowance is payable to principals who are not necessarily involved in classroom related duties but who otherwise satisfy the provisions of this clause;
        6. The associate teacher allowance shall be payable at a daily rate for a trainee once four days have been completed with that trainee pro rated on the rate specified above. The first four days will also qualify for payment;
        7. The associate teacher allowance shall not be payable to a principal receiving the normal school allowance.

      6.2.4 Staffing Incentive Allowance

      Additional salary at the rate of $1,000 per annum shall be paid to all principals appointed to advertised positions in schools designated as having serious staffing difficulties and schools approved because of location.

      6.2.5 Principal Recruitment Allowance

        1. The Secretary may grant approval to a Board to pay its principal an allowance of $50,000 per annum for a fixed period of up to 3 years subject to (b) to (e) below.
        2. The approval is subject to any conditions determined by the Secretary. Following the commencement of the principal’s appointment, the Ministry | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga, Board, principal and relevant stakeholders will meet to discuss what support options may be appropriate for the school.
        3. The allowance may be renewed by the Board subject to the prior approval of the Secretary for two subsequent periods of up to 2 years.
        4. The allowance may be suspended by the employing Board while the principal is undergoing competency processes or disciplinary processes (or both) as outlined in clause 8.3.2 and/or 8.4 respectively.
        5. 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. when the fixed period of the allowance ends, regardless of whether the principal remains at that school.

      Note: A principal in receipt of the Principal Recruitment Allowance is not eligible to receive the Staffing Incentive Allowance at the same time.

      6.2.6 Māori Immersion Teaching Allowance

        1. The purpose of this allowance is to give practical recognition to te reo Māori as a taonga to be actively protected under te Tiriti o Waitangi and to recognise the special and valued skills and knowledge kaiako must have to teach the curriculum in te reo Māori. 
        2. A principal is eligible for an allowance described in (c) if they meet the minimum teaching time requirements in that clause and have the language proficiency necessary to teach the curriculum in te reo Māori for the period required by the language immersion level in which they are engaged.
        3. All principals who teach te reo Māori immersion classes at levels one, two or three as defined in schedule 1, shall receive the allowance that relates to the highest language Level in which they are teaching and their years of service at that level as provided for in the table below.
            Pre-29 June 2023 rates Rates from
          29 June 2023
          Pre-29 June 2023 rates Rates from
          29 June 2023
          Pre-29 June 2023 rates Rates from
          29 June 2023
          Teaching time
          curriculum
          taught in
          Te Reo Māori
          Level 1
          (81%-100%)
          Level 1
          (81% to 100%)
          Level 2
          (51% to 80%)
          Level 2
          (51% to 80%)
          Level 3
          (31% to 50%)
          Level 3
          (31% to 50%)
          Base allowance $4,000 $6,000 $4,000 $5,000 $4,000 $4,000
          After 3 years'
          service
          + $2,000 + $4,000 - + $2,000    
          Total after 3 years'
          service
          $6,000 $10,000   $7,000    
          After 6 years'
          service
          + $4,000 +$6,000 - + $3,000    
          Total after 6 years $8,000 $12,000 $4,000 $8,000 $4,000

          $4,000

        4. A principal can only only receive one allowance i.e. they cannot receive a Level 1, a Level 2, and/or a Level 3 allowance concurrently. The employer will advise when a change of circumstances alters the allowance a principal is eligible to receive.
        5. Service for the payment of the Level 2 allowance shall include any periods of teaching service in Māori immersion Level 1 or Level 2. Service for the payment at Level 1 shall include any teaching service at Level 1 Māori immersion only.
        6. For clarity continuous service for the payment of the allowance shall be interrupted but not broken by any periods of unpaid leave and/or breaks in teaching service and/or teaching service in classes other than Māori immersion level one.

      6.2.7 Compassionate Grant

      A compassionate grant shall be paid by the employer to a partner, or if there is no partner, to the next of kin of a principal who dies while employed in the state teaching service. Compassionate grants are calculated as a proportion of the annual rate of salary (including any permanent salary allowances) payable to the principal at the time of death as follows:

      Length of Service (in New Zealand state schools) Proportion of Annual Salary Rate
      20 years or more One-eighth
      10 years but less than 20 years One-twelfth
      Under 10 years No grant payable

      For the purposes of this clause, "service" means service in New Zealand state or state-integrated schools. Service must be continuous except that intervals of up to one year may be bridged and service aggregated, but the intervals do not count as service. If an interval exceeds one year the qualifying service commences afresh after the interval.

      6.2.8 Grandparented Service Increment

        1. A permanent Principal on 1 July 1992 who received a service increment shall maintain that entitlement while the Principal remains in a position covered by this Agreement, of $1,641 per annum.
        2. Teachers or Principals from area or secondary schools who were in receipt of a service increment under their appropriate Agreement as at 10 September 1992 who then transfer to the primary service shall receive the primary service increment of $1,641 per annum.
        3. A short break in service (being less than six months) for any Principal in receipt of the service increment will not affect eligibility for the service increment.
        4. Approved paid leave and unpaid leave, parental leave, and leave for childcare purposes of less than five years will not affect eligibility for the service increment.
        5. Teachers or Principals who move from employment with one board to another board will continue their entitlement to the service increment unless there is a break in service of six months or more (other than a period of leave described in clause 6.2.8(d)).

      6.2.9 Specialist School Principals’ Allowance

        1. A principal in one of the specialist residential schools listed below shall receive additional salary of $3,000 per annum for as long as that school retains its residential function. From 28 January 2024, this payment will be increased to $10,000 per annum.
          • Halswell
          • BLENNZ
          • Salisbury
          • Westbridge
          • Ko Taku Reo
        2. A principal in a specialist school not listed in clause 6.2.9(a) shall receive additional salary of $2,000 per annum. From 28 January 2024, this payment will be increased to $5,000 per annum.
        3. No principal shall be entitled to receive more than one specialist school principals' allowance at any one time.
        4. The parties acknowledge that receipt of this payment will not affect the Ministry | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga’s response to applications for Ministry | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga concurrence for further additional payments for special residential school principals.

      6.2.10 Pacific Bilingual Immersion Teaching Allowance

      1. The purpose of this allowance is to recognise the additional skills teachers must have to deliver teaching and learning through a Pacific language in a Pacific bilingual or immersion context in a school or kura.
      2. A principal is eligible for an allowance described in (c) if they meet the minimum teaching time requirements in that clause and if they have the language proficiency necessary to teach the curriculum in a Pacific language for the period required by the Pacific bilingual or language immersion level in which they are engaged.
      3. From the beginning of Term 1, 2024, all eligible principals teaching in a Pacific language in a Pacific bilingual or immersion unit/programme/class or immersion unit/programme/class (as defined by the Ministry | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga in School Roll Return Guidelines) shall receive the allowance that relates to the highest language Level in which they are teaching and their years of service teaching in a bilingual or immersion setting as provided for in the table below:
        PBITA From 28 January 2024 From 28 January 2024
        Teaching time that curriculum is
        taught in a Pacific language
        Level 1
        (81% to 100%)
        Level 2
        (51% to 80%)
        Base allowance $4,000 $4,000
        After 3 years' service +$2,000 +$1,000
        Total after 3 years $6,000 $5,000
        After 6 years' service +4,000 +$2,000
        Total after 6 years $8,000 $6,000
      4. A principal can only receive one allowance i.e., they cannot receive a Level 1 and Level 2 allowance concurrently. The employer will advise when a change of circumstances alters the allowance a principal is eligible to receive.
      5. Service for the payment of the Level 2 allowance shall include any teaching service at Pacific or bilingual immersion Level 1 or Level 2. Service for he payment at Level 1 shall include any teaching service at Pacific or bilingual immersion Level 1 only.

      6.2.11 Cultural Leadership Allowance for Bilingual settings From 28 January 2024, tumuaki / principals who lead schools and kura which offer Level 1 or Level 2 te reo Māori or Pacific language immersion programmes (as defined by the Ministry in School Roll Return Guidelines) are entitled to an allowance of $5,000 per annum.

       

  • 6.3 Isolation Allowance
    • 6.3.1 A principal whose work requires that they reside for the term of their appointment at a locality designated as isolated will receive an isolation allowance at the prescribed rate.

      6.3.2 An isolation allowance will be paid fortnightly and during:

        1. periods of annual leave, whether or not the principal remains in the isolated locality;
        2. any absence from the isolated locality on sick leave or other paid leave of up to seven consecutive days;
        3. periods where a principal goes to another locality and is paid a school camp allowance.

      6.3.3 The isolation allowance rates for principals whose full-time residence is in a locality which has a population of less than 300 are listed in Appendix 1.