Teachers' days and hours of work#

Teachers’ hours of work are similar across primary, secondary and area schools, with some differences.

Days and hours of work can vary during the school year depending on the flow of work. Workloads are higher during school terms. They are lower during term breaks and other times when student attendance at school may not be required.

Each collective agreement covering teachers is based around a 40-hour week:

• Full-time primary teachers work hours as reasonably required to properly fulfil their responsibilities. The normal hours of work should, as far as practicable, not exceed 40 hours per week Monday to Friday.
• Full-time secondary teachers are expected to average 40 hours per week across the school year as reasonably required to properly fulfil their responsibilities.
• Teachers often work more than 40 hours a week, particularly during peak term time periods. They typically work less hours when students are not in the school during term breaks.
• Part-time teacher hours are expected to be proportionate to their full-time teaching equivalent (FTTE). For example, a teacher who is 0.5 FTTE is expected to work an average of 20 hours per week across the year.

Teachers' workloads#

Teachers arrange their workload in agreement with their employing school. The amount of work teachers do in term breaks can vary considerably. This is based on their usual workload and if they have taken on extra responsibilities beyond the standard teaching role.

During term time, teachers’ working hours are made up of their:

• contact hours or teaching time
• non-contact or classroom release time
• remaining hours that make up the total hours per week.

The combination of contact or teaching time and non-contact or release time will depend on the specific role.

In secondary, a full-time teacher’s timetabled hours will include:

• no more than 20 hours teaching time
• at least 5 hours per week non-contact time.

In primary, a full-time teacher’s hours will include 25 hours of classroom release time per term. This generally equates to 2.5 hours per week.

In area schools, this will depend on the year level that is mostly taught. Years 1 to 6 largely follow primary hours and Years 7 to 13 follow secondary hours.

The remaining hours each week will depend on the requirements of the teaching role and whether they are a classroom teacher and/or have leadership responsibilities. It also depends on the school and the teachers’ work patterns.

Teachers often have less contact or teaching time in specific circumstances. For example, if they hold salary units for additional responsibilities, or are in their first 2 years of teaching.

Teachers may work during the term breaks, including work or professional learning development (PLD), of their own initiative.

Work during teacher-only days or term breaks#

Teachers can be required to attend school or another location for up to 10 days each year when their school is not open for instruction. This is for:

• school administration
• curriculum planning
• professional development
• or similar work.

This includes days such as teacher-only days during the school term, or term breaks.

Teachers are entitled to 4 weeks of annual holidays under the Holidays Act 2003. They are also entitled to various other forms of leave including:

• sick leave
• bereavement leave
• parental leave.

Teachers are required to take annual holidays during the term break. Where teachers take other leave during the term break, this is not recorded. Any sick leave taken during the term break, other than during a closedown, is not deducted from their sick leave balance.

Leave entitlements are outlined in the collective agreements.

Clause 2.10.6 of the Primary Teachers' Collective Agreement.

Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement

Clause 6.1.3 of the Secondary Teachers' Collective Agreement.

Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement

Part 5, note 2 of the Area School Teachers' Collective Agreement.

Area School Teachers’ Collective Agreement

How teacher pay is calculated#

Teachers are paid for each calendar day they are employed. They are paid for 365 days made up of:

• term time
• weekends
• term breaks.

They are paid at their annual salary rate.