When additional relief teacher funding is available for sports and cultural leave

We may provide funding where a school will incur a double cost while a teacher is on paid leave for an eligible event. This means the teacher has been granted paid leave to participate in an event, and the school needs to hire a reliever while they are away.

This funding is available for specific time periods and criteria. School boards need to consider the criteria carefully because this funding does not apply to all sports and cultural events. It may not cover the full time the teacher is away. There may still be other relief costs for the school to cover.

Eligibility criteria for sports leave

Your application must meet all criteria to qualify for funding.

The teacher must be representing New Zealand:

• as a competitor or recognised official, and
• at an international event (as an individual or team member) at a national level.

The event the teacher is attending must be open to all age groups. The only exception is nationally selected school, or school-aged youth teams, where the accompanying teacher is an accredited recognised official. The event must meet all other conditions.

Selection for the event must have been made on a national basis. This usually means by ‘open’ national competition, not by invitation or appointment.

The sport must be:

• a current accredited sport for competition in the Olympic Games or Commonwealth Games
• formally constituted and recognised by a national organising body in New Zealand that conducts regular tournaments in the sport.

Eligibility criteria for cultural leave

Your application must meet all criteria to qualify for funding.

The activity must be a significant event in an international context. Usually this will be either:

• an artistic or cultural performance
• a competition
• an exhibition.

We may consider other activities where they are internationally significant.

In all cases, the event must:

• be arranged by a recognised national body and selected on a national basis
• lead to considerable public relations benefits for New Zealand.

Sport and cultural leave not funded by us

Funding for both sports and cultural leave is not available where the teacher:

• represents any country other than New Zealand
• represents a city, area, region or island of New Zealand
• receives fees or other remuneration for participating.

We do not provide funding for events that are:

• inter-provincial and national events in New Zealand or other countries, including where New Zealand is competing against a city, area, region, or state of another country either in New Zealand or that country
• international age-group events
• non-competition events, either here in New Zealand or overseas
• training or build-up events.

Non-competitive events that we do not provide funding for include:

• business, board or service organisation meetings
• conferences, conventions, forums or any similar ‘meeting for discussion’ event
• professional development or study.

Training and build-up events that we do not provide funding for include:

• coaching sessions, sports training, training camps, sports practice, rehearsals
• performance practices or other training or practice activities for qualifying events
• time trials
• build-up events preliminary competitions
• preparatory events or other related events.

How many days can be funded

Days we pay for are limited to:

• actual days of international-level competition or eligible events during any tour
• travel to and from the event, based on travel times for specified regions.

We pay a set number of travel days before and after the official event dates. The number of days depends on the region:

• New Zealand, Australia, Asia-Pacific – 1 day each side
• Asia, North and South America – 2 days each side
• Other regions (United Kingdom, Europe, Africa and the Middle East) – 3 days each side.

Relief teacher funding for sports and cultural leave is limited to a maximum of 20 days in any 1 school year. There is no funding for events or travel that take place in school holidays or weekends because there will be no relief costs.

How to apply

Schools should apply in advance to confirm whether or not additional relief teacher funding will be provided for sports and cultural leave.

You must include supporting documentation on the relevant national organising body's official letter head. The information you need to include is on the form.

Email the form along with the supporting documents to us.

Email: [email protected]

Supporting document requirements

You must provide us with a letter from the relevant national organising body on their official letter head. It must have the following:

• A description of the international event including the competitive grade or level.
• How the teacher will participate in the event.
• A detailed itinerary of the planned tour that includes:
  • the dates of the international event
  • the dates of any in-person registration for the international event
  • planned travel dates
  • any other related activities such as training days or rehearsals.
• How competitors were selected for the event (invitation or national competition) and documented evidence of the selection.
• For cultural leave, any public relations benefits for New Zealand and whether remuneration is being paid for the teacher participation or services.