Primary Teachers' Collective Agreement

Download the agreement

If you want a printed copy of this agreement we suggest you download the following PDF version.

Primary Teachers' Collective Agreement 2023–2025 [PDF, 1.1 MB]

Speech-language therapists who are covered by the Therapists' Pay Equity Claim Settlement have additional terms and conditions not reflected in the PTCA:

Employment information for Speech-Language Therapists [PDF, 232 KB]

Documents are available in Adobe PDF format only. Accessible versions, where available, can be supplied on request.

Email: employment.relations@education.govt.nz.

Changes to the agreement

Read about the recent changes in the Primary Teachers' Collective Agreement.

Changes to the Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement 2023-25

Part 8: Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu

Primary Teachers' Collective Agreement
Effective: 3 July 2023 to 2 July 2025

  • 8.1 General
    • Except as is expressly provided otherwise in this Part the terms and conditions of employment of primary teachers in Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu are those set out in this Agreement.

  • 8.2 Job Sharing (Instead of 2.2.6 and 2.2.7)
    • 8.2.1 Teachers may apply to job share in the following situations:
      Any two teachers may jointly apply for appointment to an advertised position and be assessed as one applicant. On appointment the position would be a shared position.
      On the joint application of two permanent teachers the employer may appoint the two applicants to a shared position without advertising a vacancy.

      8.2.2 If one of the joint holders subsequently resigns or retires, the School may:

        • Appoint the other holder to the position on a full-time basis without advertising the position.
        • With the agreement of the remaining joint holder, appoint a new sharer to establish a new permanent shared position.The new sharer may be any teacher already permanently appointed in the school, or a teacher from outside of the permanent staff; or
        • Offer the remaining teacher the right to be permanent part-time; or
        • Convert the position back to an individual, full-time permanent position.
        • If the remaining joint holder declines to take up the full-time position then the employer may advertise the position for a new appointment.

      8.2.3 A job sharer’s salary is paid on a pro rata basis. Increments shall be as for full-time teachers.Job sharers are entitled to:

        1. Leave on the same basis as permanent full-time teachers;
        2. Sick leave as if permanent full-time. Entitlement is based on length of service, irrespective of hours worked.  Deductions from the entitlement are made on a consecutive day basis.
  • 8.3 Hours of Work (Instead of 2.10)
    • 8.3.1 As well as the number of students a teacher may be assigned to teach, the hours of work of individual teachers are influenced by factors such as:

        1. The preparation, evaluation and assessment time that may be generated by those students or by other requirements such as external examination prescriptions or the need to report on the progress of individual students;
        2. The counselling and pastoral needs of students;
        3. The administrative responsibilities of individual teachers either in respect of their curriculum or pastoral responsibilities or in respect of the general administration of the school; and
        4. The extent to which individual teachers may participate in the extra-curricular programmes of the school.

      8.3.2 Te Aho o Kura Pounamu teachers will be expected to complete some of their duties on-site and some of their duties off-site.

      8.3.3 In order to carry out their duties in terms of this Agreement it may be necessary for teachers to work for more than 40 hours per week. The normal hours of work for teachers however should, as far as practicable, not exceed 40 hours per week Monday to Friday.

      8.3.4 Teachers are normally required to be present on the site for at least 35 of their working hours per week. Teachers should, wherever possible, be granted the opportunity of working flexible working hours (i.e. teachers may vary their starting times between 7.00am and 9.00am, and their finishing times between 3.00pm and 6.00pm). This does not preclude the possibility of additional work off-site. A teacher who works flexible hours may be required to keep a record of attendance by the employer. Subject to statutory holidays, and authorised leave of absence, a teacher shall normally observe the hours of work as defined above, except that part-time teachers shall observe such on-site hours as are agreed with the employer.

      8.3.5 Lunch break
      A lunch break of one hour is to be taken generally between the hours of 12.00noon and 1.00pm unless agreed otherwise. This lunch break is in addition to the normal hours of work.

  • 8.4 Units (Instead of 3.9)
    • 8.4.1 Units will be allocated to teachers on a permanent basis, to positions with permanent responsibilities, and to individuals given additional responsibilities at a higher level for a fixed period, and may be given to teachers seconded to Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu for a specified period. Positions designated Senior Teacher, Liaison Teacher, Team Leader or Curriculum Leader will be assigned units according to the degree of responsibilities assigned to the position.

      8.4.2 The rate per unit is as per 3.9 regardless of the level of aggregation.

      8.4.3 Teachers who have been designated by the Board “deputy principal” or “assistant principal” shall be paid at the Q3 maximum of the base scale plus any units, of whatever type, allocated to them. Other teachers who have been allocated units shall be paid at their current step on the base scale plus any units, of whatever type, allocated to them. Teachers who meet the criteria for Q3+, Q4 or Q5 salary (as defined in 3.3) shall be paid at Q3+ maximum plus any units allocated.

      8.4.4 Fixed term units, allocated for any reason, will be paid in addition to the teacher’s rate of pay, including any permanent units.

      8.4.5 At the time of allocating a fixed term unit or units, the employer shall specify in writing either the period of time for which the teacher shall be entitled to that fixed term unit or units, or the particular assignment or task to be undertaken for which the fixed term unit or units has been allocated.

      8.4.6 The entitlement to that fixed term unit or units shall cease at the expiry of the specified period of time or on the completion of the specified assignment or task.

      8.4.7 The employer may reallocate a fixed term unit or units to the same or another teacher for a further period of time or for a further particular assignment or task.

  • 8.5 Leave
    • The reference to “any time when the school is officially closed for instruction” in clause 2.10.3 of this Agreement shall be deemed to mean “the term breaks annually gazetted for composite schools” in the case of teachers employed at Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu who are bound by this Agreement.

  • 8.6 Off-site Allowance
    • All teachers on official Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu business where meals are provided by the employer and who are not receiving the travelling expenses allowance set out in clause 8.7 shall be paid a $13.76 per night off-site allowance for each night spent away from home.

      When as a result of such business a teacher is unable to return home or to the school (whichever is appropriate) until after 1pm on the final day, but there is no need to stay away for a further night, then the teacher shall be entitled to an $8.41 off-site allowance in respect of that final day.

      Recipients of the off-site allowance are not entitled to the incidentals allowance.

  • 8.7 Travelling Allowance (Instead of 5.2)
    • A teacher of Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu required to travel within New Zealand on official business shall be paid, on application (whether by public transport, or with the prior approval of the Board, the use of the teacher’s own vehicle) a travelling allowance as follows:

        1. Accommodation - reimbursement of accommodation costs on an actual and reasonable basis.
        2. Meals - standard travelling allowance:
          • For each full 24 hour period $56.97;
          • For additional periods less than 24 hours but more than 10 hours $56.97;
          • For additional periods up to 10 hours $24.80.
        3. Incidentals - incidentals allowance for each 24 hour period and additional part thereof spent travelling $7.36.

      When the teacher leaves and returns to the teacher’s school on the same day, travelling allowance is not payable. Actual and reasonable expenses are payable instead and the incidentals allowance is not payable in these circumstances. For teachers staying privately while on official business, the travelling allowance, accommodation and meal rates as specified below shall apply:

        1. Accommodation allowance per night $33.37.
        2. Meals:
          • For each 24 hour period $28.49;
          • For additional periods less than 24 hours but more than 10 hours $28.49;
          • For additional periods up to 10 hours $28.49.
  • 8.8 Surplus Staffing
    • 8.8.1  In the case of a surplus staffing situation arising at Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu Part 9 of the Agreement shall apply to teachers covered by this Agreement except:

        1. Regarding 9.2 (a) the employer shall also advise NZEI Te Riu Roa which section (or sections) of the School is affected.
        2. Should redeployment occur in a school other than Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu the provisions of Part 9 as they relate to redeployment shall apply from commencement at that school.