Area school principals
Find out about the pay, allowances, benefits and other entitlements available to principals employed in area schools.
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The rights and responsibilities specified in an employment agreement must be adhered to. This page supports boards and area school principals to understand the rights and responsibilities that are associated with their roles, as stated in an area school principal’s employment agreement.
- Employment agreements
- Your pay
- Career structure payment
- Allowances
- Leave
- Other benefits and entitlements
- Leaving your job
- Further information
Employment agreements
Area school principals in state and state-integrated schools and kura are covered by:
- the Area School Principals’ Collective Agreement (ASPCA), or
- an individual employment agreement, with similar terms and conditions as the ASPCA.
Who's covered by the ASPCA
You are covered by the ASPCA if:
- your work is covered by this agreement, and
- you’re a member of one of the area school principals’ unions: the New Zealand Educational Institute Te Riu Roa (NZEI Te Riu Roa) or the New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Association (NZPPTA).
Area School Principals’ Collective Agreement 2019-2022 [PDF, 531 KB]
Who's covered by the individual employment agreement (IEA)
You need to sign an IEA if:
- your work is covered by this agreement, but
- you're not a member of the NZEI Te Riu Road or NZPPTA.
The Ministry of Education develops and approves the individual employment agreement. The terms and conditions of your work are similar to the collective agreement.
Area School Principals’ Individual Employment Agreement [PDF, 132 KB]
Your pay
Your pay is made up of several parts:
- Roll-based salary - the more students in your school, the higher your base pay.
- Staffing-based salary – an additional amount based on the number of staff in your school.
- Decile payment - if your school is in deciles 1 to 4, you'll get an addition to your annual pay.
- Area school principals' payment – this additional payment recognises the complexities of your role as an educational and professional leader across all years of the curriculum.
Tables set out in clause 3.1 of the collective agreement show your salary components.
Clause 3.1 - Area School Principals' Collective Agreement
Career structure payment
You can also qualify for a salary increase based on the number of years you've been a principal and whether you meet the professional standards.
There are different standards for initial, experienced and leading principals. Your board is responsible for reviewing your performance and confirming that you qualify for the career payment.
The criteria for the career payment are set out in clause 4.4 of the collective agreement. The professional standards are at the end of the agreement.
Clause 4.4 - Area School Principals' Collective Agreement
Allowances
You may be eligible for allowances as follows:
High priority principals’ allowance
Leave
Annual leave and paid sabbatical leave are set out in Part 5 of the collective agreement. All other leave entitlements, including sick, parental, bereavement (tangihanga), study and refreshment leave, are the same as for area school teachers. Your school can also allow discretionary leave for various activities.
Leave for principals and teachers
Other benefits and entitlements
You’re entitled to receive superannuation contributions from your employer.
Superannuation for principals and teachers
If you move schools because you’re promoted or you move to work in a ‘hard to staff’ school, you may qualify for a payment to help cover your transfer and removal costs.
The Ministry of Education is able to approve different terms or conditions than those in the employment agreements, such as:
- payments or benefits for taking on extra duties and responsibilities
- 'sensitive payments' such as work-related Koru Club membership, home phone and internet rental, and limited use of a school vehicle for private purposes.
Special terms or conditions (concurrence)
Leaving your job
If you have a terminal or serious illness that means you can no longer work as a principal, you may be eligible for medical retirement.
Medical retirement for principals and teachers
Both you and your school must follow the correct processes and procedures to manage your resignation, dismissal or retirement.
Resignation, dismissal and retirement
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