Variation of the Primary Principals’ Collective Agreement – Primary Principals Collective Bargaining Union (PPCA-PPCBU)#

Date 13 March 2026 | Circular 2026/06 | Category Employment Relations

There is also information on the applicable promulgated individual employment agreement.

This circular does not replace any other.

It is intended for presiding members of School Boards of all state and state-integrated primary schools.

For more information contact Te Whakarōputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa New Zealand School Boards Association (NZSBA formerly NZSTA) about human resource issues generally on 0800 782 435 or email [email protected]. You can also email the Ministry of Education's Employment Relations Unit if you have questions about the settlement or the new collective agreement.

Email: [email protected]

All collective agreements for school staff can be found on the Ministry's website:

Collective agreements

The action needed is to:

• note the details of the variation, including the changes to the Professional learning and Development fund, and the option to choose the Curriculum Change allowance instead
• offer the new individual employment agreement (IEA) to new and existing principals who are not PPCBU or NZEI members, once it is promulgated.

Introduction#

On 9 March 2026, the variation to the Primary Principals’ (PPCBU) Collective Agreement was accepted by the Primary Principals’ Collective Bargaining Union.

This circular provides a summary of the changes and new provisions agreed as part of the settlement. The full collective agreement can be downloaded from the Ministry of Education website.

Collective agreements

Key features of the variation to the PPCBU collective agreement#

Revised payment structure for the PLD fund structure and option to elect a new Curriculum Change Allowance#

The collective agreement signed in October 2025, introduced Professional Development for Principal Leadership provision (clause 4.8) for principals to access a payment in both 2026 and 2027, paid to their school boards, to be used for professional learning and development activities.

The professional development fund for principal leadership fund has been restructured. The two payments of $6,000 will not progress, instead, principals can access five payments of $3,000, totalling $15,000 over the term of the agreement.

Primary principals may elect for each tranche of the $15,000 entitlement to be either:

• paid to the school as part of the Professional Development (PLD) fund, to be used in accordance with the criteria, or
• paid directly to the principal as a Curriculum Change Allowance (provided that they have not already committed the tranche to PLD).

For each tranche, the principal must notify us before the cut-off date if they wish to receive the payment as a Curriculum Change allowance.

If no election is made, the payment will automatically be made to the PLD fund held by the School Board for use by the principal in accordance with these criteria.

For the March 2026 tranche, eligibility is determined by the relevant pay period. However, payments be delayed due to the variation occurring after this date.

Introduction of the new Allowance to Mentor Provisionally Certificated Teacher (PCT) for U1 and U2 principals.#

This allowance is for principals of U1 or U2 schools who mentor a PCT when no eligible teacher is available to fill the role.

Other terms#

There was change to the term of agreement, extending the term by 4 months to 16 April 2028.

There was a change to the definition of “Area School” to align with the updated clause in the Area School Principals’ Collective Agreement 2025 – 2028 (ASPCA).

There was an introduction of a new clause in Appendix 3 Employment Relationship Problems. This provides that for the term of this collective agreement, the limitations on principals’ current entitlements in relation to dismissals that were imposed by sections 67I and 113A of the Employment Relations Act 2000, will not apply.

There was an extension of the U-grade scale was agreed for other principals’ collective agreements. The extension of steps (U17-U19) has been included as part of the unified pay system.

Individual Employment Agreements (IEAs)#

An individual employment agreement (IEA) will be promulgated by the Secretary for Education by 13 March 2026.

Principals who previously signed the PPCBU IEA, promulgated on 7 November 2025 or the previous IEA for new appointments, would need to sign the new PPCBU IEA to be covered by the terms of the 2025–2028 collective agreement. The changes to conditions will be effective from the date the employer and the employee sign the IEA.

Make sure you are using the most up-to-date letter of offer of employment for new employees, available on NZSBA’s website:

Help for principals – NZSBA

Issued by#

Tim Tucker, Manager
Employment Relations and Payroll Operations
Te Pou Ohumahi Mātauranga | Education Workforce
Ministry of Education, National Office
1 The Terrace, Wellington 6011
PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
Phone: 04 463 8000
Email: [email protected]